Hawks 115, Bulls 107
Can't stop this
Hawks put up big numbers as Bulls defense falls short
The Bulls then played defense as if Hoiberg coached in a foreign language.
Finishing a back-to-back set of games that included handing the defending NBA champion Cavaliers their first loss, the Hawks scored early and often in a 115-107 defeat of the Bulls on Wednesday night. And a fourth opponent in eight games shooting 50 percent or better led to some soul-searching in the Bulls locker room regarding the implementation and execution of game plans.
“Everybody in this locker room, we have to start knowing what we're supposed to be doing,” Jimmy Butler said. “The scouting report, we pay attention to it. And then we get away from it as soon as that ball is thrown up in the air. We lock in on that and we'll be fine.”
As if the Hawks scoring 68 first-half points didn't hurt enough, they topped the century mark with 9 minutes, 42 seconds remaining, capping a 21-5 run while doing so.
That's the thing: As poorly as the Bulls played on defense, they erased all of their 17-point, first-half deficit to seize a five-point lead in the third quarter. But a second defensive collapse, poor bench effort and disorganized offensive execution down the stretch ultimately doomed the Bulls, who dropped back to .500.
“We were too spaced out,” Butler said. “We weren't pulled over on the weak side enough. There's been too many open guys. I think at times we have to keep the ball out of certain guys' hands and make some other guys beat you.”
Dwyane Wade agreed.
“I'm a firm believer in don't give a team (just) one look,” Wade said. “When you're giving them a constant look all the time, it's easy for a team to get comfortable, and that's what they did early. Then we changed a little bit and started giving them different looks, and we were able to get back in the game.
“You come into a game with a game plan. But if a team is exploiting that game plan early, you've got to get out of it pretty fast and make adjustments. That's something we're still learning.''
Wade said it's up to the players to communicate that to the coaches.
The Bulls endured a nearly four-minute scoring drought after pulling within 103-101 on a Doug McDermott runner with 4:54 left. Several possessions resulted in poor shots to avoid shot-clock violations.
Butler's monster game featured a season-high 39 points, seven assists, six steals and four rebounds. Wade added 25 points and five steals in 34 minutes. He'll finish his back-to-back effort in an emotional return to Miami on Thursday.
But the Hawks bench outscored the Bulls reserves 54-18, led by Thabo Sefolosha, who scored 10 of his team-high 20 points in a 2:21 stretch of the first half.
Nikola Mirotic played just 11:27 in a forgettable performance and Bobby Portis struggled through fourth-quarter minutes.
“We have to man up and guard,” Butler said. “Take it personal when you're scored on.”
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