Fifty seconds into Monday night’s game against the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan called his first timeout. Out of the gate, the Bulls put together consecutive sloppy possessions that resulted in turnovers, the kind of carelessness with the ball that has been an issue all season.
The early timeout helped settle the team, and another excellent game from Lauri Markkanen combined with a clutch late shot from Zach LaVine helped the Bulls to a 110-102 victory.
With the score tied at 100 and less than a minute remaining, Coby White and LaVine knocked down 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to seal the win and snap a three-game losing streak.
Markkanen continued one of the strongest stretches of his career, scoring 30 points for the second consecutive game. He went 11-for-18 from the field (6-for-12 from 3), taking advantage of open shots and remaining aggressive attacking the basket.
The Bulls could not have asked for a better start to the season from Markkanen — who is in the final season of his contract before restricted free agency this summer — if he wants to prove he is worth signing to a long-term deal.
Thad Young narrowly missed a triple-double for the third consecutive game, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Young has averaged 12.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 9.3 assists over his last three games.
Six Bulls scored in double figures, and the team recorded 30-plus assists for the second straight game while committing only 12 turnovers.
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