Bulls

Kevin Porter Jr. scored a season-high 36 points and the Houston Rockets pulled away in the second half for a 133-118 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

They scored 22 of their 36 first-quarter points in the paint. Following a turnover, LaVine sank a 3 to put the Bulls in front. Chicago cut the deficit to 109-100 early in the fourth, but Porter countered with two consecutive 3-pointers. Bulls: G Alex Caruso (concussion) missed his third consecutive game despite passing all protocols. “We didn’t do a good job defensively,” LaVine said. CHICAGO (AP) — Kevin Porter Jr.

The Chicago Bulls (14-18) return home to the United Center to take on the Houston Rockets (9-23) for the first of two this season.

The Bulls are also shooting 39.3% from behind the 3-point arc this month (5th), while dishing 25.9 assists (8th) and scoring 115.5 points (10th). is next at 18.7 points, shooting slightly better at 42.3% overall and 31.5% from behind the arc, and he’s also the team leader in assists at 5.5 dishes. The Rockets have outrebounded opponents by double-digits 11 times this season, including by 20+ twice. As a team, the Bulls shot 48 percent from the field and went 14-of-31 (45.2%) from the 3-point line. Defensively, Houston is allowing 115.3 points per game which ranks 21st in the league. led the Rockets with 24 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, with sophomore Jalen Green adding 23 points, eight rebounds and four assists. That glass cleaning has also led to an NBA-leading 17.4 points per game on second-chance scoring opportunities. Last season the teams split the annual two-game series, each winning on its home floor. Offensively, Houston is led by second-year guard, Jalen Green, with a team-best 21.3 points while shooting 40.9% overall and 30.7% from three-point land. Chicago’s Big 3 of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević are on quite a roll. The Rockets, on the other hand, have lost five-in-a-row, and seven of their last 10. The victory was the Bulls’ third straight to close-out a four-game road trip.

The Bulls saw a three-game win streak snapped by the lowly Houston Rockets at home.

Houston @ Chicago. Current Records: Houston 9-23; Chicago 14-18. What to Know. The Houston Rockets have enjoyed the comforts of home their last seven games, ...

- Mar 27, 2018 - Houston 118 vs. - Jan 08, 2018 - Houston 116 vs. - Nov 03, 2018 - Houston 96 vs. - Dec 01, 2018 - Houston 121 vs. - Nov 24, 2021 - Houston 118 vs. [NBA picks](https://www.sportsline.com/nba/picks/#ttag=SL19_lk_cbssports_nba_htw) for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Regional restrictions may apply.) Shooting guard [Zach LaVine](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/2135543) and Deebo were among the main playmakers for Chicago as the former had 33 points and the latter posted a double-double on 25 points and ten assists along with seven rebounds. Allowing an average of 115.28 points per game, Houston has been asleep on the defensive side of the ball and will need to wake up before the contest. The Rockets are expected to lose this next one by 8.5. The Houston Rockets have enjoyed the comforts of home their last seven games, but now they must head out on the road. After a few days' rest for both teams, they and the Chicago Bulls will meet up at 8 p.m.

Zach LaVine long has been a strong finisher at the rim and, after a slow start to the season due to rust following offseason knee surgery, he's returning to ...

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine revealed a key driving force behind his recent success with the Windy City.

“Hopefully, I can get that up,” LaVine said. I understand it. “I felt I just needed to get back in rhythm and the timing.

At the start of the season, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine just wanted to get comfortable around the basket again. After all, that' s his comfort zone— ...

“I just needed to get back in the rhythm and the timing,” LaVine said. As the stingiest long-range shooting team in the league (28.9 3-point attempts per game entering Monday), the Bulls know they need to take more 3s. Most promising is a return to form around the basket, where LaVine is shooting 66.9% in the restricted area. LaVine averaged 8.5 3-point attempts in November, then sliced that number to 6.6 in December entering Monday while making just as many — 2.7 per game. In the 10 games before Monday night’s 133-118 loss to the Houston Rockets at the United Center, LaVine averaged 24.3 points on 52.8% shooting and four assists. After all, that’s his comfort zone — floating with his head above the rim, one arm cocked to throw down a vicious dunk.

The Rockets have the worst field-goal percentage in the league, shooting just 44.3%, but they shot 55.6% against the Bulls.

The Bulls are 4-1 against the top three teams in the Eastern Conference but have a bad habit of playing down to their opponents. Their efforts were as futile as the Bulls’ attempts at a comeback, and fans started to head for the exits three minutes before the final horn. The Bulls allowed 60 points in the paint and 15 points off turnovers. went 14-for-22 from the field and had a game-high 36 points for the Rockets. “We have to find ways to sustain, have the stamina to do it night after night after night,” Donovan said. The Bulls struggled to keep up.

The Bulls continued their struggles against lower-level teams, losing to the Western Conference bottom-feeding Rockets that snapped a three-game win streak.

Donovan said the Bulls struggled to get over screens and be physical on the ball, forcing the big men to stay in coverage longer. We have to coach them better and help them more.” But anytime you’re switching Nikola Vucevic in pick-and-roll coverages and leaving him to guard on the perimeter in space, well, you’re trying stuff. Coach Billy Donovan hinted pregame at his defensive concerns, saying that the Bulls can’t be a team that excels on one side of the ball. We have to be more aware of that.” On the one hand, with two victories over the Celtics and one over a Bucks team that arrives Wednesday, they’ve proven what they can accomplish when they play with that sense of urgency and defensive commitment.

CHICAGO — No longer should the Bulls' trio of stars be referred to as a “Big Three.” DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević have proved to be wholly ...

[Kevin Porter Jr.](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/kevin-porter-jr-h3qdRNkUpKXiExBp/) and [Jalen Green](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/jalen-green-JvM9bnWhEgouBn16/), along with center Alperen Şengün, bullied the Bulls as if the contest was merely an offseason open run. The Bulls assembled a lively close to the first half, just good enough to seize a one-point lead, and managed to look competent at the start of the third quarter. For all the jokes the phrase elicited a half-decade ago under a previous management regime, it’s apparent the Bulls must get younger and more athletic. Opponents’ length and athleticism are proving to be too much for the Bulls to handle. The Timberwolves took it to the Bulls, scoring an opponent’s season-high 150 points while playing without stars [Karl-Anthony Towns](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/karl-anthony-towns-hLzEwRUGfKRoGAbX/) and [Rudy Gobert](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/rudy-gobert-HoB7w4Z5ROZnzHO4/). Never has that been more clear than it was Monday, when the Rockets didn’t just show up with the best duo but also the game’s best trio. Porter is 22 and in his fourth season. “They came out playing harder than us,” LaVine said. Chicago fell to 3-8 against teams below .500, the Bulls once again putting on display their season-long penchant for inexplicable inconsistency. What we did these past three games, we’ve got to do it every night. You’ve got to do what you did the game before, every night. I just think it’s more so a wake-up call.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored a season-high 36 points and the Houston Rockets pulled away in the second half for a 133-118 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

They scored 22 of their 36 first-quarter points in the paint. Following a turnover, LaVine sank a 3 to put the Bulls in front. Chicago cut the deficit to 109-100 early in the fourth, but Porter countered with two consecutive 3-pointers. (left ankle sprain) missed his third straight game. Bulls: G Alex Caruso (concussion) missed his third consecutive game despite passing all protocols. “We didn’t do a good job defensively,” LaVine said.

Giannis Antetokounmpo leads Milwaukee into a matchup with Chicago averaging 31.2 points per game.

The Bulls won 118-113 in the last matchup on Nov. The teams meet for the second time this season. Antetokounmpo is averaging 31.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Bucks. LAST 10 GAMES: Bulls: 5-5, averaging 117.7 points, 40.0 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 7.3 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 51.6% from the field. Brook Lopez is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games for Milwaukee. Zach LaVine is averaging 22.2 points over the last 10 games for Chicago. TOP PERFORMERS: DeMar DeRozan is averaging 26 points, 5.1 rebounds and five assists for the Bulls. The Bucks are 11-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Chicago Bulls (14-19, 11th in the Eastern Conference) Antetokounmpo and the Bucks take on the Bulls Milwaukee Bucks (22-11, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Chicago ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference with 33.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Nikola Vucevic averaging 8.2.

The Bulls are 2-1 against division opponents. Chicago ranks fifth in the Eastern Conference with 33.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Nikola Vucevic ...

The Bulls won 118-113 in the last matchup on Nov. The teams meet for the second time this season. Antetokounmpo is averaging 31.2 points, 11.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Bucks. Chicago Bulls (14-19, 11th in the Eastern Conference) Antetokounmpo and the Bucks take on the Bulls Milwaukee Bucks (22-11, second in the Eastern Conference) vs.

December 26, 2022; Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan walks off the court during after. © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports. 3 ...

Meanwhile, the Rockets trio had 85 points on a combined 33-of-49 shooting. Despite another up-and-down performance, the Bulls had a chance to extend their streak to four wins. They entered the last quarter down 99-89, allowing Houston to come away with their 10th win of the season. Taking a team for granted, and you can't do that in the NBA." With 7:13 left in the opening quarter, the Rockets were up 23-5. Here are key takeaways from the game.

Chicago Bulls' star duo admits the team shows up to big games, but failes to do so against easier opponents.

"Taking a team for granted, and you can't do that in the NBA." Next up for Chicago is a home game against the Bucks. It's also something that, according to LaVine and DeRozan, cost them the win last night. Despite their underachieving start to the season, the Bulls were able to pile up wins against legitimate title contenders—they beat the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Boston Celtics twice. However, the Houston Rockets' huge third-quarter run secured them a 133-118 win that snapped Chicago's three-game winning streak and dropped their record to 14-19. How they did it perfectly sums up their up-and-down start to the season.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls were finally finding their groove. Not only had they won three games in a row, but all came on the road against teams that sat ...

[in yesterday’s Weekly Preview:](https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/2022/12/26/bulls-weekly-preview-rockets-bucks-pistons-and-cavaliers-december-19-31-2022/)” The Bulls have to be ready for speed, athleticism, and physicality. If they’re not ready to do things like crash the glass and get back in transition, this could turn into a trap game fast.” Shocker: They were not ready. - The trap game potential was so obvious that there should have been clear motivation to come and prove that this wouldn’t be the case. The Bulls’ “Big 3” of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic also happened to be on a franchise-best streak of each scoring 20+ points in four-straight games. So there was no way the Bulls were going to lose, right? The Rockets were the West’s worst team and had yet to crack double-digit wins.

After finishing their road trip with three straight wins, the Bulls took a step back falling to the Houston Rockets on Monday night at the United C...

It’s getting to the point at 14-19 where the Bulls have to pick a lane. “They hit a lot of tough shots, but for the most part we let them get on the run.” You figured the kids from Houston would have accepted they had a problem and could congratulate themselves for that first half. It sounds like Green and Jones are closer to a return than Caruso, who was active on the bench trying to help the officials with foul and out of bounds calls. White made a magnificent play with the steal from top 2022 pick Jabari Smith, a behind the back dribble to escape a defender along the sideline and that lob connection. LaVine then did what only he really can do on the Bulls, taking a lob pass from Coby White practically off the top of the backboard for a dunk. And so the battle of the frozen west side of Lake Michigan continues Wednesday with perhaps a revenge game for the Bucks in December, if there is such a thing. It was 10-uh oh and 23-5 for the Rockets, slipping screens, driving and rolling for easy layups and dunks until DeRozan and Dragic began to answer back. The Bulls also made a credible 13 threes in 35 attempts and shot 49 percent overall. Who happen usually to be the experimental teams filled with those high lottery picks, the kids of this modern NBA era who see basketball as a game of three-point shooting and dunking. And then add a double-digit loss to the now 10-23 Rockets after earlier defeats to bottom dwellers like the Spurs, Thunder and Magic? Plus, reserve veterans like Goran Dragić, who benefitted from the off days with a dozen points, and Andre Drummond, who added eight points and nine rebounds.

The Chicago Bulls lack of defense had them playing from behind for much of the game, snapping the three-game winning streak. Houston leaves the Windy City ...

Chicago falls to 14-19 on the season and 7-8 at home. The Bulls and Bucks will face off at 7 p.m. He said to reporters after the game, they took Houston for granted. In the third quarter, the Rockets went on a 17-1 run, reclaiming the lead. "I think I said before the game, with how we're trying to play, we're making progress. The Bulls gave up 64 points at the half, were outscored in every quarter but the second, and allowed Houston to own them in the paint.

The Bulls fell to 3-8 against sub-.500 opponents and have lost to a collection of teams at the very bottom of the NBA standings. It was a disappointing ...

We have to be more aware of that.” [Javonte Green](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/greenja02.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2022-12-27_bbr)warmed up with his teammates Monday night, but he was held out so the medical staff could see how his right knee responded to the pregame routine, according to [Annie Costabile of The Chicago Sun-Times](https://chicago.suntimes.com/bulls/2022/12/26/23526797/margins-of-victory-highlight-bulls-continued-issues-on-defense). “The next part of him passing the concussion protocol is him doing some form of contact.” [Retweet](http://twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hoopsrumors.com%2F2022%2F12%2Fbulls-notes-big-three-derozan-green-caruso.html&text=Bulls+Notes%3A+Big+Three%2C+DeRozan%2C+Green%2C+Caruso)2 [Share](#)0 [Send via email](#)0 Bulls management hasn’t shown any signs of wanting to break up its Big Three, but the team is facing a limited timetable if it decides to move in that direction. [Alex Caruso](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/carusal01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2022-12-27_bbr)remains in concussion protocol, but his sprained right shoulder is the main issue preventing him from playing, Costabile adds. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago](https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/bulls-lose-sense-urgency-3-game-win-streak-defensive-collapse). I just think it’s more so a wake-up call. It was a disappointing performance after three straight road victories, but the players recognize it as a consequence of not being ready to compete from the start, as Houston built an early 23-5 lead. Chicago’s inconsistent play continued Monday night with a home loss to the Rockets, who entered the game with just three road wins. So I don’t think it’s surprising. “We gotta go out the gate and treat it like it’s the fourth quarter. “I think we’ve shown ourselves when we play the way that we played tonight, this is what happens. [Nikola Vucevic](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/v/vucevni01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2022-12-27_bbr) and signed [DeMar DeRozan](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/derozde01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2022-12-27_bbr) to team with [Zach LaVine](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lavinza01.html?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.hoopsrumors.com&utm_campaign=2022-12-27_bbr) should be considered a “failed experiment,” writes [Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/4037228/2022/12/27/bulls-loss-rockets/).

The Bulls are still searching for a consistent identity, as the inconsistent season continued with a loss to Houston. There's a reason one vet feels they ...

If the Bulls do want to move one of the “Big Three,’’ DeRozan is the best asset, but what’s the return? However, the fact that he has refused media requests to discuss the season so far doesn’t exactly scream accountability. Maybe he’s the type of executive who can move ego aside and admit that. “We can’t just expect to win just because it’s the Rockets and it’s a bunch of young guys over there. Understanding that every single game has that much importance for us, and we gotta have that sense of urgency.’’ There’s a reason one vet feels they are in must-win mode, as trade decisions start to take shape the next month.