All in a losing streak
The Chicago Bulls had a hard time without Ball and Caruso, and although DeRozan and Ravin kept staging scoring performances, the team suffered two consecutive losses, losing to the 76ers and the Suns, and fell to fourth place in the East. In such a situation, the Bulls will travel to Charlotte for this game to challenge the Hornets. Coincidentally, the Hornets have also recently lost in a row, and it is a wave of 5 consecutive losses, which also means that there must be a team in this game to end the losing streak.
The Chicago Bulls have five players injured, the Hornets also have 3 players missed due to injury, the characteristics of the two teams are very obvious, the Bulls have the league's top mid-range jumper, DeRozan is there, and the Hornets are a three-point fierce team. So in this game, whoever can play to their advantage can have the last laugh.
The course of the game
At the beginning of the first quarter, the Bulls were not in a satisfactory state, although LaVine had 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, but only 5 shots and 2 shots, DeRozan shot 3 of 3 from mid-range, it was 6 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist, but there were also 3 turnovers, even so, the Bulls still got 28 points in the single quarter, and the Hornets scored 29 points, of which Lamelo Ball hit 3 three-pointers, got 9 points, 1 rebound and 2 steals. After returning from the second quarter, DeRozan became more and more courageous, shooting 5-of-7, shooting 2-of-2 from three-point range, and shooting 12 points and 1 rebound in a single quarter.
Under DeRozan' leadership, the Bulls scored another 30 points in the second quarter, but the Hornets did not respond, but fell into a scoring drought, Ball did not score a point on 0-of-4 shooting, the team only scored 16 points, and by the end of halftime, the Bulls had led the Hornets by 13 points at 58-45. In the second half, DeRozan hit another three-pointer, 9 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist in the single quarter, and Vucevic also had 6 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists, but Lamelo Ball stood up again, shooting 6 of 8, with 14 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal, or let the point difference stay at 13 points.
In the final quarter that determines the outcome of the game, Bauer and Oubre keep scoring, but there is a king of the last quarter opposite. DeRozan was always able to step forward at key moments, keeping the point differential in double digits, but time passing by minute by minute. In the end, the Chicago Bulls beat the Hornets 121-109 on the road, ending a two-game losing streak while giving the Hornets six straight losses.
DeRozan re-evolved
Lamelo Bauer's personal performance has been incomparably outstanding, 5 of 10 from three-point range, 33 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, and 4 steals, but he had no choice but to meet DeRozan, and it was an evolved version of DeRozan, and there was really no way. In this game, DeRozan shot 13 of 19, 4 of 3 three-pointers, and bombed 36 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, which is extremely efficient, but for DeRozan this season, it is accustomed to it. I have to admit that this season's Chicago Bulls, DeRozan has become a well-deserved team boss.
LaVine's individual performance was also outstanding, hitting 5 three-pointers and having 27 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, Vucevic also had 18 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocks, and White had 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. On the Hornets side, Bridges had 22 points, five rebounds and five assists, Rozier also had 16 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists, and Oubre was 19 points and 4 rebounds, including 10 points and 2 rebounds in the final quarter. The Hornets have suffered six straight losses, and for this season's Eastern Conference dark horse, they must immediately get back on track to retain their playoff hopes.