The Memphis Grizzlies held off a late Chicago Bulls rally to secure a 104-100 preseason victory at the United Center on Friday night, improving to 2-1 in exhibition play.
Memphis built a 60-50 halftime lead and survived a strong third-quarter response from Chicago to earn its second consecutive road win. The Bulls cut the deficit to two points in the final minute, but Javon Small converted two free throws with 0.7 seconds remaining to seal the result.
Ty Jerome led Memphis with 16 points, shooting 4-of-6 from three-point range, while GG Jackson added 14 points off the bench. Cameron Boozer and Zach Edey scored 10 points apiece, and Boozer also contributed four rebounds and three assists.
Memphis shot 47% from the field and made 10 of its 31 three-point attempts. The Grizzlies also recorded 25 assists, although 21 turnovers gave Chicago opportunities to stay in contention.
The visitors established control early, opening an eight-point lead in the first quarter behind Jerome’s perimeter shooting and contributions from Edey and Boozer. Memphis won the opening period 30-27 before extending the advantage in the second quarter, outscoring Chicago 30-23 to take a 10-point lead into halftime.
Jerome was particularly effective during the first half, repeatedly finding space beyond the arc as Memphis maintained its offensive rhythm.
Chicago responded after the break, scoring 32 points in the third quarter to put pressure on the visitors. Caleb Wilson led the Bulls with 21 points, including five three-pointers, while Norman Powell finished with 17 points and Josh Giddey added 13 points and three assists.
[td_flex_block_1 category_id="" custom_title="MORE FOR YOU" header_color="#e91e63" td_filter_default_txt="" tag_slug="" sort="random_7_day" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXJpZ2h0IjoiMjUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJtYXJnaW4tbGVmdCI6IjI1IiwicGFkZGluZy10b3AiOiIxMSIsInBhZGRpbmctcmlnaHQiOiIyNSIsInBhZGRpbmctYm90dG9tIjoiMTEiLCJwYWRkaW5nLWxlZnQiOiIyNSIsImJhY2tncm91bmQtY29sb3IiOiIjZjNmNGY2IiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiIsIi0tdGRiLXNjcm9sbC1hbmltIjoibm9uZSJ9LCJwaG9uZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tcmlnaHQiOiIwIiwibWFyZ2luLWxlZnQiOiIwIiwicGFkZGluZy1yaWdodCI6IjE1IiwicGFkZGluZy1sZWZ0IjoiMTUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBob25lX21heF93aWR0aCI6NzY3fQ==" mx3f_title_font_transform="" mx3f_title_font_weight="700" title_tag="h3" all_modules_space="0" video_popup="" image_size="td_218x150" image_height="65" image_floated="eyJwaG9uZSI6ImZsb2F0X2xlZnQifQ==" autoplay_vid="" show_vid_t="none" modules_category="image" modules_category_margin="5px" modules_extra_cat="hide" show_author="none" show_date="none" show_com="none" show_review="none" show_excerpt="none" show_audio="none" show_btn="none" f_title_font_size="15" f_title_font_line_height="1.25" f_title_font_weight="600" f_title_font_spacing="-0.2" cat_bg="#e16e00" modules_divider="solid" category_ids="-4430,-5489" show_cat="none" modules_on_row="eyJhbGwiOiIzMy4zMzMzMzMzMyUiLCJwaG9uZSI6IjEwMCUifQ==" limit="3" meta_info_align="" modules_divider_color="#333333" image_width="eyJhbGwiOiIxMDAiLCJwaG9uZSI6IjQwIn0=" meta_info_border_color="" modules_border_color="" modules_gap="15" m_padding="eyJwaG9uZSI6IjE1cHggMHB4IDE1cHggMHB4In0=" art_title="eyJwaG9uZSI6IjBweCAwcHggMHB4IDE1cHgifQ==" video_icon="eyJwaG9uZSI6IjIwIn0="]Wilson’s outside shooting helped Chicago erase the halftime deficit and briefly take control of the game. The Bulls entered the fourth quarter trailing 85-82 after outscoring Memphis by seven points in the third.
The final period remained close, with Memphis attempting to protect its narrow advantage against a Chicago team that continued to find scoring opportunities from the perimeter. Taylor Hendricks made a three-pointer to help the Grizzlies maintain their lead, while GG Jackson and Small delivered important baskets down the stretch.
Chicago kept the pressure on, and Wilson’s three-pointer with 55.2 seconds remaining cut Memphis’ lead to 102-100. Small answered by scoring on a two-point attempt with just over a minute left, then calmly made both free throws in the closing second after Chicago had moved within one possession.
The Bulls finished with 38% shooting from the field and 12-of-34 shooting from three-point range. Leonard Miller contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds, recording a double-double, while Powell’s 10-of-12 performance at the free-throw line helped keep Chicago within reach.
One concern for the Bulls was the early exit of Matas Buzelis, who suffered a right ankle injury after landing awkwardly while blocking a shot in the first quarter. He finished with six points in 12 minutes and left during the second quarter as a precaution.
Buzelis later described the injury as minor and said he expected to be ready for Sunday’s preseason game in Denver.
The defeat dropped Chicago to 1-1 in preseason action, while Memphis improved to 2-1. The Bulls are scheduled to visit Denver on Sunday for their next preseason game.
