It was a tough road trip for the Washington Wizards who fell 102-82 to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon. As both teams continue to fight for a playoff spot, the Bulls ultimately came out on top. The loss marks the second straight for the Wizards after the All-Star break.
The Wizards led 27-25 early in the first half and continued to keep the game close up until the 4th quarter. Missed shots and mental lapses allowed the Bulls to take control. Chicago also capitalized on the Wizards 16 turnovers which they were able to convert to 25 points.
”We have to do a better job of screening to free up guys,” coach Wes Unseld Jr. said about the Wizards turnovers. ”A lot of them (Bulls defenders) shoot the gap and can be disruptive from that regard. But those turnovers are costly. Those are empty possessions for us and leads to some transition opportunities for them. We got to do a better job of that, fighting force with force and manage their physicality.”
Daniel Gafford tallied 15 points (7-9 FG), a team-high 11 rebounds, two steals, one block and one assist for his seventh double-double of the season. Gafford has now scored in double figures 26 times this season.
Bradley Beal recorded a team-high 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting, adding eight assists and seven rebounds to his stat line. This marks Beal’s 11th contest this season amassing 15+ points, 5+ assists and 5+ rebounds in a single game. Beal has now dished out at least four assists in seven-straight games.
Delon Wright (6-7 FG, 2-3 3PT) recorded his third start of the season, notching 14 points and adding four rebounds on the evening. Wright has now knocked down at least 2+ three-pointers in back-to-back games.
For the Bulls, Demar DeRozan finished with 29 points and six assists. Nikola Vucevic added 13 rebounds.
The Wizards will have an opportunity to get back on track on Tuesday when they face the Atlanta Hawks on the road at 7 p.m.