CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 11: Javonte Green #24 of the Chicago Bulls shoots the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second half at United Center on February 11, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
Javonte Green earned the praise of many in Chicago after recording a career-high 23 points in the win over Minnesota Timberwolves.
In the absence of stars, Green stepped up supporting DeMar DeRozan to a 134-122 on Friday night. DeRozan scored 35 points, while Nikola Vucevic added 26 to the Bulls score. The Timberwolves put up a fight for the first three quarters, but were blown away in the final quarter.
“When one has not got it going, others got to step up to the plate. Everybody stepped up big tonight on both ends of the court, especially in that second half. We came out with the win, the most important thing,” said guard Coby White after the win. (h/t AP)
For the Wolves, they’ve now lost consecutive games, following a 5-0 streak. Anthony Edwards scored 31. Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. D’Angelo Russell added 18 points.
All-Star Zach LaVine made his long awaited return to the court after missing games due to an injury. LaVine finished with his third-lowest points this season, scoring 12 points. He also had six assists and four turnovers.
All of their top players have been injured. Zach Lavine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso have missed significant number of games in the season. They are currently still the #2 seed in the East at 34-21, behind Miami Heat by 1.5 games.
Lonzo Ball (knee), Derrick Jones Jr. (finger), Alex Caruso (wrist) are all out with injuries with returns in about 2-3 months. LaVine’s return was a welcome sight for Bulls fans, but they will be sweating on his fitness after a drab performance.
The Bulls are serious contenders to make it deep into the NBA Playoffs this season. If the team is fully-fit, they definitely possess the quality to be NBA Champions this season.
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