Let’s be honest, how much do you need to or want to know about this game?
The Washington Wizards are the worst team in the NBA, and they looked the part tonight. The Chicago Bulls (38-43) ruled out Josh Giddey shortly before tip-off, a sign that they were well aware of what they were up against. The Wizards were immediately on brand, committing six turnovers in the first quarter and going 1-10 from long range. To be sure, the Bulls were not a whole lot better, draining merely two of their first 12 attempts from distance and taking only a 26-24 lead into the second quarter. Still, I can’t imagine a single soul in the United Center was worried.
The Bulls slowly but surely increased their speed and merged onto the highway. They went on to shoot 10-19 from the field in the quarter and outscore the tanking Wizards 32-19. The Bulls’ more experienced second unit found plenty of success against the Wizards, giving the Bulls a +10 advantage in bench points in the first half. The Bulls also got to the free-throw line eight times in the second quarter to finish the half 13-15 at the charity stripe. Conversely, the Wizards did not shoot a single freebie.
I guess Chicago also deserves some credit for their defensive play, but it’s not like the Wizards’ offense made it particularly hard on them. They continued to brick shots and went a mere 5-12 from inside the paint in the second quarter. With that in mind, it was no wonder their 58-43 deficit only grew coming out of the locker room.
The second half was no contest. Washington knew they had a job to tank, while the Bulls took the easy transition points and wide-open cuts to the rim. Julian Phillips benefitted the most from the matchup, scoring 15 points in the quarter alone off decisive dives and corner threes. He would go on to finish the night with a career-high 23 points. In a boring and expectedly dominant matchup like this, that is the kind of performance you want to see from a youngster.
Speaking of which, Matas Buzelis also cruised to his fifth 20+ performance of the season. He scored 8 of those points in the fourth quarter to help steer Chicago toward their 119-89 victory.
The win clinched the No. 9 seed for the Chicago Bulls, officially setting them up for a third-straight Play-In Tournament with the Miami Heat. I know what you’re thinking, third time’s the charm, right? NBA FINALS HERE WE COME!
Another Year, Another Play-In Matchup is Officially Set for the Bulls
Player Grades:
Julian Phillips – A
Stats: 23 PTS, 9 REB, 1 BLK
Julian Phillips got the start in place of Josh Giddey, and he made the most of the opportunity. He scored his 23 points on a total of 11 made field goals, fighting his way to the free-throw line for a perfect 6-6 showing. His athleticism is a real tool, and the fact that he is starting to add the catch-and-shoot three to his game is a real plus. As I always say, the Derrick Jones Jr. comps for him make a lot of sense.
Matas Buzelis – A
Stats: 20 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 3 BLK
The rookie saw an opportunity to fill a leadership role tonight, and he did just that.
Nikola Vucevic – B
Stats: 15 PTS, 12 REB, 8 AST
Nikola Vucevic did a nice job setting the tone early with his decision-making and ball movement. He led the team in dimes during a night where they ended up assisting on 32 of their 43 made field goals.
Coby White – B
Stats: 16 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST
The Chicago Bulls didn’t need much of Coby White tonight, who saw a mere 28 minutes of action.
Talen Horton-Tucker – B-
Stats: 12 PTS, 4 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK
Another double-digit scoring game for Horton-Tucker, who has seen a surprising amount of playing time in recent weeks. He may have only gone 3-9 from the field, but he continues to get to the free-throw line with relative ease (6-8)
Box Score:
Check out the full box score here.
