Second-half meltdown hands Bulls loss to Cavs |
CHICAGO—It was a tale of two halves at the United Center on Saturday, and one the Chicago Bulls are starting to get all too familiar with. In what was a carbon copy of their preseason opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, just in opposite form, the Bulls found themselves getting dominated in one half while also dominating the Memphis Grizzlies in the other half.
This time, it was the Bulls coming out strong and sending a message to the Grizzlies as they used a 14-2 run in the second quarter to take what was a 28-28 game after one and used it to seize command as the Bulls outscored the Grizzlies 37-23 in the second to take a 14 point lead at the half. It was a lead that many fans felt comfortable with, but then came the second half, where the Bulls not only saw their lead evaporate, but their defensive issues continued to be a massive problem. All it took for the Grizzlies to get rolling was a massive third quarter that saw them score 40 points compared to the Bulls' 28, pulling within 93-91 after three. Memphis would then go on to cap off their comeback victory in the fourth, outscoring the Bulls by five and holding them off late for the 124-121 victory. A lot of players stepped up to have good games, but Zach Lavine is the one worth noting in this one. Given all of the trade rumors he has been dealing with the past two seasons, it has been a long time since he had one of those games where you felt like he could carry this team. This was one of those games as Lavine went a perfect 6-6 from beyond the arc to finish with a game-high 28 points, 24 of which came in the first half. He was the only Bulls starter to have more than 15 points, with Josh Giddey adding 11 points and seven assists as the other starter with double digits. The Bulls were forced to rely on their bench once again. When it produces the way it did on Saturday, you can live with relying on your bench, as Julian Phillips went out and had a massive day. Phillips could be a real X-factor this season, as his excellent summer league showing has given this team confidence in his ability. With 21 points and eight boards, Phillips continues to prove he deserves a spot in the rotation and deserves a more significant role this season as he continues to impress. Another player battling for a roster spot this season is Talen Horton-Tucker, who is trying to lock down the final roster spot. With five other players competing for the final roster spot, Horton-Tucker has the early advantage right now. He backed up a strong preseason opener with 16 points in this one, and he did that in just 15 minutes of game action. That is unbelievable production for a role player, and that is the production the Bulls bench lacked last season. Dalen Terry also continues to show his overall improvement as a player as he is hoping year three is the first time he is given consistent minutes. With 11 points and seven boards, Terry put all of his skills on display, which will be crucial for the Bulls and their success this season. Not only did the Bulls have several players posting big games, but so did the Grizzlies, with two of them coming from the starting lineup. Jaylen Wells had the hot hand for the Grizzlies, as he connected on nine of his 18 shots, including four triples to lead the way for Memphis with 24. Wells also dished out six assists, as he was the engine that made the Grizzlies' offense go. Wells wasn't the only starter having a great day; four starters were in double figures. That includes Jake LaRavia, who added 20 points while hauling in nine rebounds, giving the Bulls fits on the inside. Throw in Zach Edey, who had 15 points and eight boards, and the Grizzlies frontcourt used their size to their advantage. The lack of size on this Bulls roster is going to be an issue all season. Anytime you have three players scoring at least 15 points in your starting lineup, you have to like your chances as a team. However, the Grizzlies had another player scoring a big game off the bench, which was a bad thing if you are a Bulls fan. It was another player who was a matchup nightmare with his size, as Jay Huff led the Grizzlies' second unit with 18 points and nine boards. That gave them three players with at least 15 points and eight rebounds. They could be one of the better rebounding teams this season, and that is going to be a problem for the Bulls all season. The Grizzlies were rounded out by Maye Oni and Scotty Pippen Jr., who both had 11 points.
