The Chicago Bulls are in the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. They closed out their last postseason appearance with four consecutive losses after taking a 2-0 lead.<\/p>\n
And that trend continued in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks. In what can be best categorized as a dismal showing for both teams, the Bucks emerged victorious 93-86. Following that loss, the Bulls knew that they would need a better showing in Game 2 if they hoped to earn a split against the defending champions.<\/p>\n
This time, it was the Bulls who got off to a quick start, scoring the first nine points of the game. Chicago managed to extend that lead to double digits in the third quarter. As expected, the Bucks didn’t go away quietly. But in the end, the Bulls escaped with a 114-110 victory, tying the best-of-seven series at one game apiece.<\/p>\n
Here are the biggest takeaways from the Chicago Bulls’ Game 2 win.<\/p>\n
During the regular season, the Bulls posted the fourth-best 3-point shooting percentage in the NBA (36.9 percent). However, in Game 1, Chicago shot an abysmal 7-for-37 from beyond the arc, which equates to an 18.9% conversion rate. In Game 2, the Bulls improved their outside touch, as they knocked down 12 of their 25 attempts from distance (48 percent).<\/p>\n
Whether the Bulls can sustain this level of efficiency going forward remains to be seen. But if they want to have a chance in this series, they will need to shoot the long ball at a respectable clip.<\/p>\n
It is no secret that the Bulls were a different team when Lonzo Ball<\/strong><\/a> and Alex Caruso<\/strong><\/a> were sidelined with injuries during the regular season. Although Ball has been ruled out for the remainder of this season, Caruso returned to the rotation and he had quite an impact in Game 2.<\/p>\n