(670 The Score) The Bulls showcased another measure of resiliency Wednesday in their surprisingly strong start to the new season.
After trailing by 20 points early in the second quarter, Chicago rallied for a 102-99 win against the visiting Orlando Magic at the United Center to improve to 3-2. Patrick Williams hit a big 3-pointer with 54.1 seconds left to give the Bulls a four-point lead, and Chicago got a big stop late by forcing Jalen Suggs into a missed jumper with 13 seconds left to preserve its two-point lead.
“We have to make it a 48-minute game of the same thing,” coach Billy Donovan said.
“We’ve just got to try to wear teams down and try to generate things through fatigue and just try to make it a fatigue game in a lot of ways. These guys are in really good shape, and they’re working.”
The Bulls used a 3-point barrage in the third quarter, when they made seven treys in a 4:21 stretch of game time, to take the lead before another lead change and then one of the ugliest slogs you’ll ever see in the fourth quarter.
Not a single point was recorded in the final period until Bulls forward Julian Phillips hit a free throw at the 7:49 mark of the frame. Neither team recorded a field goal until 4:50 remained in the quarter, when Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu flipped in a layup in transition. At one point, the Bulls and Magic combined to miss 24 straight field-goal attempts.
“We were able to sustain and keep going,” Dosunmu said.
Wednesday marked the second time in three nights the Bulls had erased a big deficit and won. They trailed by 20 points in the third quarter before rallying for a 126-123 win against the Grizzlies on the road Monday.
“We know who we are,” Williams said. “We got a bunch of competitors in this locker room, a lot guys that one, don’t want to lose and love to win. I think that kind of shows through the way that we play.”
The Bulls were led by Coby White’s 21 points, while Josh Giddey was also a catalyst with 20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. The 22-year-old Giddey also shot 4-for-4 from 3-point range and is 10-of-17 from beyond the arc in the first five games, a potentially big development considering his outside shot is a big weakness of his.
“He does so much for us, and when he’s hitting an open shot, it helps everybody out,” LaVine said.
LaVine banged up his left shoulder in the first half, an ailment that required treatment at halftime. He remained in the game but struggled in scoring 11 points on 2-of-9 shooting after a hot start to the season. LaVine had X-rays after the game, which came back negative. He expects his shoulder will be sore Thursday.
"It's sore, but I'm OK,” LaVine said. “We just X-rayed – everything's OK. I hit Wagner or somebody at half-court, and it just straight-up locked up on me. It's all right though. We got the win.”
The Bulls’ 3-2 start has come against a rather tough slate of opponents, and the going will get easier in the coming days. Chicago plays at the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets on Friday before hosting the lowly Utah Jazz on Monday.
Regardless of the competition, LaVine has been pleased with his team’s mindset and commitment to a fast-paced playing style.
“Guys are doing their job, and we’re paying attention and uplifting,” LaVine said. “But guys are also making plays and figuring out how to get it done. If it’s not one person’s night, the next dude steps up and everybody is contributing. We have high spirits in here, and guys are figuring it out.”
Cody Westerlund is an editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.