Turnovers too much for Bulls to overcome
The Bulls' defense made history Sunday in San Antonio, even while playing a lousy game overall.
Spurs legend Tim Duncan was held without a field goal for the first time in 1,310 career games, which was the longest streak in NBA history.
Michael Jordan made it through 1,072 career games and was never held without a basket. But Duncan has played in more games, obviously.
Keeping Duncan scoreless didn't do the Bulls much good. Spurs guard Tony Parker piled up a season-high 32 points as San Antonio rolled past the Bulls 116-105 at the AT&T Center.
The short-handed Bulls (39-25) reverted to an old problem. They coughed up 22 turnovers, which helped create 35 fastbreak points for the Spurs. Heading into this game, San Antonio ranked 28th in the league in fastbreak points, averaging 12.8 per game.
“If you turn the ball over 22 times against a very good team like they are, I don't think there's a way you can win it,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters after the game.
The Bulls played for the fourth time without Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler or Taj Gibson because of injuries. They are 2-2 in that stretch, with a tough home game against Memphis coming on Monday.
“I was worried if we were going to have the ability to score enough, and I think we can score enough,” Thibodeau said. “The big thing is taking care of the ball and making sure we get back defensively.”
Parker has been a unique player throughout his long career. He never produces big enough stats to contend for MVP or first-team All-NBA. But when he's at his best, Parker can be as dominant as any player in the league.
Sunday was another one of those days, as the Bulls' guards never came close to slowing him down.
Duncan went 0-for-8 from the field, scoring 3 points on free throws. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was jokingly asked if he planned to confront Duncan, who turns 39 next month, about his lack of scoring.
“I don't talk to Timmy too much anymore,” Popovich replied. “So if you want to tell him, go ahead. Say, 'What the heck was that all about? What are you doing?' ”
Parker wasn't the only unstoppable point guard. Backup Patty Mills scored 15 points in 16 minutes. Kawhi Leonard added 20 points for the Spurs (39-23), while Manu Ginóbili had 16.
“We have to play tougher defensively,” Joakim Noah said after the game. “When things aren't going your way, we've just got to find a way to get stops. We couldn't get stops at all tonight.”
For the Bulls, Pau Gasol produced his league-best 42nd double-double, with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Aaron Brooks scored 22 points, while Nikola Mirotic had 19. Noah grabbed 11 rebounds and dished a team-high 9 assists.
The Bulls are counting on several subs to pick up the slack with three of the team's top five scorers injured. Those guys played well, but getting it done night after night is another story.
Tony Snell went scoreless Sunday in 29 minutes. Doug McDermott followed up his career-performance Friday in Indiana by scoring 3 points. Veteran center Nazr Mohammad was a pleasant surprise off the bench, scoring 8 points in seven minutes.
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Bulls game day
Memphis Grizzlies at the United Center, 7 p.m.
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: ESPN 1000-AM
Outlook: One of the Bulls' best wins of the year was a 103-97 victory at Memphis on Dec. 19. Derrick Rose didn't play in that game, but Jimmy Butler scored 31 points and Nikola Mirotic went 6-for-6 from 3-point land. The Grizzlies (44-18) are hanging on to second place in the Western Conference but are just 3-4 in their last seven games. C Marc Gasol leads Memphis at 18.0 ppg, followed by PF Zach Randolph with 16.4 points and 11.4 rebounds. PG Mike Conley also is averaging 16.4 ppg. SF Jeff Green has contributed 12.2 points in 25 games since being acquired from Boston.
Next: Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center, 6 p.m. Wednesday
— Mike McGraw