Bulls try their best to handle extreme rest and recovery
A challenge for the Bulls and Atlanta Hawks the past two days was figuring out how to handle the aftermath of a once-in-a-career type of experience.
Friday's game in Atlanta went to four overtimes and was the third-highest scoring game in NBA history. So calling it a unique experience might be understating the situation.
"It's a strange feeling," Bulls coach Jim Boylen said before Sunday's rematch. "On the plane, there was a weird vibe with everybody, the fatigue factor and mental fatigue.
"We met yesterday at 1, we watched 10 clips to try to make us better today. We did not meet before (Sunday's game), just to give the guys an extra 45 minutes to sleep and recover. We're just trying to do the best we can."
Atlanta coach Lloyd Pierce said the Hawks had plane issues on the way to Chicago on Saturday. They had to wait on the plane, then change planes. And the Hawks have another game Monday night in Miami.
"I told our guys yesterday I'm happy they got a chance to play in a game like that," Boylen said. "It's something they'll always remember. Kind of a cool thing. It's nice when you win that game too.
"I worked for (former Michigan State coach) Jud Heathcote for a long time. He said, 'If the coaches are tired, the players are tired.' I looked at my staff this morning and they looked tired. So hopefully our guys are tougher than our staff."
Porter gets a break:
Three Bulls played 53 minutes on Friday in Atlanta and the team decided to keep Otto Porter Jr. out of Sunday's game. Porter scored 31 points in just under 55 minutes on Friday.
Porter missed a game-and-a-half last week with a calf strain, which also played a factor in the decision.
"Load management, rest today after the four overtime game," Boylen said. "Just want to protect that calf (plus) just his overall soreness. He wanted to play. That's the kind of competitor he is. But we feel it's best for him and for the team that he takes a day with the amount of soreness he has and how he's feeling."
Atlanta was short-handed as well. Center John Collins, who scored 35 points when the Hawks won at the United Center on Jan. 23, missed his second-straight game with an illness. Starting forward Taurean Prince left the team for the impending birth of his child, and power forward Omari Spellman is expected to miss a few weeks after spraining his ankle in Friday's game.
Tracking Trae:
Before Sunday's game, Bulls coach Jim Boylen reflected on the defensive effort from Friday, when Atlanta rookie point guard Trae Young had 49 points and 16 assists.
"I had 12 to 15 of his points where I don't know what you do differently," Boylen said. "He made one when he was standing on the jump circle. So I don't know what defense you can concoct.
"One thing I've learned in this league is you do the best you can. Great players make great plays. It's hard to turn somebody off when they get it going. What you have to try to do is not let them get going. Obviously he had a great night. Thank God we had a guy (Zach LaVine) that had 47."