Bulls blow 24-point lead against Pacers, extending skid to five games

The Bulls entered Gainesville Fieldhouse hoping to snap a four-game losing streak. Instead, they failed to muster the courage necessary to secure a crucial victory, squandered a 24-point advantage, and suffered their worst losing streak of the season in a 117-113 loss to the Pacers. Once more, a second-half lapse was to blame. Billy Donovan, the coach, stated, "We compete very hard, but what happens is the game gets ratcheted up, physically, intellectually, and emotionally." You must be able to come down from both heights and be highly concentrated and meticulous in order to execute. DeMar DeRozan, an All-Star, was sidelined with a Grade 1 quad strain and at home, so Donovan needed someone else to perform at that level.Wednesday night, Zach LaVine gave it his best shot. He had seven assists, 11 rebounds, and a game-high 35 points. However, he fell short in the dying moments when the Bulls needed a crucial basket from their best player. With 11 seconds left, LaVine missed what could have been the game-winning jumper from the corner then missed a wide-open three-point try on the Bulls' last possession. The Bulls' previous trip encounter with the Pacers, in which they surrendered a 21-point lead and failed to win the game in the waning seconds, was far too familiar to Wednesday.LaVine remarked, "I mean, we speak about it. Like we have done this before. "We gave ourselves an opportunity but came up a little short," said the team. "Try to maintain it; go out there and shift the momentum a little bit.

" The Bulls defeated the Pacers 39-15 in the opening frame before dropping the following two frames and seeing their 23-point third-quarter advantage vanish. The third quarter saw the Pacers outscore the Bulls 40-28 as the Bulls once again failed to play with the intensity they had been so desperately yearning for. Donovan observed, "The game is not decided in the first five minutes. "You must be able to play the entire song." The key driver of the Pacers' comeback in the third quarter was Buddy Hield. He finished the He ended the third quarter with a three-pointer at the buzzer and scored 19 of his 27 points in just that quarter.Donovan decided to open the game with a small lineup, replacing DeRozan with Alex Caruso. After worsening a left foot ailment he suffered earlier in the month, Caruso was forced to skip the game on Monday. He entered the game with the same fierce defensive style that has been his trademark. The Bulls caused 19 turnovers for the Pacers, which they then turned into 23 points. An important spark was ignited by Caruso. Young players for the Bulls put up standout performances to go along with his defensive skills. Coby White and Patrick Williams each got two thefts, while Caruso had three. The group's final score was 10. They discovered their shooting form after making 27.4% of their three-point attempts in the first seven games in February. The Bulls shot 6-for-15 in the opening period.They were 15 for 35 from beyond the arc. The final game before the All-Star break is the second game of their back-to-back versus the Bucks on Thursday night at the United Center. We receive the break either way, according to LaVine. "Hopefully we can all take a mental vacation, get a bit rejuvenated, and get ready for the second half."