|
But with a chance to win the game in the
closing seconds, LaVine couldn't tip the scales in the Bulls'
favor.
Trailing 103-101 with 9.8 seconds left, LaVine spun around Beal
at the top of the key and drove to the basket, but missed a
contested layup. Beal recovered the rebound, drew a foul and hit
two free throws to seal the outcome.
The Wizards heeded Beal's message calling for the team to show
some pride coming off Sunday's ugly loss to the Charlotte
Hornets.
Rui Hachimura recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10
rebounds as Washington took advantage of a shorthanded Bulls'
frontcourt and outscored them in the paint 54-40.
The Bulls were without Lauri Markkanen (right shoulder sprain)
for the second consecutive game. Markkanen (19.1 points and 6.1
rebounds per game) is expected to miss 2-4 weeks, per The
Athletic's Shams Charania.
Things got worse in the frontcourt for the Bulls when Daniel
Gafford got into foul trouble early. Gafford (10 points, five
rebounds) was called for his fifth foul and picked up a
technical with 9:59 left in the third, sending him to the bench
and forcing Bulls coach Billy Donovan to play Thaddeus Young at
center.
Young finished with 14 points, but Alex Len countered for the
Wizards with 13 points and seven rebounds. Davis Bertans also
finished with 12 points.
Beal posted seven assists and five rebounds and kept the Wizards
in front throughout the second half even after the Bulls cut
their lead to 69-68 with 7:16 left in the third. Denzel
Valentine's flagrant foul on Beal on a 3-point attempt led to
three made free throws followed by a Hachimura triple, which
quickly sparked an 8-0 run by the Wizards.
LaVine finished with six assists on 12-of-26 shooting, Valentine
had 11 points and Patrick Williams scored 10 points.
--Field Level Media
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
|
