Zach LaVine delivered a stellar performance with 26 points, leading the Chicago Bulls (7-10) to a 136-122 victory over the Atlanta Hawks (7-10) in an NBA Cup matchup on Friday night.
The Bulls, now 1-1 in NBA Cup play, showcased a balanced attack as seven players scored in double figures.
Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White each contributed 20 points, with White adding nine assists and Dosunmu dishing out eight. Nikola Vucevic recorded his 11th double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Josh Giddey also scored 18 points for Chicago, helping the team shoot a season-high 57% from the field.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 25 points and 13 assists, while Jalen Johnson matched him with 25 points and added 13 rebounds. Clint Capela added 21 points and 11 rebounds, but the Hawks couldn’t keep pace with Chicago’s efficient offense. Bogdan Bogdanovic provided a spark off the bench with 16 points, including four 3-pointers.
The Bulls took control early, building a double-digit lead by halftime. Jalen Smith extended Chicago’s momentum in the fourth quarter by hitting three consecutive 3-pointers, pushing the lead to 19 points. Smith finished with 13 points in just 15 minutes of action.
Despite Atlanta’s 14 offensive rebounds, which led to multiple second-chance opportunities, Chicago’s precision shooting and ball movement proved too much. The Bulls tallied 36 assists on 49 made field goals and drained 19 of 43 shots from beyond the arc.
Atlanta concluded its four-game road trip with a 1-3 record and fell to 2-1 in NBA Cup action. The Hawks struggled defensively against the Bulls’ high-powered offense, particularly on the perimeter, where Chicago shot 44% from three-point range.
Injury issues continued for both teams. The Bulls were without forward Patrick Williams for the second straight game due to inflammation in his left foot, while the Hawks were missing key contributors including Larry Nance Jr. and Seth Lundy.
