In a closely contested match during Monday’s NBA action, the Chicago Bulls clinched a 110-107 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers, propelled by DeMar DeRozan‘s critical plays and Nikola Vucevic‘s consistent performance.
“It’s sometimes more than just making a shot,” Alex Caruso said, praising DeRozan’s comprehensive impact on the game, including his strategic play to find Vucevic for the game-clinching hook shot.
Vucevic contributed 22 points and nine rebounds, while Ayo Dosunmu stepped up with 23 points and 10 assists, highlighting the team effort that led to Chicago’s third win in their last four games.
The Trail Blazers, despite a strong fourth-quarter rally led by Anfernee Simons, fell short, marking their seventh loss in nine games. Simons, who scored 12 of his 30 points in the final quarter, lamented the missed opportunity for a final shot to tie the game.
DeRozan highlighted a lapse in focus as a factor in allowing Portland to close the gap in the fourth quarter, but his late-game decision-making ultimately helped secure the Bulls’ NBA-leading 24th clutch victory.
Both teams faced absences of key players, with the Bulls’ Coby White and the Blazers’ Jerami Grant sidelined due to injuries. Despite these challenges, Dosunmu’s standout performance filled the void left by White, underscoring the depth of the Bulls’ roster.
With just 3:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, Simons sank a highly contested three from the left wing, giving Portland a 105-104 lead, their first since the opening quarter. However, Simons’ later attempt to take the lead with a long-range shot narrowly missed, hitting the rim with only 34 seconds left on the clock.
Then, with only 9.3 seconds to go, Vucevic’s pivotal hook shot extended the lead to 108-105. To prevent Simons from attempting a game-tying three-pointer, Caruso intentionally sent him to the free-throw line on the following play.
“A really heads-up play,” Donovan said. “We talked about fouling up three.”
Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups expressed disappointment in the team’s execution in crucial moments, while Bulls coach Billy Donovan praised the tactical play that secured the win.
“It just was a tough passing night for us,” Billups said. “End of the game I don’t think we executed very well down the stretch when it really counted.”
As the Bulls look ahead to their next game against the Houston Rockets and the Trail Blazers prepare for back-to-back home games against the Clippers, both teams are focused on overcoming recent challenges and building momentum.
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