The Chicago Bulls had been too sizzling to deal with after they demolished the Dallas Mavericks at dwelling, however they now embark on one other mission to increase the Atlanta Hawks’ three-game dropping streak when the 2 groups make a date on Sunday.
The Hawks misplaced a good 120-116 sport at Brooklyn on Friday, whereas the Bulls are coming off a convincing 144-115 win over the short-handed Dallas Mavericks and have gained two straight.
This is the primary of 4 conferences between the 2 groups. Chicago gained three of 4 video games in opposition to Atlanta final season. The Bulls scored 130-plus factors 9 occasions final season, and two of these video games got here in opposition to the Hawks. Chicago might be making an attempt to brush a back-to-back for the second time.
Chicago set a franchise file with 82 first-half factors on Friday in opposition to the Mavs. They had been led by DeMar DeRozan with 28 factors, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. The veteran averaged 28.5 factors, 5.5 rebounds and seven.3 assists within the 4 video games in opposition to Atlanta final season. He has scored 27-plus factors in back-to-back video games after being held within the teenagers in his two earlier contests.
The Bulls did not waste time in opposition to the Mavericks, who performed with out Luka Doncic. They had been forward 26-8 after seven minutes and scored 40 factors within the first quarter.
“We didn’t have to run a lot of half-court offense,” Bulls head coach Billy Donovan mentioned. “We got stops, got steals and were able to get out and play in transition. I thought we started well, and it was the steals and the stops.”
The Bulls are taking part in with out Javonte Green, who has missed three straight video games with proper knee soreness. Alex Caruso left Saturday’s sport within the first quarter with a decrease again contusion.
The Hawks are taking part in with out three starters: Dejounte Murray (left ankle), John Collins (left ankle) and De’Andre Hunter (proper hip flexor). Hunter is near returning and will get to be again on Sunday.
“I believe in them,” Atlanta head coach Nate McMillan mentioned. “We’ve got to believe in each other. I know we’re short-handed, but we’re not playing to play close, we’re playing to win games, and we can do it. It’s about us finishing. We have to learn how to finish the game, get stops and then make shots the last five minutes of a game when it’s close.”
Trae Young is averaging 27.5 factors and 9.5 assists via 24 video games. On Friday in opposition to the Nets, he scored 33 factors with 9 assists, placing him one help away from breaking a tie with Jeff Teague (2,771) for the fifth-most assists in franchise historical past.
Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 31 factors in opposition to the Nets and went 7-for-9 on 3-pointers in his fourth sport since coming back from knee surgical procedure. A profitable 3-pointer would give the Hawks a minimum of one in 1,000 straight video games, a streak that started on Feb. 19, 2010. That is tied for the Eleventh-longest energetic streak within the NBA.
“He’s not hesitant, which is good,” McMillan mentioned of Bogdanovic. “He’s not concerned about his knee. It seemed like he had his rhythm back and was able to knock down shots.”
