Bulls experience a wave of injuries
The Chicago Bulls, the first in the East, have been in very bad shape recently, and after a wave of three consecutive defeats, the team has suffered a wave of injuries. In this game against the Grizzlies, Lavin and Ball are absent due to injury, Caruso can not come back, plus Jones Jr. and Green, it is really a lack of major generals. Although the Memphis Grizzlies lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the last game, ending an 11-game winning streak, this team is in excellent form, the team has no injury hazards, and can definitely bring trouble to the Bulls.
Morant has become the hottest superstar in the league today, but the most impressive player this season is Demar DeRozan. This match, the contest between Morant and DeRozan, is undoubtedly the focus of this game. However, the Chicago Bulls are reluctant to suffer four consecutive defeats.
The Grizzlies don't give a chance
With so many injuries on the team, the only one to rely on is DeRozan. In the first quarter, DeRozan had 6 points and 1 assist on 2-of-4 shooting, White had 8 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist, and the Bulls struggled to get 20 points, but also limited the Grizzlies to only 20 points, of which Morant had 5 points and 1 rebound. After returning from the second quarter, the Bulls still had a bad feel, with DeRozan only having four points and two assists on 2-of-8 shooting, Vucevic still missing a point, the team only scored 25 points, and the Grizzlies seized the opportunity.
Morant didn't make a difference, but Bane stepped up, shooting 6-of-8, 4-of-3 from three-point range, and 15 points in a single quarter to lead the Grizzlies to 38 points and a 13-point lead at the end of the half. In the second half, DeRozan was still tepid, taking 6 points and 1 assist on 3-of-7 shooting, Vucevic finally scored, with 7 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist, but the shooting rate of 9 shots and 2 shots could not bear to look directly. The Bulls scored 27 points in the quarter and improved a little, but the Grizzlies widened the point difference to 20 points.
As the king of the season, DeRozan scored 8 points and 1 assist on 3-of-5 shooting in the final quarter, leading the team to constant counterattacks, and the Bulls scored the game's highest single-quarter 34 points, but to no avail. Morant had 9 points and 1 rebound on 3-of-3 shooting to help the team stabilize the situation and eventually beat the Chicago Bulls 119-106, successfully giving his opponents a four-game losing streak.
DeRozan couldn't do anything about it
In the absence of Raven and Bauer, the only player DeRozan can trust is Vucevic, after all, he was an All-Star center, but who would have thought that Vucevic played 30 minutes in this game, only 7 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists in 13 shots, which was very inefficient. Vucevic's 13 shots, five were three-pointers and five from mid-range, with just three shots in the box, resulting in a three-pointer and a layup, plus two free throws. Such a performance not only did not help DeRozan, but also dragged the team's hind legs.
DeRozan had 24 points and five assists in this game, White 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, Daussom 15 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, 2 blocks, and three people on the bench scored in double figures, if Vucevic plays normally, the Bulls are not without a chance to win, but these are just ifs. Morant continued to soar, scoring 25 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists on 9-of-17 shooting, Bain also had 25 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists, Jalen Jackson Jr. had 14 points and 5 rebounds, and the bench also had 3 people in double figures.