The Chicago Bulls have lost three games in a row coming into Monday’s home game against the Utah Jazz.
But the Jazz haven’t had much more success, losing two straight and four out of five as they continue a four-game road trip. And Utah hasn’t won a road game yet this season in three previous tries.
One of the team’s struggles will get at least a temporary reprieve after their meeting in Chicago.
Falling behind big has become more of a habit than the Jazz would like. So far this season, they have lost by at least 16 points three separate times.
Utah also trailed by as many as 31 points in its most recent rough showing, a 123-95 blowout loss at Minnesota. Saturday’s game was the second in a row the Jazz trailed by at least 14 points in the third quarter.
Against the Timberwolves, the Jazz were limited to 38.5 percent shooting while Minnesota shot 55.6 percent.
Lauri Markkanen scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Utah, but only made 7 of 20 shots (35 percent). The forward continues to produce from 3-point range, though. He hit 4 of 11 3-pointers Saturday and has made a franchise-record 29 through seven games.
Hardy lamented the Jazz’s defensive tendencies after watching his team allow more than 109 points for the seventh consecutive outing. He called Utah’s defense “poor.”
Chicago has had its own defensive issues. The Bulls have given up an average of 117.6 points in their five losses. In their most recent loss to Denver, they allowed the Nuggets to shoot 70.0 percent in the decisive fourth quarter of the 123-101 setback. Offensively, the Bulls were led by Nikola Vucevic’s 19 points. DeRozan scored 17, Jevon Carter contributed 16 points and Zach LaVine added 12 but only shot 4-for-12.
