Chicago Bulls: Lauri Markkanen leads the way in tight victory over Orlando Magic

Despite a rough shooting night, Lauri Markkanen dropped 16 points in the second half and hit the game-winning free throws to put the Chicago Bulls on top.

The Chicago Bulls went to Orlando Friday night in their first game back since the All-Star break. Neither team could hold onto a substantial lead, and the outcome came down to a trio of free throws from Lauri Markkanen with just under two ticks of the game clock left.

Markkanen finished the game with 25 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and a steal. While he only made eight of his 21 shots on the night, he did hit four of ten three-point attempts.

He did most of his damage in the second half, and heated up from deep in the third quarter and hit three triples from above the break, including a four-point play.

Despite missing all four of his shots in the fourth, Markkanen sank the ones that mattered—he hit two out of three free throws to give the Bulls the lead and the victory.

Although he struggled to score at times, Markkanen’s gameplan fit the mold Bulls fans should expect going forward.

On numerous occasions, Markkanen got his position a step outside the paint in the low post and went to work. He either used his height to get a shot off over his defender or put his shoulder down and got to the rim.

Whereas last year Markkanen struggled to find ways to be productive when he got stopped driving to the rim, this season he’s been able to fall back onto his post game. And although his elbow injury earlier this season derailed some of the progress he made this summer, it seems like he’s found his step.

When he wasn’t doing work down low, Markkanen set screens on the perimeter and popped out into space for open shots. His ability to put the ball on the floor after a pump continues to be an effective mode of attack, and defenses are struggling to stop him from getting the shots he wants.

With 23 games left in the season, Markkanen still has plenty of runway to improve before the summer.

His recent string of strong rebounding performances seems like the new norm in Chicago’s defensive scheme, and he’s looked more aggressive shooting the ball in recent weeks.

While this Bulls season seemed like a lost cause during their tumultuous December, this recent string of games since the acquisition of Otto Porter Jr. seems to have at least stopped the leaking. Markkanen’s play has been at the center of that improvement.