One like and dislike from the Chicago Bulls win vs. the Atlanta Hawks

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Atlanta Hawks 129-122 Sunday in the Philips Arena. Here’s my one like and dislike from the game.

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Atlanta Hawks 129-122 Sunday in the Philips Arena. The victory marked the Bulls’ first road win since their Jan. 20 win against the Hawks.

Tank-o-meter

The Chicago Bulls’ record is 23-43 after the win. They have the eighth worst record in the league and are five games back of the worst record in the association.

Fun Fact #1

The Chicago Bulls dished out 31 assists in their win vs. the Hawks. It was the first time the Bulls dropped 30 or more dimes since their Jan. 22 loss vs. the New Orleans Pelicans. The last time the Chicago Bulls tallied 30 or more assists in regulation was in their April 10 win vs. the Orlando Magic.

Fun Fact #2

The Chicago Bulls made 17 3-pointers in their win vs. the Hawks. The Bulls have made 17 or more 3-pointers seven times during the 2017-18 season. They’ve only made 17 or more 3-pointers one other time in franchise history before this season, in their March 12, 2011 win vs. the Utah Jazz.

Like: Bench setting the tone

The Chicago Bulls’ bench unit won the game for the Windy City franchise. The Bulls’ reserves outscored the Hawks’ bench unit 62-46. After a poor start to the game, the bench players did everything the starters didn’t do. They shared the ball, rotated effectively on defense and displayed effort.

The Bulls’ reserved out assisted the starters 20-11. Guard Cameron Payne dished our four dimes, didn’t turn the ball over and continued prove that he’s a better player than he was last year.

Forwards Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine got in on the passing fun. Valentine tallied seven assists to go along with his 12 points and six rebounds. Portis recorded five helpers in addition to his 21 point-10 rebound double-double. Even forward Noah Vonleh showed an ability to make a play for someone else with the ball in his hands.

I’ve mentioned before that it feels like the Bulls’ bench plays smoother than the starting unit. They appear to run Hoiberg’s offense with less hiccups. Maybe that’s because they don’t need to worry about who’s going to take the shot on the possession and just play basketball. But, once again the Chicago Bulls escaped a game with a victory thanks to the effort and sharp play by their reserves.

Dislike: Starters sleeping early

I’m not sure what excuse to make up for the Chicago Bulls’ starters. After making a few baskets to start the contest, the Bulls allowed the Hawks to go on a 13-0 run and take a 24-8 lead halfway through the first quarter. The Bulls were lethargic on defense, struggled to get into a rhythm on offense and looked out of sync.

Maybe the early start to the game is to blame for their lackluster start to the game. However, this has been an issue in the past. It’s a troubling pattern the Bulls need to address. Maybe Head Coach Fred Hoiberg will come up with a solution in his next starting lineup change.