The Chicago Bulls were missing so many open 3-pointers and layups that Nikola Vucevic decided to have a little fun against the Detroit Pistons. The two-time All-Star center raised his arms in mock celebration when he hit a short hook shot, a rare bright spot in an otherwise dismal performance by the Bulls.
The final score was a staggering 132-92 in favor of the Pistons, with the Bulls never really in contention after the first quarter. The Pistons came out strong, with their starting five clicking on all cylinders and the Bulls struggling to find any rhythm on offense or defense.
Despite the lopsided score, Vucevic was one of the few Bulls players who showed up to play. He finished with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, but his efforts were not enough to overcome the onslaught of Pistons points. The Pistons bench outscored the Bulls bench 57-23, and the Pistons also dominated the paint, outscoring the Bulls 60-38.
The Bulls were led by Vucevic and Zach LaVine, who scored 22 points but was just 6-18 from the field. The Bulls as a team shot just 38% from the field and 25% from 3-point range, and they were also outrebounded by the Pistons 53-45.
The loss was the Bulls fourth straight, and it dropped them to 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Pistons, on the other hand, have now won three straight and are quietly making a push for a playoff spot.
After the game, Bulls coach Billy Donovan was at a loss for words. We just didn't play with any energy or urgency, he said. We didn't execute on offense, and we didn't defend. It was just a really disappointing performance all around.
Vucevic was also disappointed, but he tried to keep things in perspective. We just have to bounce back from this one, he said. We can't let one bad loss turn into two or three bad losses. We have to regroup and come out with a better effort next time.
The Bulls will try to do just that when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. The Cavaliers are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, so the Bulls will have their work cut out for them. But with Vucevic and LaVine leading the way, they should be able to give the Cavaliers a run for their money.