Edwards drops 49 in win over Bulls |
MINNEAPOLIS - Everyone knew that when the Chicago Bulls (22-30) traded away Zach Lavine, there would be some ups and downs along the way. Sure, from an offensive side, the Bulls are one of those teams that could benefit from his absence, as it would force them to get more balanced on offense. You saw that during their win against the Miami Heat, the Bulls offense looked as good as it has at any point this season.
However, with the good comes the bad, and not having Lavine will also be a problem for the Bulls as they no longer have that guy who can single-handedly take over a game. They could've used someone like that Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves (28-23) as Anthony Edwards put on a show in front of the Target Center fans. Despite the Bulls keeping things close most of the night, pulling within two after trailing by 10 in the first quarter and then leading into the fourth down just four, the fourth quarter was their undoing as Minnesota outscored the Bulls 33-18 in the final quarter to pull away for the 127-108 win. This is one of those losses that fully proves that this team should tank the rest of the way, as they need to start their rebuild. One night, after putting up a career-high 24 points and not missing a shot, Matas Buzelis was in the starting lineup, making the first start of his career. If anyone was going to benefit from Lavine being traded, Buzelis could be that guy, as he will see a massive increase in minutes. He may not have had the same type of game on Wednesday, but with 14 points, he showed that he could handle the starting role. He was one of seven players to top double figures for the Bulls, including all five starters, as the balanced offensive attack was in full effect. The problem was, none of those double-digit scorers had what you would call a dominant game, as Coby White led the way with 20 points and four assists. White is another name that has surfaced on the trade front, but from all accounts, he appears safe heading into next season. Joining White in what you would call a solid game was Josh Giddey, who scored 19 points. Those two did most of the heavy lifting for the Bulls. As mentioned, all five of the Bulls starters landed in double figures, and with Nikola Vucevic coming away with 10 and 11 points, mixed with Ayo Dosunmu and his 11 points, the offense did have its struggles at the worst times in this one. Not only did the Bulls starting five put up good, but not great numbers, but it was the Bulls bench that continued to step up, with Jalen Smith leading the pack with 14. He was backed by Jevon Carter and his 10 points, while Patrick Williams (8) and Julian Phillips (2) combined for 10 points in a more short-handed roster. It takes more than just one player to lead a team to victory, but when you play the way Anthony Edwards did on Wednesday, it doesn't matter what type of production the rest of your roster has. Edwards was a man on a mission, knocking down six triples and connecting on 17 of his 18 free throw attempts as he finished the game with 49 points. He was backed by plenty of productive players, but Naz Reid stepped up to have one of his best games. He finished with 22 points and 10 boards. Those two alone accounted for 71 points, and when you consider the Bulls' starting five had 84 combined points, you can see where this game was won and lost. Minnesota also benefited from Jaden McDaniels's 12 points and Rudy Gobert's massive double-double, as he added 10 points and pulled down 15 boards. Nickeil Alexander-Walker also scored double digits, leading the Timberwolves bench with 12 points in another lopsided loss for this Bulls team. On a side note, Lonzo Ball is here to stay for the long haul, and it's not just because he isn't going to be traded. Instead, it was reported that Ball and the Bulls reached a new extension as he signed a two-year 20 million dollar contract extension. Chicago will now monitor the trade market on Thursday to see if any more of their names will be moved before their next game.
