Bulls' Big Three play stat stuffers in win over Atlanta
DeMar DeRozan is a Los Angeles native, so he always looked up to Paul Pierce as one of his hometown heroes.
"He's a Los Angeles legend," DeRozan said. "He's one of our Mt. Rushmore guys that, growing up in L.A., you looked up to, admired, college to the pros. I remember everything. I remember playing against them Boston teams with Paul Pierce."
Pierce's Boston Celtics produced the first so-called NBA superteam with a "Big Three" that included Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, and won a title their first year together.
The Bulls' version of a three all-star lineup hasn't looked better than it did Monday in Atlanta. With the Hawks getting a big push in Trae Young's return from health and safety protocols, DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic all posted monster numbers in a 130-118 victory.
DeRozan finished with 35 points and 10 assists; LaVine had 30 points and 9 assists; while Vucevic piled up 24 points, 17 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks. Vucevic also knocked down three baskets from 3-point range in the fourth quarter to hold off an Atlanta threat.
"It's crazy because we're still missing a couple key parts to our team, but the other starter when it comes to Lonzo (Ball), what he brings defensively and offensively to this team, you almost have to stack it up as a Big Four," DeRozan said. "The guys who needed to step up tonight, all the veteran guys who carry their weight."
Vucevic has sort of been lagging behind stat-wise from LaVine and DeRozan. He has the toughest job of the three since the other guys have the ball in their hands often and he needs help to score.
"One thing when I spoke to (coach) Billy (Donovan) that stuck out and helped me is obviously, he knew I was frustrated with shooting the ball and his main thing was I shouldn't let that affect the rest of my game," Vucevic said. "I let that affect the rest of my game and I'm too good a player to do that. I've been in this league too long to let a bad shooting night ... affect my game in general.
"So I think I was just able to regroup and come back and focus on just playing well, doing things I can control and then the rest if going to follow through."
The past two nights might have provided a glimpse of how good the Bulls (21-10) can be if all three of their all-stars are clicking.
"We have so many options on the court, it's hard for teams to just take away something, because something else is going to be open," Vucevic said.
It looked like the Bulls could be in trouble when Young opened the game with 10 points and 4 assists, while leading the Hawks to an early 25-16 lead. From the opening tip, Atlanta committed to putting Vucevic in pick and rolls and forcing the Bulls to make difficult defensive decisions.
Interim coach Chris Fleming, who improved to 2-0 filling in for Donovan, said putting Ayo Dosunmu and Javonte Green on Young helped the cause. Coby White started the game on Young, got in early foul trouble, but scored 13 points in the second half.
Both teams were missing players. Ball (protocols), Alex Caruso (left foot sprain), Derrick Jones Jr. (left hamstring strain), Tony Bradley (protocols) and Alfonzo McKinnie (protocols) were out for the Bulls. Before the game, Fleming said he expects Jones to return in the "near future."
Even with Young back, the Hawks had 10 players in protocol on Monday, including John Collins, Danilo Gallinari, Kevin Huerter and Lou Williams.
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