The Chicago Bulls took down the Detroit Pistons Monday night by a score of 122-112 in their fifth win on the road this season.
The Bulls found themselves in another tight contest after an early lead. Detroit came back to tie the game in the fourth quarter thanks to Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine who made the difference with 16 points. LaVine was held under wraps in the first three quarters and struggled from the field before exploding in the final quarter. He was a huge part of a 13-2 run that gave Chicago the lead that led to the win.
LaVine, along with Coby White finished with 25 points for the night. Bulls Center Nikola Vucevic led all scorers with 29, including six three-pointers, and set the tone on offense all night. Vucevic ran the offense from the top of the key and with his prolific shooting, drew Detroit defenders out to free up space for other players.
Bulls Struggle With Defense
The Bulls’ defensive woes continued as the game wore on. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham put up another solid performance against Chicago with 26 points, 10 assists, and 6 rebounds, and dragged the Pistons back into the game with his playmaking. The Bulls got out to a double-digit lead in the first half with their hot shooting but Cunningham was resilient and along with shooting guard Malik Beasley, who led all bench players with 21 points, helped the Pistons chip away at the deficit until the game was a dead heat in the fourth.
The crowd was reaching a fever pitch as the Pistons tied the game but Detroit could not contain LaVine and the Bulls, silencing the crowd with six consecutive threes to put the game out of reach. This day put a pep in Chicago’s step, considering the recent passing of three-time NBA All-Star Bob Love. Love passed away Monday due to cancer. He was 81. He played 11 seasons in the league, nine of which were with the Bulls. He also played for the Cincinnati Royals, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Nets, and Seattle SuperSonics. Love was a fourth-round pick by the Royals in 1965 out of Southern University.
LaVine and Hot Shooting Fuel Big Fourth Quarter
LaVine was a marksman in the fourth quarter from deep and carried the day but Coby White and Vucevic were knocking them down as well, with White making five and Vucevic hitting six. As a team, the Bulls shot 50% from distance, and Monday night that proved to be enough to overcome their shortcomings against a very improved Detroit Pistons squad.
A large reason for their improvement has been the development of Cunningham and the top overall pick flashed his potential in this one. He struggled to shoot the ball but dazzled with some of his playmaking. He set up shooters and shook defenders throughout the game. He led all players in minutes, kept a good pace through the game, with his court awareness on full display.
Monday night reminded the Bulls that their perimeter defense is one of the most dynamic aspects of their team and their fate can often rest with how well they stick to opposing guards and make life harder for them. Chicago has made it commonplace to get their fans’ heart rates up in games after either falling behind or leaping ahead. Monday night was a great example of that, with Detroit almost coming back to steal this game. Thank goodness for the three-point shooting and the stellar performance of Vucevic.
Final Thoughts
For Chicago, nothing is guaranteed but right now might be the best possible time to play the Milwaukee Bucks as they are still struggling to get out of the gate in the East. The Pistons showed improvement, but the Bucks have been scuffling. Chicago cannot be complacent: Milwaukee is built differently. The Bulls will have to take Monday’s lessons into that game.
