Takeaways & Player Grades: Buzelis Shines in Bulls' 132-107 Blowout of Grizzlies

The Chicago Bulls just wrapped up one of their most complete games since their explosive trade deadline.

The 132-107 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies featured seven players scoring double digits, a 22-13 advantage in second-chance points, and a 52.0 percent shooting effort from the field. Did it feel counterintuitive when we consider the potential lottery implications? Absolutely. But it was a feel-good effort with some very solid performances from several youngsters. You can live with that, I guess.

3 Takeaways

22 Lead Changes

The Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls have too much in common. Both squads threw in the towel at the trade deadline, trading some major names to presumably join the tank race. The Grizzlies currently hold the NBA's 8th-worst record, while the Bulls are right behind in 9th. With only 3.5 games separating the two coming into the night, there was still a very real chance they ended up swapping spots before the season ends in less than a month.

Nevertheless, you wouldn't have guessed that the tank was on during the first half. With both teams jogging out plenty of young and motivated players, the first two quarters ended up shockingly entertaining. They exchanged the lead 22 times and played within just an 11-point window.

Both teams were finding consistent success attacking the paint. The Grizzlies shot 13-21 from inside 15 feet, while the Bulls made one more shot on identical attempts. Both Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Matas Buzelis had thunderous poster dunks, while each team also shot double-digit free throw attempts.

Speaking of which, the Bulls taking and making five of those in the final 3 minutes of the half is a big reason why they were up a slim 61-57 heading into the halftime break.

The Matas Buzelis Emergence Continues

While the Chicago Bulls talked adjustments in the halftime locker room, the Memphis Grizzlies must have been reminded of the Tankathon standings!

In all seriousness, the first half of the third quarter was a dominant showing by the Bulls. They rattled off a 23-5 run to suddenly go up 20 points. Even more impressive, 15 of those points came from Matas Buzelis! The second-year forward has run at full speed with his post-All-Star break opportunity. He came into the night with 20+ points in six of his previous eight outings.

Of course, this included a 32-point showing against Charlotte and a 41-point career-high night against the Warriors. Say what you will about "Mickey Mouse March," but this is part of the reason why the Bulls did what they did. Buzelis has performed in the past like someone who deserves a way longer leash. He's now getting just that and taking full advantage, playing like someone who has an increasingly better understanding of when to take over and attack. The third quarter was a perfect example.

Buzelis shot 7-13 from the field during his 10 minutes of action in the third. He set a career-high with 18 points in the quarter, and he also managed to add four rebounds and two blocks to the stat sheet. It was the kind of quarter you consistently see from star-level talent. He made winning play after winning play and set his team up for success.

So About Those Lottery Odds

Billy Donovan doesn't give a you-know-what about where the ping pong balls land. The head coach has remained steadfast in this team's commitment to winning games, and they essentially ended any hopes of climbing the lottery ladder tonight.

As stated above, the Bulls came into the evening 3.5 games ahead of the Grizzlies for the 8th-worst record in the NBA. With another matchup against Memphis scheduled for later this month, the Bulls had a prime opportunity to shrink that cushion and make a run at improving their odds. With a 4.5 game lead now, however, it's hard to imagine a scenario where these two swap spots. Instead, it's actually far easier to imagine the Bulls shrinking their lotto odds further.

Tonight's win brought them within a half-game of the Milwaukee Bucks, who have yet to play better basketball despite the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Is that to say we shouldn't be happy to see Matas Buzelis and Josh Giddey continue to play very good basketball? Not necessarily. But the Bulls' decision to ignore lottery implications is something that could undoubtedly come back to hurt them down the road.

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