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The Bulls won’t be able to space the floor, they said. They don’t have enough shooters, they said. Everyone should start eating their words now, because the Bulls have been really good.
The 2016-17 Rajon Rondo-and-Dwyane Wade-era Chicago Bulls have hit the most three-point shots through the first three games of a season in franchise history. With 11 makes on Monday night, their total rose to 31, and they’ve done it on 42.5 percent shooting, third-best in the league.
The undefeated Bulls stomped all over a young and struggling Brooklyn Nets team, 118-88, and the chemistry between their guards was spectacular at times — though they did struggle with turnovers in the second half. One stretch had Taj Gibson, Rondo, Wade, and Jimmy Butler complete three passes for a dunk without dribbling from the opposite end of the floor.
The Brooklyn Nets are really, really terrible
Somehow they pulled off a win against the Indiana Pacers already, so they’ll avoid the shame brought onto the Philadelphia 76ers a year ago, but Monday night showed how nearly impossible the Nets are to watch.
They allowed 93 points through three quarters to the Bulls, shot 34 percent from the field, and hit just 16 percent from three. If Jeremy Lin isn’t in the game, the offense is totally clueless, and young guys like rookie Isaiah Whitehead (five turnovers in 21 minutes) are forced to play more than they should have to. Stay tuned, because their pick swap with the Boston Celtics in next year’s draft means this is probably just the beginning.
Kyle Lowry sort of came back and the Raptors edged out a close one
His jump shot still isn’t quite back, but the Toronto star was shifty and efficient around the rim in a 105-102 win over the Denver Nuggets. Lowry scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to finish with 29, and shot 10 of 20 from the field on the game.
The Raptors point guard shot 8 of 29 in his first two games, so this game was an improvement, as DeMar DeRozan (35 points per game) had been carrying the scoring load. But Lowry still shot 1 of 5 from three-point range for the third consecutive night.
Eight players in the class of 2013 signed contract extensions before the Halloween deadline. Here’s who got it done:
Victor Oladipo (No. 2 pick): Four years, $84 million with Thunder
Cody Zeller (No. 4 pick): Four years, $56 million with Hornets
C.J. McCollum (No. 10 pick): Four years, $106 million with Blazers
Steven Adams (No. 12 pick): Four years, $100 million with Thunder
Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 15 pick): Four years, $100 million with Bucks
Dennis Schroder (No. 17 pick): Four years, $70 million with Hawks
Gorgui Dieng (No. 21 pick): Four years, $64 million with Timberwolves
Rudy Gobert (No. 27 pick): Four years, more than $100 million with Jazz
Play(s) of the night
Ty Lawson scored a point, grabbed a rebound, stole the ball, and dished two assists all in 11 seconds.
Fun thing you missed
An inactive Paul Pierce wore his Rick James Halloween costume ON THE BENCH.
Final scores
Bulls 118, Nets 88 (Blog A Bull recap | Nets Daily recap)
Raptors 105, Nuggets 102 (Raptors HQ recap | Denver Stiffs)
Hawks 106, Kings 95 (Peachtree Hoops recap | Sactown Royalty recap)
Clippers 116, Suns 98 (Clips Nation recap | Bright Side Of The Sun recap)