In a thrilling matchup on Monday night, the Chicago Bulls managed to secure a narrow 115-108 overtime victory against the Charlotte Hornets. Coby White came close to achieving his first triple-double, contributing 23 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists. Meanwhile, Torrey Craig played a pivotal role in the win, scoring 18 points with five 3-pointers in the second half.
Nikola Vucevic also made a significant impact, finishing the game with 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Bulls, who improved their record to 15-18. On the other side, Miles Bridges led the Hornets with an impressive 31 points, along with 12 rebounds and eight assists. Unfortunately for the Hornets, this loss marked their 16th in the last 17 games, dropping their record to 7-25.
As the game reached its climax in regulation, the Bulls were holding a three-point lead when Bridges attempted to tie the game with a corner 3-pointer, which he missed. Vucevic was then fouled but inadvertently missed both free throw attempts, allowing Charlotte another opportunity. Bridges seized this chance, sinking a leaning 3-pointer just as time expired to push the game into overtime.
In the extra period, the Bulls seized complete control. They quickly built an eight-point lead, thanks to White’s drive to the basket, followed by successful 3-point shots from both Vucevic and Craig. Notably, the anticipated matchup between the Ball brothers did not take place, as LaMelo Ball was sidelined due to wrist soreness, and Brandon Miller missed the game with a sprained ankle. Additionally, the Bulls were without Zach LaVine and Ayo Dosunmu due to toe and calf issues, respectively.
Key takeaways from the game included Craig’s impressive second-half performance—he was a crucial factor after not playing in the first half and finished with 6 of 10 shooting, including 5 of 7 from beyond the arc. For the Hornets, it was confirmed that guard Tre Mann will be out for at least two more weeks due to disc irritation, missing out on contributing his average of 14.1 points since November 21.
A key moment came late in overtime when Patrick Williams hit a corner 3-pointer with 49 seconds left, courtesy of an assist from Lonzo Ball, extending the Chicago lead to seven points. Williams finished the game with 17 points. A noteworthy statistic emerged as LaMelo Ball has now missed a staggering 116 of Charlotte’s last 196 games over the past three seasons, highlighting ongoing struggles with injuries.
Looking ahead, the Bulls will be facing the Wizards on Wednesday night, while the Hornets are set to visit Detroit on Friday.
