Chicago Bulls vs New Orleans Pelicans: 3 Takeaways
By Ben Rains
Jimmy Butler returned to the lineup for the Chicago Bulls, and he propelled the Bulls to a 107-99 win over the New Orleans Pelicans and Anthony Davis.
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Coming off three straight losses, including a brutal blowout loss to the New York Knicks on Thursday night, the Bulls needed a win badly, and they got one. The rare late afternoon game at the United Center saw the Bulls look a bit sloppy at times, but they now inch one game closer to a .500 record.
Alvin Gentry’s team played their fourth straight game on the road, and it showed. The Pelicans star and MVP candidate, Anthony Davis, had a fantastic performance scoring 36 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. But Davis’ effort was hardly enough.
Butler, coming off a flu bug that caused him to reportedly lose 10 pounds, was the star of the night for Chicago. He began looking for his shot early, starting the game on 5-of-6 shooting. Taj Gibson and Dwyane Wade joined in on the fun as well. But Wade didn’t pick up the scoring load until the fourth quarter.
Chicago’s bench has taken a lot of well deserved heat this season for their play as a unit, but in the Bulls win tonight they helped spark a second quarter run. And Cristiano Felicio counties to show flashes of brilliance that will see him play in the in NBA of the next decade. But tonight was about the Bulls new big three.
Their win over the Pelicans leaves the Bulls just a half game out of the Eastern Conference playoff standings, as they now sit at 20-21.
Now for three takeaways from tonight’s much needed win.