© Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
No fourth-quarter magic this time around as the Chicago Bulls lose to the Los Angeles Clippers
Unlike their previous three games, the Chicago Bulls couldn’t summon any magic in the fourth quarter, falling to the Los Angeles Clippers, 112-102. With the Bulls needing a win to reach the .500 mark for the first time since they were 2-2 this season, Chicago couldn’t hold on to a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter to suffer the loss that dropped them to 31-33.
Lost a 14-point lead
Chicago took a 60-46 early in the third after an Ayo Dosunmu triple. However, the Clippers turned to big man Ivica Zubac, who abused the Bulls’ interior defense in the third, scoring 10 of his 16 points in that stretch to help the Clippers take a 76-71 lead. However, the Bulls steadied their ship and took an 85-83 lead to the fourth after Coby White canned trey near the end of the quarter.
But that was all she wrote for the Bulls, who couldn’t find the mark in the fourth, making only five of their 18 attempts. Chicago also went cold from beyond the arc, going 1-for-9 in that same stretch. The Clippers scored the first 11 points in the fourth and didn’t look back.
Paul George led the Clippers with 22 points, Kawhi Leonard added 19, while James Harden finished with a triple-double, compiling 14 points, 11 boards, and 10 assists.
Lackluster third to blame
After the game, Bulls coach Billy Donovan lamented his team’s third-quarter letdown, saying it was a turning point in the game.
“I thought we started the first half well. We moved the ball and made some shots. The turnovers and our inability to make enough shots, kind of impacted the third quarter,” Donovan said.
DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 24 points and 10 assists, while Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 11 rebounds.
The loss hurt the Bulls as it dropped them 4.5 games behind the Miami Heat in the race for the sixth seed and the outright playoff spot that comes with it.
