FINAL: Bulls 111 Memphis 110 ( Bulls: 24-44, 9-25 on the road)
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: LaVine: 20. Memphis: Evans: 25
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: 10. Memphis: Green and Gasol each with 10
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Payne: 5. Memphis: Evans 9
CCI 24 SECONDS COMMENTARY: The Bulls survive in a wild ballgame in the Mid-South as the Bulls bench with a young core on the floor, weathered the storm. What’s happening is the Bulls’ players are getting an opportunity to grow and develop with hopes of maintaining consistent play.
Zach LaVine was a perfect 10-10 from the line and scored a team high 20. FYI—props to Robin Lopez who buried his fourth-three point field goal on the season. Look for more three point attempts next season for Lopez. Kris Dunn suffered a toe injury and we will update his status for Saturday’s game against Cleveland when it becomes available. The Grizzlies suffered their 19th straight loss.
CCI STAT OF THE NIGHT: 63. 63 Bulls bench points. Portis with 17. Valentine with 15. Blakeney scored 10 including two free throws with 1.8 seconds left.
CCI 2nd STAT OF THE NIGHT: 15. 15-3 point made field goals including six in the fourth quarter. Valentine drained 5 of them.
CCI 3rd STAT OF THE NIGHT: 10. 10 steals by the Bulls, three by Portis.
CCI GAME BALL OF THE NIGHT: Hey, I have an unlimited expense account (LOL)—-game balls go to the ENTIRE Bulls bench. A spectacular job turned in by the six “ reserve” players who contributed to the victory.
UP NEXT: Home with Cleveland Saturday.
NBA NEWS AND NOTES:
Toronto 106 Indiana 99. The streaking , unstoppable Raptors won their tenth straight game. Jonas Valanciunas is ballin’ up a storm: 16 points, 17 rebounds and 4 blocks. NBA East take notice. This Toronto ball club is more than DeRozan and Lowry.
Houston 101 LAC 96. Harden and Gordon combined for 47. The Rockets clinched their sixth division championship. The Rockets went to the line 23 times. LAC 8. After the game Doc Rivers said the officiating was a “complete joke.” Doc, the NBA is on line one and you better have your check book ready.
Philadelphia 118 NY 110. Ben Simmons notched his eighth triple-double of the season. 13-10-12. Embiid with 29-10-4 and 2 blocks in 31 minutes. The Knicks were out scored by 20 points in the final 18 minutes. NY has dropped nine straight and 17 of 18 and now have passed the Bulls for the eighth worst record in the NBA.
Charlotte 129 Atlanta 117. Howard with 33 points and 12 rebounds. It was Howard’s 42nd double-double on the season.
Spurs 98 NOLA 93.Danny Green with a career high six blocks.The Spurs won despite zero field goals in the final 5:55. RIP -Pelicans/ Saints owner Tom Benson who passed away at the age of 90.
Denver 120 Detroit 113 . The best kept secret in the NBA is Nikola Jokic . 23 points-12 rebounds-10 assists. Jamal Murray scored 26 points ( 5-3s) and grabbed 9 rebounds. The Pistons have lost 12 out of their last 15
and also have dropped 16 out of their last 17 road games.
Utah 116 Phoenix 88. The Jazz are 20-2 since January 24. I repeat, 20-2.
Portland 113 Cavs 105. That’s 11 straight wins for the Blazers. Portland goes to 16 games over .500. The Cavs played without Love, Thompson and Nance. The Cavs will be in Chicago Saturday to conclude their long road trip. LeBron James is 33 years young. LeBron James is in his 15th year. LeBron James continues to posterize and annihilate opponents. Last night, his latest victim was Jusuf Nurkic and you have my permission to Google it. The dunk was absolutely nasty.
Thanks for reading CCI. E mail me at cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter: @ctsbulls.
Always a pleasure!