The Bulls’ overtime win over the Hawks may have done more than just snap a game into the win column. With rookie Caleb Wilson out after fracturing his right hand, Chicago suddenly has to find a new way forward, and the way it handled Atlanta offered a clear starting point.
Norman Powell was the biggest reason the Bulls had enough late. Chicago brought him in for moments like this, and against the Hawks he delivered exactly that kind of veteran punch.
Powell finished with 33 points on 12-for-19 shooting and went 4-for-8 from 3-point range. When the game tightened in overtime, he took over, scoring nine of Chicago’s 15 points in the extra period.
That kind of closing ability is going to matter even more now. DeMar DeRozan used to fill that role for the Bulls, the steady scorer who could be counted on when possessions got heavy and the clock got short. Powell will need to be that guy for this team.
The other part of Chicago’s formula showed up on the defensive end. The Bulls opened by holding Atlanta to 24 points in the first quarter while putting up 33 of their own, and that early burst gave them a cushion. But the Hawks chipped away and got back into the game, which is exactly why Chicago can’t afford to let leads slip against better competition.
Atlanta did struggle from deep, hitting just 20.0 percent of its 3-pointers. Even so, the Hawks stayed alive by getting 66 points in the paint. That was the warning sign for Chicago: if the Bulls build an advantage, they have to protect it by slowing teams down and cutting off the areas where they’re most comfortable.
Offensively, the Bulls showed one thing they can lean on and another they can’t rely on alone. They shot 40.0 percent from beyond the arc against Atlanta, which is a good sign.
But they can’t turn into a team that lives and dies only by the 3. They need paint touches, drives to the rim and trips to the free-throw line when the shot isn’t falling.
Ball security is part of that, too. Chicago turned it over 25 times, and Atlanta turned those mistakes into 34 points. The Hawks had 17 turnovers, and the Bulls scored 20 points off them, but Chicago’s own giveaways almost undid the night.
Still, there was one more encouraging piece to the win: the ball moved. The Bulls finished with 34 assists, and that kind of shared offense is something they’ll need to keep if they want this result to mean more than one good night.
The blueprint is there. Now it’s about whether Chicago can keep using it.
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Bulls Finally Showed The Edge Fans Needed Before This Road Trip
The Bulls walked into a tricky spot and finally played like a team determined to stop the slide, ending an eight-game losing streak with a 125-117 overtime win over the Hawks. Norman Powell led the way with 33 points, and Chicago got enough from several others to turn a tense game into the kind of response it badly needed before heading out on the road.
Josh Giddey was a major part of the push, stuffing the box score and helping steady the offense when the game tightened late. For a team that had been searching for some edge, the bigger takeaway was less about one hot night and more about the way the Bulls carried themselves when the pressure rose, a sign they may have found something worth taking with them beyond Atlanta. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Finally End Skid But Jalen Smith Leaves A New Concern
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Late in overtime, though, the night took on a different tone when Hawks big man Jalen Smith suffered a wrist injury and headed to the locker room. The Bulls will turn right back to work with games coming against the Timberwolves, Cavaliers and Nets, but the bigger question out of this one is whether Atlanta will be dealing with another injury concern after a hard-fought finish. [Read more 🡒]
Buddy Hield Just Gave The Bulls A Rare Reason To Smile
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Chicago is in the middle of an eight-game losing streak and facing Atlanta in NBA Cup group play, so the timing of Hields milestone offers at least a little perspective amid the frustration. He has played eight games this season and is averaging 5.8 points per game, but even in a difficult start for the Bulls, his climb up the all-time 3-point list is the kind of accomplishment that stands out. [Read more 🡒]