Nov 1, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) celebrates scoring during the first half against the Orlando Magic at the United Center. Chicago won 92-87. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
The Ugly
Orlando is one of the rising teams in the Eastern Conference and will compete for a playoff spot down the stretch, but for a team with expectations of chasing a title, blowing double-digit leads at home isn’t going to cut it.
With roughly seven minutes left in the game, the Bulls led, 81-68. Joakim Noah stripped the ball away on defense, started the fast break with E’Twaun Moore, who then dished to Taj Gibson for a big dunk to put the Bulls up 83-68.
Then, this happened.
The Bulls led by 15 points with seven minutes left.
— Michael Whitlow (@couldbelikemike) November 2, 2015
It's 83-80 Bulls with 4:12 left.
BuLOLs.
The Magic used a 14-0 run to propel themselves to within one point with 3:36 left. The Bulls did hold them to just four points in the last 3:36, but when you’re up 15 points on a young team at home, that game should already be in the books.
Next: 19 turnovers and poor defense late doom Bulls against the Pistons
“You got to keep doing the things that get you a lead and build on that. When you get them down 15 in the fourth quarter, you gotta build that thing up to 20,” Fred Hoiberg said after Sunday’s win. “That’s a couple times now we’ve had double-digit leads in the fourth and we’ve let teams back in. You have to continue the pace, continue putting pressure on the defense. And we didn’t do a very good job of that.”