Bulls sorely lacking late go-to guy
Well, the Bulls clearly need to work on their late-game execution if they want to survive the season without the injured Derrick Rose and departed-for-Denver Nate Robinson.
Monday night’s triple-overtime marathon against New Orleans featured a few hundred late-game situations. Maybe it was a few thousand. This game lasted a long, long time.
Eventually, a defensive lapse cost the Bulls a victory. After Joakim Noah tied the score with a baseline hook with 4.5 seconds left in the third overtime, the Bulls lost Jrue Holiday on a high screen. His driving layup and 3-point play with 2.6 seconds left gave the Pelicans a 131-128 victory.
“I’m emotionally drained,” Taj Gibson said. “But there are a lot of games left. It’s just frustrating, especially to come up short after putting so much into the game.”
Noah talked about what went wrong on the final defensive possession.
“I think it was a really good play,” he said. “They knew we were going to switch once the ball came outside. He was at half-court, so we didn’t think he was going to be part of the play. Ryan (Anderson) set a good screen and he got open to the basket.”
Not surprisingly, the minute count was gruesome for the home team. Luol Deng played 56 minutes, Kirk Hinrich 53 and Noah 50. Considering the injury history with this team, Bulls fans figure to be holding their breath for the next day or two waiting to see if anyone else will be out for Thursday’s game against Miami.
Those who stuck it out at the United Center got a good, long look at Deng as the primary late-game go-to guy. He performed pretty much the same way he has been in those situations — some nice baskets but also some rough turnovers when he put the ball on the floor and tried to create.
In the first overtime, the Bulls took a 3-point lead after Deng’s driving, left-handed bank shot. Then with three chances to extend the lead, Deng missed 2 shots and turned it over. After the third failed trip, New Orleans pushed it upcourt and found Eric Gordon for the tying 3-pointer with 10.2 seconds left.
With a chance for the win, Deng drove the right side, but the Pelicans had a foul to give and took it with 2.5 seconds on the clock. The Bulls couldn’t get a shot off after the stoppage.
In the second overtime, a bad pass by Deng led to a fastbreak dunk that put New Orleans up by 4 with 27.1 second remaining. After 2 free throws by Deng and a fortuitous offensive foul call, Kirk Hinrich missed an open look at a potential go-ahead 3-pointer.
A replay review gave the ball back to the Bulls and this time, Deng tied it up with a lefty bank off the inbounds pass.
In the third overtime, the Bulls took a quick 3-point lead on a Noah dunk from Dunleavy. After Deng split a pair of free throws, the Bulls tried some different options, but Dunleavy, Noah and Gibson all missed.
When Anthony Morrow missed a free throw with 8.5 seconds left, the Bulls got a chance to tie it again on Noah’s basket.
Deng finished with 37 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 7 turnovers. He’s now averaging 27.4 points in five games since Rose was injured. Deng has a variety of skills, but dribbling and dishing in a pressure situation doesn’t always work. He did hit Noah for a dunk with 33.1 seconds left in regulation, giving the Bulls a 1-point lead.
If not Deng, then where should the Bulls turn in late-game situations? Some might say rookie Tony Snell might as well get a chance, but he played 22 minutes overall and got only a few defensive possessions down the stretch.
Gibson has been one of the hottest Bulls lately. He produced a career-high 26 points Monday, to go with 14 rebounds. He didn’t get many shots in the overtimes but would be an interesting choice.
Dunleavy delivered a season-high 23 points but is more of a spot-up shooter than creator. He hit 6 of 10 attempts from 3-point range Monday.
The Bulls put up a good fight, often with Noah and Gibson switched defensively onto Holiday or Eric Gordon. Ryan Anderson hit a ton of clutch shots for the Pelicans, finishing with 36 points and going 7-for-11 from 3-point range.
mmcgraw@dailyherald.com