Late defensive lapses doomed the Chicago Bulls in their Friday loss at Brooklyn, and they’ll aim to prevent a repeat performance when they return home to face the slumping Utah Jazz on Monday.
Chicago turned a 10-point deficit early in the third quarter into a narrow lead with a 31-20 run. However, the Nets’ Cam Thomas helped Brooklyn pull away by scoring eight straight points in the fourth quarter, leading to a 120-112 victory.
The Bulls have been competitive with their fast-paced offense and a variety of options from beyond the arc. On Friday, Nikola Vucevic finished 10-for-11 from the floor, scoring 28 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. He has five double-doubles in six games and is shooting 55.2 percent this season, a notable increase from his 49.5 percent career average. Vucevic also went 3-for-4 from long range, while Zach LaVine and Coby White each hit five three-pointers, posting 21 points apiece.
The Jazz’s season-opening slump hit a new low with Saturday’s 129-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets in the opener of a four-game road trip. Winless in their first six games, Utah has lost the last five by a combined 110 points, setting a franchise record. The 1979-80 Jazz held the previous mark with five consecutive losses by a total of 107 points.
Sparked by Walker Kessler (18 points) and Johnny Juzang (17), Utah kept pace for a time, trailing Denver by just nine points at halftime. However, the Jazz couldn’t overcome Denver’s 16-for-32 shooting from beyond the arc and 22 turnovers.
Kessler added 14 rebounds to secure his third double-double of the season. The 7-footer is averaging career bests in points (9.7) and rebounds (11.2) in his third season. Utah is also relying on younger players as Lauri Markkanen (back spasms) and Taylor Hendricks (broken right leg) remain out.
Chicago carries a four-game series winning streak into Monday, with LaVine scoring at least 20 points in his past 11 games against Utah. The Bulls are 58-53 against the Jazz all-time but just 23-32 on the road.
