The Chicago Bulls pulled off a gritty 136-126 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday to stay in front of their Eastern Conference rivals in the race for possible slots in the postseason.
Again shorthanded with defensive stud Alex Caruso being a late scratch due to a sore left foot, the Bulls turned to young guard Ayo Dosunmu, who delivered a masterful performance on both ends to help the team come away with the win and raise their record to 26-28.
Career-high night
Dosunmu did damage on both ends of the floor, scoring a career-high 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting and seven assists. He and Jevon Carter also helped hound Hawks All-Star Trae Young to a forgettable 3-of-14 performance, including a woeful 2-of-10 mark from long distance.
“We wanted to do our best and guard on defense, but the way the game was going, both teams were scoring, and then we got some big meaningful stops down the stretch,” Dosunmu said.
Chicago’s defense was pivotal down the stretch as it helped spark a 16-5 run that turned a slim 112-111 lead into a 128-116 lead after a Coby White triple with 2:29 to go. However, the Hawks relented and trimmed the deficit to six, 128-122, after a transition dunk by Saddiq Bey.
However, DeMar DeRozan, White, and Nikola Vucevic made their shots down the stretch to seal the win for the Bulls.
DeRozan finished with 29 points and five assists, while Vooch had 24 points and 11 rebounds. White chipped in 20 points and seven dimes.
Two games in front
The Bulls have won both games against the Hawks this season, with another one still to come on April 2. It was a crucial victory for Chicago as it kept them two games clear of Atlanta in the race for the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference.
