Video: Chicago Bulls erase 19-point deficit to cruise past Celtics with striking contribution from their sophomore player
The Chicago Bulls took to the floor at the United Center on Monday to host the defending Eastern Conference Champions, the Boston Celtics. Going into the game, the general sentiment among Bulls fans was a mix of hope and apprehension.
Just two days prior, the team was blown off on their home court by the Cleveland Cavaliers in Zach LaVine's highly anticipated return.
After a disappointing home opener over the weekend, the Bulls played host to the Boston Celtics this week. Early on in the game, the team looked rather lost throughout the first quarter, going down 12-0. A a pair of free throws put the storied franchise on the board.
As the quarter progressed things went from bad to worse, with the Bulls down 32-14 with four minutes left in the first.
Fortunately, things began to turn around for the Bulls in the final minutes of the quarter. After Ayo Dosunmu scored a pair of 3-pointers, coach Billy Donovan substituted in Javonte Green and Goran Dragic, sparking a run. The momentum continued as Derrick Jones Jr. helped give the bench squad an early push in the second quarter.
As fans cheered the team on, the Chicago Bulls went on a spectacular run in the second quarter. By the time the final buzzer for the first half sounded, the Bulls had erased their 19-point deficit.
After holding the defending Eastern Conference champions to just 15 points in the second quarter, they found themselves up 65-54.
With the lid off the basket and momentum on their side, it was more of the same in the third quarter. It was incredibly reminiscent of a previous meeting between the teams in November last year. The Bulls then pulled off a fourth-quarter comeback.
When the final buzzer sounded, the Bulls got a much-needed win over the reigning Eastern Conference champions. The win was largely in part due to sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu, who trailed only DeMar DeRozan in points scored. Dosunmu managed to tally 22 points on 90% shooting, including 100% from the 3-point line.
Check out the highlights from the comeback below.
Where do the Chicago Bulls go from here?
Despite the spectacular comeback, fans in Chicago are still concerned about where the team will go from here. Although Dosunmu has continued to prove himself, starting point guard Lonzo Ball has no timeline for his return to the floor.
In addition to the defensive prowess Ball brings to the floor, the Chicago Bulls have struggled to replace his playmaking abilities on offense.
Add to that the ongoing struggles of third-year forward Patrick Williams, and Bulls fans can only be cautiously optimistic despite the comeback win. Through the first four games, Williams has continued to remain an afterthought in Billy Donovan's offense.
The Florida State alum has been uninvolved on offense through much of the Bulls' first four games. While some of that could be attributed to Williams being passive, the numbers paint a rather interesting story. Going into Monday's game, Williams had just 74 touches on offense.
Touches by Bulls players so far:
Ayo 209
DeMar 200
Vuc 175
Caruso 166
Dragic 127
Coby 111
Drummond 87
Javonte 76
PATRICK WILLIAMS 74
How is Pat supposed to be ~more aggressive~ when he barely touches the ball? His development + role have both been failures since he was drafted.