Second quarter
The Bulls continued to out-play the Hawks as the second quarter got underway.
To the Hawks’ dismay, Satoransky did a solid job of setting the tone. He made sure the Bulls executed their offensive sets efficiently and effectively. The team seemingly understood the meaning for feeding the hot hand. Markkanen was a clear benefactor of the unselfish play that transpired on the court.
Take a look:
LAURI AND-1 FINNISH!@nbcschicago | #RunWithUs pic.twitter.com/mf3Q8gU6zC
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) December 29, 2019
All the while, the Hawks kept shooting poorly from behind the three-point line. The Bulls’ big men stood their ground making their presence felt by everyone. They crashed the boards and blocked shots at will. The Bulls’ big men proved to be too much for the Hawks to handle. This is nothing new at the same time. There are many nights where big man Wendell Carter Jr. plays a big part in anchoring the Bulls’ defense. Saturday night proved no different in that regard.
What’s different is seeing the combination of Carter and Markkanen getting into the flow of the offense the way they did. Both big men moved well while running their sets. In a bit of an uncommon sighting, Carter took to behind three-point line and he scored.
Check it out:
https://twitter.com/NBCSBulls/status/1211102179827896322
This might come as a surprise to the casual viewer. The work of the big men to find opportunities to score both in the paint and from distance paid off. In doing so, the Bulls, as a team, managed to shoot effectively from beyond the arc.
By the sound of the buzzer at halftime, the Bulls extended their lead to 21 points over the Hawks.
Markkanen and LaVine both found ways to shine. They did their fair share by scoring a combined 31 points to end the first half.