Season low as Bulls slide to seventh-straight NBA loss
Murray Wenzel |
The Chicago Bulls’ emphatic NBA season start is now a distant memory after a seventh-straight defeat, this time to an undermanned Golden State.
Josh Giddey’s Bulls had moved to 5-0 for the first time since the Michael Jordan era in 1996.
But, with injuries biting their depth, they’re now 9-14 after a 123-91 loss to a Warriors outfit missing Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Al Horford on Sunday (Monday AEDT).
It was Chicago’s lowest total this season and is now their longest losing streak since an eight-game slide in the 2019-2020 season.
The Bulls were leading the Eastern Conference but now sit 11th in the standings.
Boomers guard Giddey (team-high 18 points, five assists, three rebounds) continued to take the offensive load but the Bulls, without Tre Jones, Isaac Okoro and Kevin Huerter, couldn’t keep pace.
Jimmy Butler (19 points, eight rebounds, six assists) powered the Warriors in his own injury return for their second win in as many nights.
Things have improved in Memphis for Australian forward Jock Landale, who had 15 points as the Grizzlies beat Portland 119-96 for their seventh victory in the last nine games.
They’ve improved to 11-13 and sit behind the Warriors in ninth in the West.
Landale added eight rebounds, two assists and two steals in the win.
Traded from Houston, the Boomers centre is making the most of 20 minutes of court time on average per game this season to chart career highs in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals.
Elsewhere, LeBron James (29 points on 70 per cent shooting, seven rebounds, six assists), dominated after sitting out a game as Los Angeles beat Philadelphia on the road 112-108.
But Luka Doncic one-upped his Lakers teammate, finishing with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists as he shot just 34 per cent from the field.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Joel Embiid added 16 points for the Sixers but shot just 4-of-21 from the floor.
With under three minutes left, Quentin Grimes hit a three-pointer and Embiid made a jumper to tie the scores.
But James knocked down a triple and a contested jumper on back-to-back possessions to restore a five-point cushion with 27.4 seconds left.
In Charlotte, Jamal Murray scored 34 points and Nikola Jokic finished with 28 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds as Denver beat the Hornets 115-106 for their third straight win.
And Jaylen Brown scored 30 points while Derrick White added 27 as the visiting Boston held off Toronto 121-113 for their fifth straight win.
With AP, Reuters
AAP
