The Chicago Bulls got there second win in a row and improved to 6-4 on the season while handing the Washington Wizards there second straight loss and dropping there record to 2-7 Saturday night. The Wizards playing without there starting back court as John Wall and Bradley Beal didn’t play in the game. Wall is being held out of the second of back to back games to rest his knees. Wall had off season surgery on both knees. Beal has a sore right hamstring and is considered day to day. Obviously missing your starting back court is going to hurt and this helped the Bulls to a 106-95 victory.
The Wizards got out to a 12-point lead at 21-9 after an Otto Porter Jr. lay up with 4:28 left in the 1st quarter. The Bulls then went on a 19 to 6 run to end the quarter and take a 1-point lead at 28-27.
The Wizards bounced back in the 2nd quarter and after Markieff Morris hit a jumper the Wizards had a 7-point lead at 39-32. Two Jimmy Butler free throws with just about 5 minutes to go in the quarter gave the Bulls the lead at 44-43. The Wizards came back to build a 9-point lead at 55-46 with a 1:19 left in the quarter. The Bulls where able to cut into that lead and went into halftime down 3 at 56-53.
The 3rd quarter belonged to the Bulls as they held the Wizards to just 14 points in the quarter. Maybe it was the fact that Washington was playing short handed or maybe it was the Bulls defense, but either way the Bulls double the Wizards points total and taking a 11-point lead after three quarters at 81-70.
The start of the 4th quarter saw the Bulls get out to a 15-point lead 85-70 before the Wizards scored there first points. The closest Washington could get in the quarter was 87-80. The teams played an even 4th quarter as each team scored 25 points. leading the game to the final score of 106-95.
Jimmy Butler was the high scorer in the game with 37 points. Butler also tied for the game high in assists with 9 and just missed a triple-double as he also had 8 rebounds. Butler was also a perfect 14 for 14 from the free throw line. Dwayne Wade had a rough night shooting going 5 for 17, but still had 14 points. Taj Gibson scored 13 points, Robin Lopez had a double-double scoring 10 points and grabbing 13 rebounds while Nikola Mirotic came off the Bulls bench to add 17 points.
Washington was led by Markieff Morris who had 24 points and a game high 15 rebounds. Marcin Gortat put up a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Sheldon McClellan filled one of the back court spots and scored 15 points while Tomas Satoransky was the other back court starter and he scored 12 points and tied Butler for the game high in assists with 9.
The 6-4 Bulls start a 6-game road trip in Portland as they take on the 6-4 Trail Blazers Tuesday night. The 2-7 Wizards head to Philadelphia to take on the 1-8 76ers Wednesday night.
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