CHICAGO (670 The Score) – The final minutes of the game Monday evening were a familiar sight for the Bulls.
For the third straight game, a star on the opposing team took control in the fourth quarter while the Bulls struggled to score late in the game. This time around, San Antonio star center Victor Wembanyama hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final minute to lift his Spurs to a 121-117 win against the Bulls at the United Center. It capped a terrific performance by Wembanyama, who scored a game-high 38 points on 11-of-19 shooting while adding 12 rebounds, five assists, five blocks and a steal as he led the Spurs back from a 13-point deficit early in the fourth quarter.
The Bulls took a 114-109 lead on guard Ayo Dosunmu’s 3-pointer with 1:43 remaining, but the Bulls came up empty on their next three possessions. In between, the Spurs got a dunk from big man Luke Kornet before Wembanyama hit a pair of 3-pointers over Bulls center Nikola Vucevic on what were essentially isolation plays.
The second of those came with 28 seconds left and broke a 114-114 tie. Wembanyama did his work off the dribble and with a crossover, after which the Bulls could only tip their cap.
“I thought Vooch played good defense,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “He was up there. He didn’t go around him. He didn’t finish at the basket. He made a real deep shot. Give him credit, but I think Vooch played it well. He’s certainly a lot more of a handful at the basket.”
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama entered Monday shooting 23.5% on 3-pointers, then shot 6-of-9 from behind the arc against the Bulls.
“He’s very unique – obviously his height, his ability to pretty much play like a wing in the body of a big man,” the 6-foot-11 Vucevic said. “Just a very tough matchup, especially when he gets it going like he did tonight.
“When he gets it going like that from three, there’s not a whole lot you can do. You contest, but I don’t honestly know how much he sees me.”
The Bulls have lost three straight games to drop to 6-4. On Friday, Bucks star big man Giannis Antetokounmpo had a 41-point performance to lead his team to a win over the Bulls. On Saturday, Chicago held a six-point lead at Cleveland in the final two minutes before Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell made a series of big shots to get his team a victory.
On Monday, as the Bulls played without point guard Josh Giddey (ankle) and guard Coby White (calf), they could only watch another star make the plays late as they came up empty.
“Tonight and in Cleveland (on Saturday), we gave ourselves a really good chance but just came up short at the end,” Vucevic said. “The best players in the league, they’re going to do what they do. Some games we’re going to be able to limit them, some games not as much. When they get it going, I don’t think there’s a whole lot you can do. Even against teams that have those great players, we played well. Tonight, we had a chance … just didn’t close it down the stretch.”
Cody Westerlund is an editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.