INGLEWOOD, Calif. — In a crucial matchup, Zach LaVine shined with an impressive performance, scoring 35 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 112-99 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night. This win was particularly significant for the Bulls, as it ended a streak of five consecutive losses.
Off the bench, Talen Horton-Tucker contributed 18 points, while Josh Giddey delivered a well-rounded effort with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. With this win, the Bulls improved their record to 2-6 when playing back-to-back games this season.
The Clippers faced challenges without their key starters, Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac, which contributed to their four-game winning streak coming to an end. Despite the setback, Norman Powell managed to score 27 points, and James Harden added 17 points along with 10 assists. The Clippers made a late push in the game, cutting the Bulls’ lead to 101-92 thanks to a three-point play from Derrick Jones Jr. However, Chicago responded with an 11-7 run to seal the victory.
Notably, this game marked LaVine’s 109th career performance where he scored at least 30 points, allowing him to tie with the late Bob Love for the second-most such games in Bulls history. For the Clippers, this was Zubac’s first absence of the season, having been sidelined due to an eye injury he sustained in a previous game against the Lakers. His absence was felt on the boards, as the Bulls dominated the rebounding battle 54-40. Meanwhile, Leonard continued to be rested during back-to-back games to manage his right knee injury.
The turning point in the match came during a third quarter where LaVine was a standout, scoring 15 points. The Bulls outscored the Clippers 36-16 during this period, dramatically flipping a two-point halftime deficit into an 18-point advantage as they headed into the final quarter.
In terms of shooting, the Bulls displayed great accuracy from beyond the arc, making 15 three-pointers, with LaVine accounting for five of those. The Clippers struggled, managing only 9 successful shots from long range out of 42 attempts.
Looking ahead, the Bulls will be on the road to face the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, while the Clippers will host the defending NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, on Wednesday.
