Bulls crush Nets, 3-0 for 1st time since ’96
DeRozan Raptors past Nuggets Hawks remain unbeaten by conquering Kings CP3 leads Clippers
NEW YORK – When the Chicago Bulls’ morning shootaround concluded at a small college, several players took to throwing around a football that Jimmy Butler brought.
Several hours later at the Barclays Center, Rajon Rondo quarterbacked one of those fast breaks coaches dream about: Rondo passed ahead to Dwyane Wade, who sent an alley-oop to Butler for a dunk, all without the ball touching the floor.
Three games into a surprisingly dominant offensive start, the completions continue for the Bulls, no matter the sport.
After their 118-88 dissection of the rebuilding Nets, the Bulls are 3-0 to start a season for the first time since 1996-97.
“A lot of togetherness,” Butler said. “The game’s easy when you’re out there having fun. Everybody’s smiling. Everybody wants the next guy to get a bucket. That’s what you’re seeing.”
Once again, pace, passing and sizzling outside shooting defined the victory. The Bulls shot 50.6 percent, including 40.7 percent from three-point range. They placed seven players in double figures, led by Butler’s 22 points, and assisted on 26-of-45 field goals.
With 38 points, they posted their highest-scoring first quarter since January 2012 and recorded 60-point first halves in back-to-back games for the first time since February 2012. They also led by at least 29 points for the second straight game, at one point topping the Nets by 33.
The Bulls are shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range, quieting, at least for now, the concerns about outside shooting and floor spacing. One game after not playing the starters in the fourth quarter, only Wade logged garbage time.
He took advantage of it to badly cross over Bojan Bogdanovic on consecutive possessions, scoring on a three-point play after one such move. The Nets crowd actually chanted for more.
“Just trying to get to some air space,” Wade said.
About the only downer came when Michael Carter-Williams suffered a sprained left knee injury early in the second quarter and didn’t return. Carter-Williams looked to be in serious pain when he landed trying to defend Sean Kilpatrick but later limped off the court under his own power.
Last season, the Bulls’ focus often drifted and they struggled to beat lesser teams and go for the jugular when they held leads. That habit hasn’t surfaced.
“Our intensity out of the gate has been really good,” Hoiberg said. “I give our veteran leaders a lot of credit for the way we continue to try to extend leads as opposed to letting up.” Wade said the buy-in has been natural. “Everybody in this locker room is playing for each other,” Wade said. “Everybody likes each other. We just enjoy playing together. When you’re having fun, that makes the game easier.”
(Chicago Tribune/TNS)
Raptors 105, Nuggets 102
DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points as Toronto edged Denver.
Kyle Lowry’s layup with 45.3 seconds left put the game out of reach as the Raptors improved to 2-1.
Lowry finished with 29 points, seven assists and five steals.
Denver was led by 16 points, six rebounds and four assists from guard Emmanuel Mudiay.
Hawks 106, Kings 95
Atlanta held the Sacramento to 14 points in the fourth quarter and improved to 3-0.
Dwight Howard scored 18 points despite going just 8 for 20 from the foul line and pulled down 11 rebounds.
Rudy Gay scored 22 points for the Kings (2-2), who pulled within 90-88 in the fourth quarter before the Hawks ran off eight straight points to take control.
Clippers 116, Suns 98
Chris Paul scored 18 of his 24 points in the second half and Los Angeles routed winless Phoenix.
Paul also had eight assists and five rebounds. Blake Griffin added 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists for the Clippers.
DeAndre Jordan didn’t seem to show any ill effects from a sprained right thumb suffered in the previous game, finishing with 19 points and 11 boards. Jamal Crawford added 14 points and J.J. Redick scored 13.