FINAL FROM THE UNITED CENTER: Kings 107 Bulls 106 (Bulls 3-18, 2-7 at home)
LEADING SCORERS:
Bulls: Grant: 17.
Kings: Randolph: 25.
LEADING REBOUNDERS:
Bulls: Nwaba: 9.
Kings: Randolph: 13.
LEADING ASSISTS:
Bulls: Dunn 8.
Kings: Cauley- Stein: 5.
KEYS TO THE GAME: For the second straight night the Bulls left it on the floor, played hard only to grade out with an “L”. The Kings made plays and the Bulls didn’t. Zach Randolph with a key hoop with less than a minute left.
At crunch time the Kings delivered as David Nwaba discussed the waning moments of the game with BullsTV:
“We didn’t get too many stops down the stretch. We missed some wide open threes that we usually hit. Overall, I think we did OK, we just need to step it up on the defensive end.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME: David Nwaba returned to action for the first time since November 4 and provided toughness, board work and energy. Nwaba played 22 minutes, scoring nine points, nine rebounds and five assists. Let’s also give some CCI love to Paul Zipser who has put together two solid back to back games scoring a season-high 14 points.
DIFFERENCE MAKER: Sacramento’s Bogdan Bogdanovic is a keeper. 19 points (6-9fts)-3 points- 4 assists. He’s got game. OK, that sounds so 80ish but it’s true.
CCI 24 SECONDS COMMENTARY: The effort and energy on a tough tail end of a back to back provided the Bulls with an opportunity to pick up a win but the Bulls fell in love with the three ball and when those shots aren’t going in it creates long rebounds for the opposing team. Robin Lopez was in a nice groove but the Bulls got away from going to him in the post.
INJURY UPDATE: Bobby Portis missed the game with a right arm injury.
UP NEXT: Home with Cleveland, Monday.
NBA NEWS AND NOTES:
They say things happen in threes..right? LeBron, Anthony Davis and Friday night it was KD who got tossed in the Warriors win over Orlando. Durant scored 25 points, seven assists and a game high four blocks before getting thrown out with 4:52 left in the fourth quarter. Golden State collected an NBA season high 46 assists.
Josh Richardson with a career high 27 points as the Heat beat the Hornets. I can’t figure out Charlotte. The Hornets are 1-10 on the road.
Make it ten straight losses for Memphis. The Spurs played stifling defense and won, 95-78.
Steven Adams made all 11 of his field goals and all five of his free throws as he notched a career high 27–Paul George with 36 as OKC beat Minnesota 111-107.
Donovan Mitchell scored a career high 41 as the Jazz without Rudy Gobert improved to 12-11 with a home win over the Pelicans. Mitchell became the first rookie to score 40 in a game since Blake Griffin in 2011. Anthony Davis left the game in the fourth quarter with a left groin injury. Utah has a brutal December schedule.
The Wizards without John Wall (knee) cooled off the red hot Pistons by 18. The Wizards announced that their NBA G League team will be named Capital City Go-Go, a reference to a style of music native to the city. I’m confused...
I keep telling you...don’t sleep on the Raps. 120-115 over Indiana. Jakob Poeltl with a career high 18. Toronto is 8-1 at home. Victor Oladipo having a break out season..an All Star type season, poured in 36 for the Pacers.
NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month: Boston’s Brad Stevens. The Celtics went 19-4 during October/December. WC Coach of the Month: Houston’s Mike D’Antoni, 17-4 in October/November.
EC Player of the Month: LeBron James, 3rd in scoring at 28ppg. James shot 58% from the field, 42% from 3 point range and averaged 8 rebounds per game.
WC POM: James Harden. Check out these numbers: 31 points, 9 assists, 94 made three point field goals and 168 made free throws. Wowza!
EC Rookie of the Month: Ben Simmons of the 76ers (18ppg-9reb). WC ROM: Kyle Kuzma of the Lakers (16ppg-50%fg).
Thanks for reading CCI. E-mail me at cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter: @ctsbulls.
Always a pleasure!