CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- Bulls rookie forward Chandler Hutchison made the fourth start of his NBA career Friday evening, but afterward, he decided he'd refer to it as his first.
He had some sound logic behind it. Hutchison, 22, for the first time started alongside the Bulls' young core that all sits between ages 19 and 24, providing a first cohesive glimpse of a group the rebuilding franchise hopes can pave the way for a turnaround.
That the Bulls lost a wild 119-116 overtime game to the Pacers at the United Center did little to dampen their spirits. Owners of far and away the NBA's worst offense, the Bulls scored a Jim Boylen era high in points, albeit with five extra minutes, and shot 51.6 percent.
"We're dangerous because we have so many different weapons out there," guard Zach LaVine said. "We got to learn how to put it together, man. That's the main thing. It's tough too, because chemistry doesn't come in a day. Learning to win doesn't come right away."
Friday certainly marked a step forward, two nights after progress stalled in an embarrassing 28-point loss to the Magic. Most significantly, the Bulls (10-29) found rhythm between LaVine (31 points on 12-of-21 shooting), Lauri Markkanen (27 points on 11-of-20 shooting) and Kris Dunn (16 points and a career-high 17 assists), the starters alongside Hutchison and 19-year-old Wendell Carter Jr, who added 15 points and eight rebounds.
Since Boylen took over on Dec. 3, the Bulls have typically operated at a snail's pace offensively. That was per his mandate, as Boylen stressed a commitment to defense and fundamentals, which he believed would be better instituted as a slower pace.
Along the way, Boylen promised the offense would move faster when the time was right. Friday was a glimpse, with the Bulls getting into their offensive actions earlier.
"We got in a rhythm early where we were pushing the pace," LaVine said. "And we were taking and making threes. KD did a really good job of pushing the pace and throwing it up (ahead)."
"We slowed it down when we had to, but we played fast. We got some athletes out there. We should push it in some instances."
The Bulls drilled a trio of 3-pointers in the final 27 seconds of regulation – LaVine hit two, including the tying trey with 3.9 seconds left – to force overtime after trailing by six late. The extra session was just as wild, with the Pacers erasing a three-point deficit in the final minute with a trio of 3-pointers themselves.
The last came from Victor Oladipo (36 points), who banked in a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left for the win. After a timeout, LaVine actually made a 3-pointer on the ensuing inbounds, but it was ruled to have been after time expired and his foot was out of bounds as well.
Beyond the loss to a Pacers team that improved to 26-12 and is third in the East, Boylen was impressed with what he saw.
"That's all we've been talking about," Boylen said of the improved offensive efficiency and aggressiveness. "You hope kind of break through and it becomes part of us and we'll keep coaching it. We call it 0.5 – make a decision in 0.5. Pass it, shoot it, drive it and make the right play for the team. If you have the ball in your hands, your job is to get us a good look, whether it's you or somebody else. I liked the pace and the flow."
Boylen was particularly impressed with Dunn, who in addition to his career-high 17 assists had just two turnovers and shot 6-of-9.
"I'm really proud of him," Boylen said. "I think it's one of the better games he's played since I've been here. If he can continue to build on that, we're going to be a real good basketball team."
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.
