Chicago Bulls

Krejci sets career highs with 18 points as Hawks beat Bull

Posted April 01, 2024 10:24 pm

By ANDREW SELIGMAN

Vit Krejci set career highs with 18 points and six 3-pointers, Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 20 and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Chicago Bulls 113-101 Monday night in a matchup between potential play-in tournament opponents.

Krejci made all six field-goal attempts and surpassed his previous highs of 16 points and four 3s, helping Atlanta win for the fifth time in six games.

Dejounte Murray scored 17 points and Clint Capela added 15 points and 11 rebounds as the 10th-place Hawks moved within a half-game of the ninth-place Bulls in the Eastern Conference. Chicago owns the head-to-head tiebreaker after taking two of three from Atlanta and would host a play-in game if the teams finish tied.

DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 31 points. Coby White scored 22. Ayo Dosunmu added 15 points, and Andre Drummond had 13 points and 18 rebounds.

Bogdanovic made 6 of 7 shots, including a pair of 3s. The hot-shooting Hawks nailed 19 of 40 from beyond the arc.

The Hawks led by 17 late in the third quarter and were never seriously threatened after that.

Krejci, a third-year pro from the Czech Republic, almost matched his career scoring high in the first half. He made all five shots — each from beyond the arc — nailing one just before the halftime buzzer to give the Hawks a 61-53 lead.

Murray scored 11 in the half and made three 3s, and the Hawks were 14 of 26 on 3-pointers through the first two quarters.

The Bulls' Lonzo Ball (left knee surgery) was in Chicago, and Zach LaVine (right foot surgery) and Patrick Williams (left foot surgery) were flying in to continue their rehab. Javonte Green missed the game to tend to a family matter. His 10-day contract was also set to expire.

Hawks guard AJ Griffin (right high ankle sprain) is participating in individual basketball activities and will be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days. Forward Mouhamed Gueye (sprained right UCL) is going through full contact workouts, and center Onyeka Okongwu (sprained left big toe) has resumed individual activities. He will be re-evaluated in seven to 10 days.

UP NEXT

Hawks: Host Detroit on Wednesday.

Bulls: Host New York on Friday.

Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, right, shoots over Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Monday, April 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, center, looks to pass as Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu, left, and guard Coby White guard during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Monday, April 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Members of the Chicago Luvabulls perform before an NBA basketball game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Monday, April 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Atlanta Hawks forward Bruno Fernando, right, hangs from the rim after dunking against Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Monday, April 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) drives to the basket past Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Monday, April 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder checks the score board during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Chicago, Monday, April 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Atlanta Hawks forward Bruno Fernando, right, goes up for a dunk as Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Monday, April 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter, right, shoots over Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, left, and forward DeMar DeRozan during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Monday, April 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Article Comments

Article Categories
Basketball Chicago Bulls Content Providers NBA Pro Sports Sports Sports Types

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.