The Chicago Bulls forged a pact to beat the Dallas Mavericks and end a four-game losing streak overshadowing a stellar performance from Luka Doncic on Sunday night.
The Bulls’ 117-101 victory featured a season-high production from Lauri Markkanen and Garrett Temple with the Chicago’s reserves also outscoring the Mavericks’ bench 61-22. The Bulls also locked in on defense, racking up a season-best 14 steals.
That massive output on both ends of the floor ensured that a triple-double (36 points, 16 rebounds, 15 assists) from Mavericks star Luka Doncic wouldn’t count for a win.
Doncic, according to reports is just the seventh player in league history to register a 30-15-15 triple-double, joining Nikola Jokic, James Harden, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, and Oscar Robertson.
Doncic established a new career-best for scoring in the first 24 minutes scoring 30 points in the first half on 11-of-19 shooting.
Chicago however shot 50.6 percent and had six scorers in double figures while finishing with 32 assists against 13 turnovers.
Lauri Markkanen had a season-high 29 points to go with 10 rebounds and Garrett Temple scored 17 of his season-high 21 points in the first half.
Kristaps Porzingis in his third game back since recovering from offseason surgery on his right knee added 20 points and eight rebounds for Dallas. Willie Cauley-Stein and James Johnson chipped in 10 points apiece.
Watch the highlights of the game below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqbdzeIeH_Q
New York Knicks blow out the Boston Celtics 105-75
The Boston Celtics suffered an embarrassing 105-75 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon after a week of postponed games due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the team.
The Celtics struggled heavily on both ends of the floor on the night unable to get up to 20 points in the first three quarters all thanks to the Knicks defense, which held Boston to just 50 points in that period.
While the Celtics were without Jayson Tatum, who remains out due to the league’s health and safety protocols, Kemba Walker got his season debut after returning from a knee injury that’s bothered him for quite some time.
Walker looked evidently rusty and he and his teammates struggled with finishing on offense.
Walker played just 20 minutes as the Celtics eased him back into the game, but said after the loss that he hopes the restriction gets lifted soon. He also said that his knee felt great, compared to what he was dealing with in the NBA bubble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiEnFezm9V4
Sunday night’s NBA results
- New York Knicks 105-75 Boston Celtics
- Chicago Bulls 117-101 Dallas Mavericks
- Philadelphia 76ers P-P Oklahoma City Thunder
- Utah Jazz 109-105 Denver Nuggets
- New Orleans Pelicans 128-123 Sacramento Kings
- Indiana Pacers 96-129 Los Angeles Clippers
Chicago Bulls are still clearly struggling.