THAT’S HOW YOU DOUBLE DOWN
BADLY NEEDING A WIN AT THE UC, BULLS RISE FROM ASHES REPEATEDLY, WITH DEROZAN AND LAVINE COMBINING FOR 88
There was a skip in DeMar DeRozan’s step and a scowl on his face. With 1:27 left in the second overtime against the Timberwolves on Friday night, the veteran forward had just nailed a tough 13-footer to stretch the Bulls’ lead to five, and he couldn’t help but show his emotions.
Finally, some breathing room in what so often has been a suffocating season.
Behind DeRozan’s game-high 49 points and 14 rebounds, the Bulls (32-37) prevailed 139-131, keeping their Eastern Conference play-in hopes alive as they retook the 10th and final spot from the idle Pacers.
Not that it was easy — as nothing seems to be with this group. Maybe they were still reeling from the gut punch a day earlier, when they learned that guard Lonzo Ball — out for the last 14 months — is headed for a third knee surgery, putting his availability for next season in doubt. Or maybe it’s just who this team is: a collection of inconsistent players in a bunch of inconsistent moments.
Regardless, coach Billy Donovan wasn’t going to dwell on what could have been and didn’t want his players to, either.
“You never anticipate something like [Ball’s injury], especially last year the way we got off and the way we were playing when we were healthy and whole, and it’s a shame that group couldn’t see itself through for the entire season,” Donovan said. “That’s not an excuse. We’ve got enough in that locker room, in my opinion, that we can go out there and still do a good job. We haven’t had the results we’ve wanted.”
But Friday was a must-win. And if the door wasn’t open wide enough for the Bulls, an injury to Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards — the best player on the floor — certainly helped. With 3:55 left in the first quarter and the Timberwolves up by five, Edwards moved the wrong way and immediately fell to the court with obvious pain in his right ankle. Several teammates had to help carry him to the locker room.
Rather than jump at the opportunity, the Bulls responded at first with more lethargic play, allowing the Timberwolves to stretch the lead to as much as 13 in the second quarter.
But two-time All-Star guard Zach LaVine came through just before the half against his former team. His efforts included a pair of free throws with just over a minute left, a 27-footer with 38 seconds left and a ridiculous contested three with two seconds left, sending the Bulls to the locker room down by only five.
They looked like a different team early in the third quarter, and when DeRozan hit a corner three with 7:05 left, there was finally some momentum and a lead.
But these are the Bulls. And the Timberwolves closed out the third quarter on a 10-2 run to establish a 10-point lead.
However, the Bulls again put the pedal down, outscoring the Timberwolves 33-22 in the fourth to send the game to overtime. They had been 1-4 in overtimes on the season, but maybe they were due.
After Jaden McDaniels missed what would have been a game-winning three, the Bulls tried a prayer at the rim with 0.2 seconds left to send it to a second overtime, where they finally took control for good.
LaVine finished with 39 points.
“We pulled it out, and at this point of the season, we needed it,” he said. “It was good enough to win, so I’m happy about that.”
He also could be happy about the combined 88 points between he and DeRozan, a new Bulls record for any duo.
“We’ve done that close before,” LaVine said. “Two guys get it going like that? Pick your poison.” ✶