Bulls Show Up in Detroit with Attitude and Fight, Beat Pistons
A Newfound Aggressiveness
No, really, with just over a minute left in the first quarter Monday night at Little Caesers Arena, Pistons center Isaiah Stewart and Bulls reserve guard Dalen Terry got tangled up on a rebound, then got tangled up with each other. Terry tried to go after the 6-8, 250-pounder before teammate Jalen Smith grabbed him and calmed him down.
A Different Attitude
It was a much different attitude than the Bulls exhibited a night earlier, when they allowed the Rockets to waltz into the United Center and give them a humiliating beatdown.
Physicality and Communication
On Monday, that attitude, combined with more physicality, better communication on defense, and diving for loose balls, added up to a 122-112 win. Center Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls (6-9) with a game-high 29 points and 12 rebounds, including a ridiculous 6-for-8 from three-point range.
Vucevic’s Dominant Performance
Such an effort against the Pistons (7-9) wasn’t a huge surprise, with Vucevic and many of the Bulls still simmering after their embarrassing performance Sunday.
“It was a little bit of that Houston game, but also me being the oldest guy on the team,” Vucevic said. “I spoke to [assistant coach] Wes [Unseld Jr.] before the game, asking him anything defensively I can do to help the team — something I’m not doing well — and he just told me whatever I do, be aggressive with it. I got it going early, especially with the threes. That helped a lot.”
LaVine’s Clutch Shooting
Guard Zach LaVine hit six of his seven three-pointers in the fourth quarter to quash any ideas of a Pistons comeback.
Coach Donovan’s Praise
Coach Billy Donovan appreciated all of it, calling it a team effort. But he was most proud of the new aggressiveness, even if Terry took it over the line.
“Just grit, toughness, fight back,” Donovan said. “At some point, you have to make a stand physically, and we tried to make a stand physically. That was certainly not what we did at all [Sunday] night.”
Conclusion
The Bulls’ newfound attitude and physicality paid off in a big way, as they snapped their losing streak and picked up a much-needed win. With Vucevic and LaVine leading the way, the Bulls showed they can be a force to be reckoned with when they play with the right mindset.
FAQs
Q: What was the final score of the game?
A: The Bulls won 122-112.
Q: Who led the Bulls in scoring?
A: Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 29 points and 12 rebounds.
Q: What was the key to the Bulls’ win?
A: The Bulls’ newfound attitude and physicality, combined with better communication on defense and diving for loose balls, were the keys to their win.
