Bulls 126, Grizzlies 123 – October 28, 2024

According to the National Park Service, if you are attacked by a grizzly bear, you should lie flat on your stomach and play dead. The Chicago Bulls took that to heart in the first half of Monday night's game.

Despite Ja Morant being stuck in street clothes, the Memphis Grizzlies had little trouble getting downhill. The lanes were either wide open due to defensive failures or players were run over by a more aggressive Grizzlies team. Sprinkle in a few open 3-pointers, and any defensive concerns many had early in the season played out on the hardwood.

Jaren Jackson Jr. overwhelmed the Bulls' frontcourt, while Desmond Bane was more than comfortable in the Bulls' disorganized backfield. Memphis – as always – beat the competition and enjoyed offensive rebounds. Before the Bulls knew it, they were down 20 points with little to no momentum in the first half. The game felt decided… but no one told the Chicago Bulls that.

What happened over the next two quarters was pretty damn shocking. Instead of questioning their new style of play or resorting to heroics, the Bulls just stuck with it. They continued sprinting up and down the court. They continued to throw 3-pointers. They continued to trust each other. As a result, the Grizzlies' lead began to shrink and the Bulls were back within striking distance.

Much of the heavy lifting was initially done on the bench. A surprising lineup of Ayo Dosunmu, Dalen Terry, Julian Phillips, Patrick Williams and Jalen Smith caused excitement for the Grizzlies. Their length and speed forced some mistakes, and they capitalized on those mistakes with some big shots from behind the arc. Jalen Smith scored 9 points in the third quarter, while Phillips hit a 3-pointer after a game-winning poster dunk to bring the Bulls within 8 points.

The Bulls' starters finally took the lead in the fourth quarter, and they didn't lose a step. The Zach LaVine decision scares never started at all! Instead, he hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Bulls the lead with 7:07 left. And as Scottie Pippen Jr. immediately reclaimed the lead for the Grizzlies on the other end, Nikola Vucevic stepped up and hit a three-pointer of his own.

LaVine scored 11 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. Chicago also received a massive boost from Josh Giddey, whose defensive focus was a legitimately important part of the Bulls' win.

As I said, winning now might feel counter-intuitive later in the year, but I'll take wins like that. The Bulls did this by trusting their young players and affirming their new identity. These are good things!

Speaking of which: They have now shot at least 20 three-pointers in two of their first four games. Their total of 25 made three-pointers tonight also set a franchise record.

Player grades

Josh Giddey – A
Statistics: 12 PTS, 13 REB, 8 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK

This was easily Josh Giddey's best game as a Chicago Bull. While he may not have had the flashiest shots on the night, his fingerprints were all over the team's impressive 20-point comeback win. In particular, his control of the fourth quarter was extremely encouraging. Whether it was finding Zach LaVine for the slam with a crazy inbound bounce pass, hitting a 3-pointer or making a few clutch free throws, Giddey was there when the Bulls needed him. He also used his size defensively to force some turnovers and grab some key rebounds. Without the stabilizing presence of Josh Giddey, the Bulls cannot win this game.

Zach LaVine – B+
Statistics: 30 PTS, 4 AST, 3 REB, 1 TOV

After Zach LaVine didn't hit his first field goal until the third quarter and suffered seven turnovers against OKC, he bounced back in a big way. He hit high percentages both on and off the ball. The constant offensive movement helped slowly wear down the Grizzlies. And as mentioned above, there were no decision concerns late in the game! LaVine did everything right and made the right decisions!

Jalen Smith – B+
Statistics: 16 PTS, 7 REB, +8

The big backup man only played 12 minutes, Jalen Smith made the most of every second. He scored a Bulls career-high 16 points and went 3-6 from downtown. Even though he seems a little out of control at times, Smith's mobility and floor spacing prove to be very good for the way Billy Donovan wants to play.

Ayo Dosunmu – B-
Statistics: 10 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST

After a slow start to the year, Ayo Dosunmu looked a little more comfortable on the floor tonight. We saw him make some aggressive attacks to the rim and show no hesitation behind the arc. Most importantly, he looked for ways to do the little things with his ball movement and offensive rebounding.

Coby White – C+
Statistics: 20 PTS, 5 AST, 2 REB

While it wasn't the most efficient performance, Coby White is one of the main reasons the Bulls' identity has never wavered. He continued to play fast and chase his 3-point shots. White finished 5-for-10 from behind the arc, and two of those came in the fourth quarter.

Bulls-Grizzlies Box Score

Check out the full box score here.