Bulls rally from 20-point deficit to win at Portland
Garrett Temple understands that one of his jobs is to teach his younger Bulls teammates, especially Zach LaVine and Coby White, what it takes to win games in the NBA.
So far, it's going OK. The Bulls improved to 4-4 after Tuesday's surprising 111-108 victory at Portland.
After scoring 21 points in the first quarter on Sunday against Dallas, LaVine didn't score any in the opening 12 minutes at Portland. But he knocked down a huge 3-pointer with 10.8 seconds left to put the Bulls ahead 109-105.
Damian Lillard answered with his own 3, White hit a pair of free throws and Carmelo Anthony missed a 3-pointer that could have tied it.
The Bulls trailed 39-21 after one quarter and trailed by as many as 20 in the second, but they fought back to stay competitive. The long climb finally paid off when Otto Porter's 3-pointer tied the score early in the fourth quarter and Temple's 3 put the Bulls ahead 96-94 with 6:36 left.
When Portland took a 100-98 lead with 5:14 left, the Bulls held the Blazers scoreless for the next four minutes and went on an 8-0 run. Lillard finally drew a couple fouls and his free throws brought Portland within 106-105 with 30.8 seconds left.
The Bulls put seven players in double figures. White finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, Porter had with 19 points and 13 boards, while LaVine put up 18 points and 9 assists.
Before the Bulls opened the four-game road trip, Temple talked about some of the things younger players need to learn. The veteran guard started with some high praise for LaVine.
"Seeing Zach up close now in person, the things he can do from a physical standpoint is something that I've never as a teammate of anybody I've ever played with," Temple said. "He's easily the most athletic, the most fluid teammate I've ever had. With the skills to match - in terms of the ability to shoot, the ability to get to where he wants to on the court, finish."
LaVine has been known for his impressive athleticism since he was drafted in 2014. The problem is he's never played for a team that has won more than 30 games in a season, which makes it tough for a guy surrounded by young teammates.
"It's just a matter of him having that consistent motor all the time," Temple said. "If you go back and watch film on Jordan, Kobe, the reason these guys are great is not only because they have that elite athleticism and skills, but they're consistently just at your neck every single time.
"They're out for blood, every single play, every single night. I think Zach getting that into his game, the rest of the team will follow suit. If he has that mindset every single game, every single play, that will really raise his level."
White is at a different stage of his career. He's in his second NBA season and is still getting accustomed to starting games and playing next to LaVine.
"I think the biggest thing with a guy like Coby that can really score is when he's playing point guard, just understanding when to be aggressive offensively in terms of scoring and when to look for his teammates and get everybody else involved," Temple said. "Decision-making is going to be really big.
"That's the thing that really sets the best point guards apart, being able to make decisions. It's a thin line between the best and guys that aren't the best. I think decision-making, keeping his turnovers low and just understanding when to be aggressive and when to be aggressive for the team instead of scoring himself."
The Bulls are Temple's 11th team in 11 NBA seasons. He doesn't have championship experience, but has been on two teams that reached the second round of the playoffs. White said he seeks out advice from Temple and the other veteran Bulls frequently.
"All of our vets are real vocal, so if they see something they have no problem telling you that you should be doing that or you could have done that," White said. "So for me I'm always willing to learn. I'm all ears."
Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls