The Chicago Bulls Weekly Rundown: Week 3

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Associated Press. 

By Khobi Price

Another week of regular season action passed for the Chicago Bulls, which in this new Bulls’ era, would usually mean it was just another stretch of uneventful and uninspiring basketball games. But, that wasn’t the case this week.

Lauri “The Finnisher” Markkanen balled out to start the week off for the Bulls. He set career-highs in points (25), field goals (9) and steals (2) in a tight six-point loss to the Miami Heat on Nov. 1. It was the second time this season the rookie led the team in points, the first 20+ point showing of his NBA career thus far and the first time he led the Bulls in plus/minus (+12) in a game.

Kris Dunn played in his second game against the Heat and contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks in the game.

The Bulls traveled from Miami to Orlando for a matchup against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 3 and gave the third-place Magic their third loss of the season in a 22-point blowout. The Bulls had their best, most offensively-balanced game to date, with seven players scoring in double-figures. Justin Holiday found his pre-season form by leading the Bulls in points (19) while shooting 7-12 from the field and 2-6 from three-point range.

The team shot 48.3 percent from three-point range, the second time this season the Bulls shot over 48 percent from three-point range as a team. The other time occurred in the Bulls’ matchup with their division-rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers Oct. 24.

The Bulls finished off their week with one of the ugliest games of the season in their six-point overtime home loss against the New Orleans Pelicans Nov. 4. Denzel Valentine had his best game of the season with 16 points off 6-10 shooting from the field and 4-7 shooting from three-point range. The worst part of the night came when recently named starter David Nwaba injured his ankle in middle of the game. The Chicago Tribune reported he suffered a severely sprained right ankle and will miss two to four weeks of action.

Bobby Portis will return from his eight-game suspension Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors. The Bulls will conclude their fourth week of the season in back-to-back games Friday and Saturday against the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs.