Bulls finally win their first NBA Cup game, beating the Hawks 136-122
Billy Donovan found himself in an uncomfortable place on Friday night.Up by double-digits late against the Hawks, starters still on the floor, trying to run up the score like a college football coach from the early 2000s looking to impress the Associated Press voters with a lop-sided victory.That’s NBA Cup life for you.Thanks to 26 points from Zach LaVine, the Bulls ended a winless streak in the league’s in-season tournament, beating Atlanta 136-122 to improve to 1-1 in pool play. Point differential is one of the tiebreakers, so that’s why Donovan had his starting squad in the game late, shooting first and asking questions later.Not exactly a format that Donovan can embrace.“I don’t love, it’s the way it is,” Donovan said. “The games are being played and I don’t know if there’s a different way to do it because I know when you’ve only got these four games, there’s got to be some sort of separation if these teams have the same record, but I don’t love that part of it personally, but it is what it is, those are the rules, and we’ve just got to play with them.”Not that the Bulls (7-10) were used to being on that side of it, since they lost all four pool-play games last season in the inaugural NBA Cup, and then dropped the Cup opener in Cleveland last week.“It’s a little different,” rookie Matas Buzelis said of the format. “But for me I care about the win. We got that done, and that’s all I cared about.”Especially since Buzelis was more involved, getting 20 minutes of playing time and scoring nine points.“Offensively, could have been better,” he said of his performance. “Two travels, so I got to be better on that. I’m a learner. I’m always going to learn, but offensively I didn’t think I was that good.”His coach thought differently, and that’s why the minutes were there for the rookie. But not the only reason.With Patrick Williams missing a second straight game (left foot), Donovan opted to start Ayo Dosunmu in Williams’ place rather than Torrey Craig and explained it as matchup purposes.It proved to be the latest example of Donovan pushing the right buttons with his personnel.All Dosunmu did was set a first-quarter tone right from the tip, scoring a team-high seven points, handing out two assists and nabbing a steal.Not that it came as much of a surprise, especially since Dosunmu has usually been good when thrown into a starting role out of the rotation. Just further steps that he continues taking.“I think his decision making has steadily improved the last two years,” Donovan said of Dosunmu, even with his outside shooting numbers lower than expected. “The shooting part I think will be fine. He’s taken the right ones. He hasn’t shot the ball well, but I think he’s the one guy on our team, especially in transition, that can get to the rim, and that’s an area that we’ve struggled.“His decision making and the pressure he can put on the defense, that’s helped. I think he’s done a good job in terms of setting the pace for us. He’s able to play fast and move it up the floor really well.”A theme that continued most of the night for Dosunmu, especially late in the third when the Bulls really started putting pressure on the necks of the visiting team.Up 14 in the final seconds of that stanza, Dosunmu had a steal that led to a Coby White three, and then called his own number with a layup that finished off the 41-point third quarter for the Bulls.The next Cup game for the Bulls will be Tuesday against the Wizards.
Billy Donovan found himself in an uncomfortable place on Friday night.
Up by double-digits late against the Hawks, starters still on the floor, trying to run up the score like a college football coach from the early 2000s looking to impress the Associated Press voters with a lop-sided victory.
That’s NBA Cup life for you.
Thanks to 26 points from Zach LaVine, the Bulls ended a winless streak in the league’s in-season tournament, beating Atlanta 136-122 to improve to 1-1 in pool play. Point differential is one of the tiebreakers, so that’s why Donovan had his starting squad in the game late, shooting first and asking questions later.
Not exactly a format that Donovan can embrace.
“I don’t love, it’s the way it is,” Donovan said. “The games are being played and I don’t know if there’s a different way to do it because I know when you’ve only got these four games, there’s got to be some sort of separation if these teams have the same record, but I don’t love that part of it personally, but it is what it is, those are the rules, and we’ve just got to play with them.”
Not that the Bulls (7-10) were used to being on that side of it, since they lost all four pool-play games last season in the inaugural NBA Cup, and then dropped the Cup opener in Cleveland last week.
“It’s a little different,” rookie Matas Buzelis said of the format. “But for me I care about the win. We got that done, and that’s all I cared about.”
Especially since Buzelis was more involved, getting 20 minutes of playing time and scoring nine points.
“Offensively, could have been better,” he said of his performance. “Two travels, so I got to be better on that. I’m a learner. I’m always going to learn, but offensively I didn’t think I was that good.”
His coach thought differently, and that’s why the minutes were there for the rookie. But not the only reason.
With Patrick Williams missing a second straight game (left foot), Donovan opted to start Ayo Dosunmu in Williams’ place rather than Torrey Craig and explained it as matchup purposes.
It proved to be the latest example of Donovan pushing the right buttons with his personnel.
All Dosunmu did was set a first-quarter tone right from the tip, scoring a team-high seven points, handing out two assists and nabbing a steal.
Not that it came as much of a surprise, especially since Dosunmu has usually been good when thrown into a starting role out of the rotation. Just further steps that he continues taking.
“I think his decision making has steadily improved the last two years,” Donovan said of Dosunmu, even with his outside shooting numbers lower than expected. “The shooting part I think will be fine. He’s taken the right ones. He hasn’t shot the ball well, but I think he’s the one guy on our team, especially in transition, that can get to the rim, and that’s an area that we’ve struggled.
“His decision making and the pressure he can put on the defense, that’s helped. I think he’s done a good job in terms of setting the pace for us. He’s able to play fast and move it up the floor really well.”
A theme that continued most of the night for Dosunmu, especially late in the third when the Bulls really started putting pressure on the necks of the visiting team.
Up 14 in the final seconds of that stanza, Dosunmu had a steal that led to a Coby White three, and then called his own number with a layup that finished off the 41-point third quarter for the Bulls.
The next Cup game for the Bulls will be Tuesday against the Wizards.
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