CHICAGO — The massive gulf between the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz, the team with the best record in the NBA, was on full display in Monday’s 120-95 loss at the United Center.
Once the Jazz took a second-quarter lead against the Bulls bench, they never looked back. They were led by their two stars: Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points in 30 minutes, and Rudy Gobert just missed his first triple-double with 21 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high nine blocks.
The Jazz knocked down 16 3-pointers and shot 44% from the arc while stifling the Bulls defensively, holding them below 100 points and to 23% 3-point shooting.
It was the difference between a team with championship aspirations and one still finding its way. The Bulls have dropped five of their last eight games, and one of the most worrisome trends during this skid to start the second half continued as their young core struggled once again.
Forward Lauri Markkanen sat for almost an entire quarter in the second half and finished with eight points on 3-of-12 shooting in 19 minutes. Center Wendell Carter Jr. had six points (3 of 5) and eight rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench, and guard Coby White had 10 points (4 of 12) and three assists in 23 minutes.
