Young ejected as Bulls lose lower-scoring rematch to Hawks
The third-highest scoring game in NBA history is a tough act to follow.
Sunday's rematch between the Bulls and Atlanta Hawks at the United Center was destined to be a letdown, and it found creative ways to disappoint.
The most glaring problem was the ejection of Hawks rookie Trae Young, two days after he erupted for 49 points and 16 assists in Friday's four-overtime marathon.
Young got his second technical for taunting Bulls guard Kris Dunn after a made basket and was forced to the locker room with 9:20 remaining in the third quarter. Young finished with 18 points on Sunday.
The Bulls lost to the Hawks 123-118, which is good news for any fans that don't want the Bulls to pass Atlanta in the standings and fall to the league's fifth-worst record. If that happens, the Bulls' draft lottery chances would drop from 12.5 to 10 percent. With Sunday's result, the Hawks moved to a four-game lead over the Bulls with 18 remaining.
The Bulls didn't get much from their three guys who played 53-plus minutes on Friday. The Bulls told forward Otto Porter Jr. to take the day off. Zach LaVine scored a quiet 12 points, while Lauri Markkanen produced 19 points and 9 rebounds, but hit just 6-of-21 shots from the field.
"I just didn't get going early enough," LaVine said. "I need to be a little more aggressive."
Young was the only Hawks player who logged more than 50 minutes on Friday, so they had plenty of candidates to help pick up the slack. Center Alex Len led Atlanta with 28 points.
Young didn't seem to lack any quickness at the start of Sunday's contest. He got past Dunn for a couple of early layins. With 5:41 left in the first quarter, time out was called while both players were near the top of the key.
As Dunn headed toward the Bulls bench, he and Young bumped, with Young taking a little swipe at Dunn's arm. Dunn turned around and pushed Young from behind. It didn't go any farther, as Robin Lopez got between the two guards, but double technicals were assessed.
After the game, Dunn claimed he didn't recall what transpired to cause the first altercation.
"I don't really know what happened, to be honest. I kind of forgot," Dunn said. "I'll have to look at the film to see what went on. I wasn't upset. … I just came off of a migraine, so I've got to figure that out."
Dunn did miss a game last Monday with a migraine, so that part of the story checks out. Before the second technical, Young drained a long 3-pointer and again timeout was called. After the shot went in, Young stood hands on hips, stared down Dunn as he walked toward the Bulls bench and gave a subtle head shake.
The referee under the basket called the technical foul for taunting. It took a few minutes before Young realized what happened and headed to the locker room with an escort from Hawks veteran Vince Carter.
"Second technical, I hit a shot," Young said. "I play with a lot of flair, I play with a lot of energy, emotion, have fun. For me, I hit a shot and I just looked in the arena."
Pressed on his description, Young admitted he was staring at Dunn, not blankly into the arena.
"I was just having fun," Young said. "It wasn't the first time I looked at someone after I hit a shot. But he made a call."
Crew chief Mark Ayotte, who did not call the second technical on Young, spoke to a pool reporter after the game.
"After he made the jump shot, he stared down his opponent and was issued a taunting technical foul, for his second one and an ejection," Ayotte said. "Taunting is directed at an opponent specifically. Celebration is not directed at an opponent."
Dunn said his back was turned and he didn't even see Young's taunt, although video replays showed Dunn turning around and looking at Young as the technical was called.
"Once people told me that he got tossed, I was definitely stunned," Dunn said. "I get up and try to guard. That's what I do, that's what I bring to the team and it don't matter the matchup, it don't matter if it's a starter or a backup. I just try to go out there and do what I do, bring that defensive mentality."
The Bulls (18-46) trailed by as many as 16 points, but Antonio Blakeney (17 points), who didn't play in Friday's game, led a late rally. Blakeney hit 6 of 9 shots for 13 points in the fourth quarter. During the final 20 seconds, both Dunn and Markkanen missed good looks from 3-point range that could have tied the score.
Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls