Chicago Bulls reserves have something to prove, but it's throwing off tanking
Tanking can be a tricky business, especially when meeting up with an opponent that has mastered the practice.
No, Orlando is not the league's worst team, but the Magic did have four of its top six scorers on the floor most of Friday night. So after the Bulls tossed up a 2-for-22 shooting effort in the third quarter at Orlando, it appeared another loss was in the cards.
But maybe the Bulls wanted it more, or the Magic tanked a little harder. Whatever the cause, the Bulls rallied in the fourth quarter to pull off a 90-82 victory, snapping a seven-game losing streak.
Whether the Bulls should feel happy about the result depends on the point of view. With the playoffs long out of reach, many fans are simply hoping to land the highest draft pick possible.
Friday's victory put the Bulls three ahead of Orlando in the win column with six games left in the regular season. So it seems safe to say the Bulls will not finish below the Magic in the final standings.
As of Saturday morning, the Bulls had the league's eighth-worst record at 25-51, one more win than Brooklyn and Sacramento. If the Bulls lose out to finish the season, they are guaranteed to finish below the Nets, because those teams play twice and Brooklyn has no reason to tank since its first-round pick belongs to Cleveland.
Sacramento could win some games, since the Kings have been trying to build some momentum with their young nucleus. Dallas is two games behind with 23 wins. So maybe the Bulls could still drop to the fifth- or sixth-worst record.
Or they could pull out another surprise victory. Clearly a factor against Orlando was how the Bulls' fourth-quarter lineup featured players trying to earn an NBA job for the future.
Newcomer Sean Kilpatrick and two-way player Ryan Arcidiacono scored 15 of the Bulls' 24 points in the fourth quarter, while Noah Vonleh grabbed 7 rebounds.
"We're hungry. We want to win as much as we can," Kilpatrick told reporters after Friday game, according to bulls.com. "But playing hard in this league, that's what separates you; the great players from everyone else."
Kilpatrick was playing his third game since joining the Bulls. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard averaged 13.1 points for Brooklyn in 2016-17, then played for the Nets, Bucks and Clippers this season.
Zach LaVine (knee) and Kris Dunn (toe) remain sidelined and it's not clear if they'll play again this season. But Lauri Markkanen has returned from his back injury and matched Kilpatrick with a team-high 13 points against Orlando. Cameron Payne (11 points) was the Bulls' only other player in double figures, while Cristiano Felicio grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds.
"A big part of what we are looking at and trying to accomplish these last weeks of the season is, 'Are these guys long-term fits?'" coach Fred Hoiberg said after the game. "We love what we have seen from Ryan, whether in the G-league or what he has done with us. Noah, I thought was solid. He's a guy who just swallows rebounds.
"Sean, I've always liked him. He's athletic, he got himself to the free throw line. … I thought he was the key player as far as turning things around (in the fourth quarter)."
• Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls
Scouting report
Bulls vs. Washington Wizards at the United Center, 2:30 p.m.
TV: NBC Sports Chicago • Radio: WIND 560-AM
Outlook: The Wizards had lost four of their last five heading into a Saturday afternoon home game against Charlotte. PG John Wall was expected to make his return from a knee injury against the Hornets, after being out since Jan. 25. SF Otto Porter Jr. suffered an ankle injury on Thursday against Detroit and may not be available this weekend. SG Bradley Beal has been the mainstay for Washington this season, averaging 22.8 ppg. After Wall and Porter, SF Kelly Oubre Jr. (12.0 ppg) and PF Markieff Morris (11.7) are the next-leading scorers. The Bulls are 0-2 against the Wizards and make just one visit to Washington this season.
Next: Charlotte Hornets at the United Center on Tuesday, 7 p.m.
- Mike McGraw