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3 takeaways from the Chicago Bulls' win that snapped Brooklyn Nets' 12-game win streak
The Chicago Bulls' puzzling season added another chapter on Wednesday night as they beat the red-hot Brooklyn Nets with a score of 121-112. This stopped the latter's impressive 12-game winning streak thanks to six different players scoring in double-figures for the Bulls. Here are three takeaways from the Bulls' win that propped their record this season to 17-21.
Less-heralded players step up
Any conversation about the Bulls typically starts and ends with their All-Star wingmen, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. But it was the complimentary pieces around them that made the difference on Wednesday night. Patrick Williams and Ayo Dosunmu combined for 39 points, with the latter coming up big in crunch time, stealing and scoring the ball to help Chicago go up by 11 in the fourth.
Williams, often criticized for not living up to his billing as the fourth pick in the 2020 Draft, had a near-perfect shooting night. He shot 6-of-8 from the field and 7-of-7 from the line for a total of 22 points to go with seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Dosunmu added 17 points, seven boards, an assist, two steals, and one incredible chasedown block on Nets superstar Kevin Durant.
DeRozan and LaVine shoot blanks
The aforementioned All-Star duo struggled to make baskets against the Nets, combining for just 35 points on an abysmal 12-of-31 shooting. Durant mentioned how pleased they were with their defense on DeRozan and LaVine, but failed to account for Williams and Dosunmu.
“Their top two guys were 12 for 31 for 35 points," Durant said. “We can live with that. But Pat Williams made some shots and easy rolls to the rim. Ayo is playing great this year and put pressure on the rim."
Unstoppable Durant
Speaking of Durant, the one-time league MVP had himself a scoring party at the United Center as he poured in 44 points on a super-efficient 15-of-22 shooting. With starting forward, Royce O'Neal going 0-for-9 and reserves Joe Harris, TJ Warren, and Yuta Watanabe not doing any better, Durant was forced to shoulder the scoring load for Brooklyn.
The Bulls will try to ride the momentum of this win on Friday when they battle another formidable Eastern Conference foe in the Philadelphia 76ers.
