Bulls Dominate Hawks in Playoff Showdown
In a thrilling playoff matchup, the Chicago Bulls showcased their dominance over the Atlanta Hawks, securing a convincing 131-116 victory. The game was a display of sharpshooting, tenacious defense, and excellent teamwork by the Bulls, who will now head to Miami to take on the Heat on Friday night where they will either secure the eighth seed for the Eastern Conference in this year's postseason or head back home to Chicago. Let’s take a look at how the Bulls won this one!
The Bulls were on fire offensively, shooting an impressive 56.8% from the field and 42.3% from beyond the arc. Coby White led the charge with a career-high 42 points on 15-21 shooting, while Nikola Vucevic added 24 points and 12 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan also had a great game finishing with 22 points on the night. Chicago also dominated the boards, outrebounding Atlanta 47-34. With his 12 rebounds Vucevic was a force to be dealt with inside, while DeRozan and White contributed with six and nine rebounds, respectively. This rebounding advantage allowed the Bulls to control the pace of the game and create second-chance scoring opportunities. Chicago also moved the ball effectively, tallying 27 assists as a team. DeRozan orchestrated the offense finishing the game with nine assists, finding open teammates, and keeping the Hawks’ defense off balance. This unselfish play led to open looks and easy baskets, showcasing the Bulls’ team-first mentality.
On the other side, the Hawks struggled to find their rhythm from three-point range, shooting just 29.7% on 37 attempts. Dejounte Murray led the Hawks with 30 points, while Clint Capela, Trae Young, and Bogdan Bogdanovic had 22, 22, and 21 points, respectively. The Bulls' active and disruptive defense, recording six steals and eight blocks, was a leading reason as to why the Hawks struggled in this one. Andre Drummond and White led the way defensively with three blocks and two steals, respectively, making life difficult for the Hawks’ offense. Can the Bulls maintain their strong play and defeat the Heat to advance to the NBA postseason?
