Blazers Start Road Trip With Win vs. Bulls

The Portland Trail Blazers are celebrating a 121-112 victory against the Chicago Bulls inside the United Center.

It took a bit for the Blazers to get in the game, but in the second quarter, they managed to get a lead that the Bulls would not be able to overcome. The Bulls cut it to within three points with a couple minutes left in the fourth quarter, but that was as close as they would get. The Blazers went on a 13-7 run to close out the game and pick up the victory.

Blazers Back in Win Column vs. Bulls

Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Blazers were led by Jerami Grant, who scored a game-high 27 points. He was one of eight Portland players to score in double figures. Toumani Camara had 16 points, but it came out as an inefficient 4 of 14 from the field.

Robert Williams III had a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds off the bench, while Vit Krejci had 14 of his own off the bench. Scoot Henderson got his first start of the season and scored 12 points in 24 minutes. Blake Wesley, Kris Murray, and Jrue Holiday joined their teammates in the figures at 10 points apiece.

As a team, the Blazers made just 10 of 46 shots from beyond the arc. Luckily for them, the Bulls weren't much better, making just 9 of 30 attempts from distance.

The Bulls had a 20-point performance from Matas Buzelis. Point guard Tre Jones added 19 off the bench, while veteran center Nick Richards had 14 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Leonard Miller added 11 off the bench, while Josh Giddey scored 15. Isaac Okoro managed to put 12 up on the scoreboard, and Collin Sexton had 10 of his own to join his team in double figures.

It wasn't the prettiest win for the Blazers, but they picked one up and sometimes you have to take the ugly ones as they come. Getting these wins even when the quality of play is poor is a sign that the Blazers are growing and moving in the right direction as they try to reach the postseason.

The Blazers are back in action on Saturday when they take on the Charlotte Hornets. Tipoff is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. PT inside the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.