Slide continues as Bulls drop fourth straight |
Dustin Riese
· · 3 hours ago
DETROIT - My, how fast things have changed for the Chicago Bulls (6-5). After racing out to a 5-0 start and 6-1 through seven games, the Bulls have hit their first rough patch of the season and have come back down to earth in a big way. All is not lost, however, as the Bulls are about to embark on one of their soft stretches in the schedule, where they could rip off plenty of wins.
Before getting to that stretch, Chicago had another tough task in front of them as they were back on the road to take on the Detroit Pistons (10-2) at Little Caesars Arena. This marks the second meeting of the season for both teams, as the Bulls took down the Pistons to open the season, and the Pistons were looking to extract some revenge in this one. Boy, did they ever do that as a fast start to the game, not only putting the Pistons in front by double figures but also proving to be enough in the end, as Detroit picked up the 124-113 win. To illustrate the crucial role one big quarter can play in a game's outcome, Detroit led 35-23 after one quarter of play and was outscored by just one point for the rest of the way, as Chicago continues to struggle with slow starts. The Pistons set the tone early, moving the ball effectively and assisting on seven of their first 10 made field goals, as the Bulls struggled to slow down their offense. Chicago struggled to find an offensive rhythm, shooting just 9-23 from the field and missing inside opportunities (5-12 at the rim). Detroit’s shooters were hot, with Duncan Robinson scoring 17 first-half points and Daniss Jenkins adding 16 by halftime, which helped the Pistons get off to a fast start. Robinson would finish with 23 points, with Jenkins adding 18, as the Bulls did a great job shutting them down after the first. quarter The Pistons kept up the barrage in the second quarter, shooting over 60% and hitting 52.9% from three in the half as they continued to hold a double-digit lead most of the first half. Chicago’s bench tried to spark a comeback, but Detroit answered every time as the half ended on a deflating note for the Bulls after Kevin Huerter fouled Chaz Lanier on a three-pointer with 0.2 seconds left, and Detroit took a 68-52 lead into halftime. As the second half got underway, the Bulls showed flashes by trimming the Pistons’ lead to single digits a couple of times, but Detroit immediately countered with quick buckets. Even with Matas Buzelis doing his part and putting up an impressive 21-point, 14-rebound performance, it was all Pistons after three as they continued to hold a commanding 95-79 lead with just one quarter to go. That is right where the Bulls wanted the Pistons, as Chicago erupted on an 11-0 run early, with four different players contributing, slashing the deficit to 95-90 with about nine minutes remaining. Four quick free throws from Tre Jones and Isaac Okoro pulled the Bulls within 97-96 as this one was far from over. It was at that point when the Pistons began to flex their muscles again, ending the game on a 27-17 run to pull away down the stretch. Paul Reed delivered a clutch and-one to restore order for Detroit, followed by Ron Holland II’s dunk, steadying the Pistons by six with eight minutes left. The final blow came from Duncan Robinson, who hit a deep three with 4:34 to go (111-102), then added another triple shortly after, keeping the Bulls at arm’s length. Detroit controlled the closing minutes behind Reed’s dominance inside, sealing their eighth consecutive win. Leading the way for Detroit was Reed, who finished with (28 points, 13 rebounds). Robinson (23 points), Jenkins (18 points, 12 assists), and Caris LeVert (17 points) off the bench paced the way for Detroit. Chicago was led by Buzelis (21 points, 14 rebounds), with Kevin Huerter picking up 20 points in his second consecutive start in place of Josh Giddey. Okoro (15 points) and Jones (11 points) rounded out the strong performances from the starters, with Ayo Dosunmu (12 points) and Jevon Carter (11 points) coming up huge off the bench. The win gives the Pistons their best start in 20 years, while the Bulls are looking to get back on track.
