Miami 97 Bulls 91. Bulls (1-5, 0-3 road)
Leading scorers:
Bulls: Markkanen -25pts, Lopez-22pts
Miami: Dragic -20pts, T. Johnson-19pts
Rebounders:
Bulls: Nwaba-11
Miami: Whiteside-14
Assists:
Bulls: Grant-8
Miami: Waiters-7
CCI: STATE OF THE NIGHT: Lauri Markkanen set a new NBA record with 17 made 3s in his first 6 NBA games.
CCI#2: STAT OF THE NIGHT: Bulls shot only 25%-3pt shooting and 63% from line.
LINEUP CHANGE VS HEAT: Head Coach Fred Hoiberg went with David Nwaba in place of Paul Zipser and Nwaba matched his career high with 11 rebounds. He also blocked two shots and pushed the ball in transition.
TURNING POINT: Miami with a strong, late third quarter 10-1 surge to get back in the game after Bulls led by 6.
CRUNCH TIME STRATEGY: Coach Hoiberg looking for points and ball movement went with Jerian Grant and Kris Dunn together in the 4th quarter. Dunn finished with 11pts 7reb. 5ast and 5 turnovers (5-15fgs) in 29 minutes. Grant started, played 26 min. 7pts 4reb 8ast and 1 turnover.
DUNK OF THE NIGHT: Dunn strong to the rack throwing it down on Kelly Olynyk. Impressive.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT: Coach Hoiberg on Markkanen’s quick start after six games: “For him to step up and play the way he is right now is such a great sign for the player he is already and the player he can become as he continues to mature and grow in his body and figure out everything that this league is all about. The kid has no fear whatsoever. He is moving his feet really well defensively. He’s growing every game. He’s a student of it. He wants to watch film and he’s a humble kid.”
CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH SPO: One of the best guys in the NBA, the head coach of the Heat celebrated his 47th birthday and announced he and his wife are expecting their first child. A win was icing on the cake. It helps having Hassan Whiteside return to the lineup putting up double-double numbers.
UP NEXT: Bulls take on the surprise leaders of the East, Orlando, Friday night in central Florida.
NBA NEWS AND NOTES:
The Magic improved to 6-2 with a tough road win at the “Grind House” in Memphis 101-99. The Magic lost D.J. Augustine with a hamstring injury. Elfrid Payton did not play as he’s recovering from a hamstring injury as well. His status for Friday’s game against the Bulls is unclear.
The Cavs lost to Indiana by 17..Cleveland’s third home loss of the season and fourth straight overall. Tristan Thompson left the locker-room on crutches nursing a strained left calf.
No Bledsoe- no problem. After sending home the Suns’ guard following an ill advised tweet, the Suns are rolling, now 4-1 under interim head coach Jay Triano. Phoenix wins in DC. T.J. Warren scored a career high 40 as the Suns battled back from a 22 point deficit.
Hawks fall to an Eastern Conference low 1-7 as the 76ers beat Atlanta.
Donovan Mitchell is going to be in select company as the new look 2017-18 draft class is on display and he’s a keeper for the Jazz. 28 points in an OT win over the banged up Blazers.
Phialdelphia’s Jahlil Okafor wants to be traded or bought out now that the 76ers have declined picking up his fourth year option year. The 76ers want flexibility for the 2018-19 season and decided to go another direction leaving the former third overall pick’s status up in the air. He is no longer in Head Coach Brett Brown’s rotation.
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