The Chicago Bulls had an impressive victory against the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night with a final score of 118-110. DeMar DeRozan and Andre Drummond led the Bulls to victory with 30 points and 21 points respectively. Drummond also had 13 rebounds to his name. Nikola Vucevic and Coby White each scored 20 points for the Bulls, further contributing to the team’s victory. Drummond went 10 of 11 from the field, showcasing his impressive form.
The Bulls utilized centers Drummond and Vucevic on the court together for a significant amount of time, and this proved to be an excellent strategy. The pair dominated inside, contributing to the Bulls out-rebounding the Grizzlies 46-34. Drummond himself was pleased with the lineup and mentioned that it makes the opposition teams deal with them on both ends of the court.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan also acknowledged that playing the two big men together creates a scouting problem for opponents. He said the team has worked on the unconventional lineup in recent days. He also mentioned that the pair knows how to play off each other, but it is the other spacing around those guys that needs to be better.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 28 points for the Grizzlies, but he fouled out in the fourth quarter. GG Jackson added 27 points, and Santi Aldama scored 15, as did Scotty Pippen Jr. Vince Williams Jr. had 13 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists for Memphis, which lost its seventh straight. GG Jackson, a two-way player the Grizzlies took with the 45th pick in last year’s draft, was phenomenal and played a crucial role in the team’s performance.
Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins praised GG Jackson’s performance and mentioned that he has been learning and knows where he can get better. However, he also expressed his disappointment over Memphis losing their seventh straight match. He also highlighted that injuries have been a significant factor contributing to the team’s struggles.
The Bulls and the Grizzlies had a neck-to-neck contest throughout the game, and neither team led by double digits. Memphis had an 81-80 lead entering the final quarter, but the Bulls took control with a 19-6 burst for a 104-97 lead. The Grizzlies have used 31 starting lineups with 18 players having started at least once this season. Earlier Thursday, Memphis traded forward David Roddy to the Suns.
Jaren Jackson returned for the Grizzlies after missing the previous two games with right hip soreness. He had a great start to the game, scoring 13 points in the first quarter and 18 at halftime. Memphis held a 56-52 lead at halftime despite the Bulls shooting 55% for the half, with Drummond making all five of his shots. However, the Bulls managed to turn the game in their favor in the second half by committing only five turnovers compared to the ten turnovers they made in the first half.