Chicago Bulls perk up in third quarter, but still lose to Boston
The Bulls solved one problem in Boston on Monday night. Several others remain.
Lackluster third quarters were a constant during the Bulls' recent six-game losing streak. Against the Celtics, the Bulls trailed by 18 points at halftime, then opened the third quarter with a 17-5 run.
That didn't do them any good in the long run, as Boston brushed off the comeback and won 113-101 at TD Garden. The Bulls hit the halfway point of the NBA season with a 14-27 record, which means they're on pace for 28 wins.
The Bulls also lost for the seventh time in the last eight games, and are 1-16 against teams that currently have winning records.
"At halftime, we were disappointed in how we played," coach Jim Boylen told reporters after the game. "I thought we picked it up in the second half. I thought we came out and competed. You're sledding uphill the whole game, it's difficult."
The Bulls got as close as 6 points three times in the third quarter but were never within single digits in the fourth.
Zach LaVine led the way with 30 points. Veteran forward Thad Young did some damage in the post and added 17 points. Guard Tomas Satoransky finished with 12 points and 7 assists.
Backup center Luke Kornet, who had his best game of the season in Saturday's win at Detroit, didn't help much in this one. He went scoreless in 22 minutes and finished a minus-24. Starting center Daniel Gafford did better, with 10 points and 2 blocks in 20 minutes.
Lauri Markkanen had a quiet night with 9 points and a team-high 6 rebounds in 25 minutes. Boylen acknowledged that Markkanen is still slowed by a sprained left ankle suffered in the Bulls' last game against Boston on Jan. 4 at the United Center.
"He's fighting through it. He's doing everything we ask him to do," Boylen said. "He's definitely not 100 percent, which I think is big-time growth for him. But he's really toughed this thing out and hasn't complained and he's trying to help his team win."
Boylen has been trying to stress to his young players the importance of playing through minor injuries in the NBA. The Bulls might have led the league in games missed the past two seasons. This year Markkanen, LaVine, Satoransky, Kris Dunn and Coby White have played in all 41 games.
"I just think it's a learning curve," Boylen said of Markkanen. "There's a learning curve in our league. He's learning. He's 23. He wants to play. He wants to be part of what we're doing. We discussed it. He wants to play. I think there's power in that."
Asked if there could be time when the Bulls would step in and decide he's better off not playing, Boylen said yes, but he doesn't think Markkanen is at that point right now.
"I know my ankle's fine," Markkanen said. "There's nothing really broken or anything. It's just the pain, what I can handle."
The Bulls fell behind early in this one. The first four minutes went OK and the score was tied at 8-8. The rest of the first quarter was a 20-6 Boston run as the Bulls shot 26.3 percent and went 0-for-7 from 3-point range.
The Celtics (27-11) put six players in double figures, led by Jayson Tatum with 21 points and Jaylen Brown with 19.
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