January 24, 20258:28 AM CST
Here’s a rewritten version of your text, streamlined for clarity and impact:
The legendary writer, poet, and civil rights activist likely wasn’t thinking about basketball or the Chicago Bulls when offering wisdom to Oprah Winfrey. Yet, with all Maya Angelou accomplished, who’s to say she couldn’t have been?
That thought resonates with the current state of the Bulls after Thursday’s 131-106 road loss to the Golden State Warriors—a team missing stars like Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Instead, the Warriors leaned on lesser-known names, delivering a staggering 83 bench points from Brandin Podziemski, Quinten Post, Gui Santos, and Moses Moody. Even with a modest 21 points from Steph Curry, who sat out much of the decisive stretch, the Warriors turned a late third-quarter Bulls lead (81-78) into a rout, breaking the game wide open with a 20-point advantage early in the fourth.
The Bulls, now home to face the slumping Philadelphia 76ers (19-26) on Saturday, are halfway through the 2024-25 season, and a sobering reality has set in: this might just be who they are.
“We’ve been very inconsistent, especially lately,” said Nikola Vučević. “We just don’t do the things we need to win games. Tonight was a perfect example. We were good in the first half, then went away from what worked in the second. It’s been the story of our season—ups and downs, young guys not sticking to what works, and issues with execution.”
Vučević trailed off, much like the Bulls’ momentum, as speculation looms over the team’s approach to the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
The Questions Loom Large:
Will the Bulls make a move?
Can they?
What should they even do?
Injuries compound the uncertainty. Coby White could miss at least a week with an ankle injury. Ayo Dosunmu is back from a calf issue but admitted he’ll need ongoing physical care. Vučević’s name swirls in trade rumors, particularly with Golden State, though Thursday’s performance didn’t strengthen his case.
Despite these challenges, Zach LaVine delivered another steady performance, scoring 24 points while hitting 9-of-12 free throws. Josh Giddey added 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Dosunmu chipped in 13. But no other Bulls player reached double digits.
Meanwhile, Golden State capitalized, hitting 25-of-57 threes compared to the Bulls’ 16-of-40. The Warriors dominated second-chance opportunities with 15 offensive rebounds, translating into 29 points.
A Tale of Two Halves
The Bulls started hot, leading 20-6 within five minutes and hitting 7-of-11 threes in the first quarter. They held a slim 64-63 lead at halftime, despite Golden State’s early struggles. Yet, as coach Billy Donovan observed, the first half hinted at trouble.
“We were 13-for-18 from three and only up by one,” Donovan noted.
In the second half, the Bulls faltered, missing all nine third-quarter threes. The Warriors ratcheted up their defensive pressure, exposing the Bulls’ hesitation in executing their new ball-movement-heavy system.
“We bypassed good shots trying to find better ones, and it backfired,” said Donovan. “We didn’t sustain our identity. In the first half, we did great things—15 assists, great ball movement—but it fell apart after halftime. Unsustainable basketball.”
The Warriors’ lesser-known players thrived. Post, a seven-footer from the Netherlands, hit 5-of-10 threes. Santos, a Brazilian second-round pick, went 5-of-6. Curry cheered them on from the bench, as did scouts likely lobbying for overseas trips.
The Optimism Wanes
Ayo Dosunmu expressed cautious hope: “It’s frustrating because we’ve shown flashes of being a really good team. We know what we can be if we correct the little things—boxing out, rebounding—but we have to stop letting those slip away.”
For now, though, the Bulls’ struggles feel as enduring as their faint optimism.
This version retains the core information while making the narrative more concise and engaging. Let me know if you'd like further refinements!
0 Comments