The NBA regular season is always filled with exhilarating and dramatic moments. On this huge stage, the players will perform their skills, the winners will win glory, and the losers will learn to rebuild their confidence in the midst of setbacks. On April 12, the Chicago Bulls visited Detroit and faced the old rivals Pistons.
Before the game, both teams were in different moods. The Bulls have struggled to form and are in desperate need of a win to get back on their feet. And the Pistons have been in turmoil lately, suffering a troublesome losing streak. This game is a great opportunity for them to bounce back. If they miss it, they will sink deeper into the quagmire.
At the beginning of the first quarter, the Detroit Pistons showed great fighting spirit. Amid the shouts of the home crowd, they quickly launched a wave of 14-10 offensive climax, and instantly stretched the lead. The Bulls were a little surprised, they didn't expect their opponents to be so fast. But right away, they reacted and began to fight back.
On the field, you go back and forth, attacking and defending punches and kicks combined. The two teams played each other like a fight to the death, trying their best to take every point ahead. DeRozan and Vucevic were the first to step up and use their individual abilities to turn the bulls around. DeRozan was in super-hot form that night, making a total of five three-point shots. Vucevic, on the other hand, used his punches and kicks on the inside, and actively widened the gap with both hands.
At the end of the first quarter, the Chicago Bulls took a narrow 31-30 lead. It's just hors d'oeuvres, and the real tough battle is yet to come. Detroit is self-reflecting, looking for holes in the defense, and at the same time thinking about how to open up the Bulls' tough defense.
At the beginning of the second quarter, the Bulls launched another aggressive attack. It didn't take long for them to stretch the margin to a double-digit lead. Although Detroit is not to be outdone, it still tries its best to chase it, but the score difference is really difficult to narrow. The Pistons' Marcus Suser played quite well in this quarter, scoring two three-pointers in a row, which once stopped the team's decline.
At halftime, the Bulls led 64-55. The two sides went back and forth, and a tug-of-war between offense and defense began. Every time a shot is scored, the crowd erupts in cheers. That's the beauty of the NBA, it's all so energetic and passionate.
At the beginning of the third quarter, the Detroit Pistons held their breath and launched a strong attack. However, the Bulls' defense was exceptionally solid this time around, and they didn't give the Pistons a chance to take advantage of it. Instead, they opened the offensive window on their own, and the margin was suddenly stretched to 20 points with a single shot. There was an uproar as Detroit watched as its home stadium was being completely taken over.
Just when everyone thought the game was going to be smooth sailing, Detroit came back to life like a chicken. Later in the quarter, they struggled to narrow the gap again, and once again let the two sides go back and forth and be evenly matched. Before the game, I am afraid that not many people would have expected that the Bulls, who were originally expected to win a big victory, would encounter such a difficult battle on the road.
The fourth quarter was the climax of the game. The two sides go back and forth, and the ball is explosively converted in the hands of all parties. At one point, Detroit was close to only 18 points, and the scene was deafening, and everyone was expecting a miracle. But Chicago didn't want to give up the win so easily, and they quickly pulled the pace and widened the margin back to an insurmountable chasm.
In the end, the score was fixed at 127-105, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons on the road, and the dramatic game came to an end. The Bulls fans cheered, while the Pistons fans couldn't hide their disappointment and frustration. This is the cruelty of sports, behind every victory, there will be regret and pain on the losing side.
In the locker room after the game, the Chicago Bulls hugged and celebrated each other. DeRozan singled out the load tonight, scoring a staggering 39 points and seven assists. Vucevic made a great contribution to the team with 27 points and 11 rebounds.
"We know it's not going to be easy and the opponent is playing really well. DeRozan said.
By contrast, the Detroit Pistons' locker room was silent. Coach Choi Casey couldn't hide his disappointment in the interview: "We did play well today, but there is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of defense and shooting percentage. This Bulls team is just too elite and has taught us a hard lesson. But that's okay, I'm sure we'll learn from this defeat and be well prepared for the next games. "
Jalen Duren also had a gloomy face after the game, he scored 20 points and 11 rebounds, and the statistics were not bad, but he was clearly devastated by the loss. At the heart of the team, he hopes to take on leadership responsibilities more often than not, turning the team around.
There are joys and sorrows, excitement, and disappointments, and the so-called "gorgeous turnaround" and "broken bones" coexist at the same time in this green land. However, it is this kind of interweaving of ups and downs that makes the NBA arena so lively and interesting, and makes us deeply attracted to it again and again.
The day after the game, Chicago fans were already preparing for the next game. In all corners of the city, you can see the Bulls' logo stickers and merchandise. It is believed that this strong squad will be able to continue their winning streak and turn the tide in the final games of the regular season.
In Detroit, the atmosphere is noticeably more depressing. Six consecutive defeats have left fans of this traditional giant team extremely disappointed. The home stands, which have always been enthusiastic, began to appear empty in patches. A lot of people are criticising the team's poor performance and questioning the manager's coaching philosophy and managerial skills.
Just when the pressure of public opinion was mounting day by day, head coach Choi Casey finally made a bombshell decision, which was to use rookie center Emmanuel Moy. The big man rookie from Nigeria has always been considered a top interior ace of the future, but has been burying his own light on the bench due to his lack of experience.
For Casey's decision, there is actually a lot of disagreement within the team. Some veterans are worried that too hasty promotion of rookies will affect the team's tacit understanding and rhythm. But more people are still inclined to support Cassie, who believe that the team is in a bottleneck period and that some big changes are needed to bring about qualitative change.
Moi himself expressed his gratitude for the coach's decision, although a trace of apprehension inevitably rose in his heart. As a newcomer, can he stand up at the critical moment and shoulder this heavy burden? This question has always lingered in his mind. But fortunately, the main players of Duren, Suser and other teams quickly reached out to the rookie and taught him a lot of experience and insights in the NBA.
In this way, in the tense atmosphere and all kinds of doubts from the outside world, the Pistons started their last road journey of the new season. The first stop was at the home of their most hated opponent, the Chicago Bulls.
This time they fought again, and both sides had great fighting spirit. The Bulls, although they had won before, did not take it lightly. They know that the strength of the opponent is not trivial, especially Duren, the interior hegemon of the playing year, once he turns on the offensive mode, he is definitely a difficult troublemaker.
The Pistons, on the other hand, are working tirelessly to make the final tactical deployment. Rookie Moy will likely start the first quarter, and Casey hopes his incredible talent and youthful energy will open a gap for the team. At the same time, the veterans are patiently passing on lessons to the rising star in the hope of getting him into form as soon as possible.