A historic shooting and scoring performance in the third quarter helped lead the Bulls to a 120-100 win over the Houston Rockets at the United Center on Monday night.
Coby White led the way for the Bulls, posting a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds while Zach LaVine continued his push for an All-Star game bid with 21 points of his own.
Wendell Carter Jr. also posted a double-double, reaching the milestone by halftime. He ended the game with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
It was an impressive shooting night for the Bulls as they shot nearly 54% from the field, including 76% in the third quarter. Five different Bulls players scored in double digits and, as a team, had a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio (24 assists, 11 turnovers).
Former Bull David Nwaba led a shorthanded Rockets team with 22 points off the bench.
The Setup
The Rockets were indeed shorthanded, missing key players Victor Oladipo (foot) and Christian Wood (ankle). Wood has been a notable miss for Houston, as the Rockets won seven of the eight games leading up to his injury back on February 4. The Rockets have not won a game since.
The Bulls were still without Otto Porter Jr. and Lauri Markkanen on Monday night.
White and Wendell Start Things Off
Coby White led the Bulls out of the gates with a great first quarter, scoring 11 points on 5-8 shooting and grabbing six rebounds during the opening 12 minutes of play.
Wendell Carter Jr. posted a first half double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds himself. Zach LaVine was quiet in the points column, but effective dishing out the basketball, recording five assists by halftime.
The Rockets hung around though, and were only down six points at the half. John Wall led the way at first, tallying 11 points in first quarter alone. However, some supporting cast members picked up the slack as Eric Gordon, Daniel House Jr., and David Nwaba combined for 26 first half points.
Historic Third Quarter
While the Rockets indeed hung around, the Bulls pulled away in the third with some historic numbers. The Bulls scored 46 points on 76% shooting (19-25) during the quarter, including a stretch where they made 10 baskets in a row.
The 46-point tally was the fifth-highest scoring quarter and highest scoring third quarter in franchise history. LaVine led the way in the third, scoring 14 of his 21 points, including a 90-second stretch where he scored 11 of those points.
Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky combined for 15 points in the quarter to compliment LaVine.
The Bulls took their foot off the gas a bit in the fourth quarter, scoring only 20 points, but the lead was already too large for the Rockets to overcome. The Bulls won by 20 points, improving their record to 14-16, while the Rockets dropped their 8th straight to fall to 11-18.
What’s On Tap Next?
The Bulls will prepare to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. Tip-off will be at 7:00 PM CST and the game can be seen on NBC Sports Chicago.
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I love soccer. Write about Fire, Red Stars, U.S. National Teams, Chicago House, and more. Occasional writer for Bulls and Cubs. Follow me on Twitter (@just_wasik).
