The Golden State Warriors had lost four straight coming into their home matchup with the Chicago Bulls. Prior to the deadline, the Bulls added Magic All-Star center Nikola Vucevic, strengthening their frontcourt.
Vucevic would go against Wiseman, and the rookie got the better of the veteran as the Warriors won before a full team performance and a monumental barrage of triples from two-time MVP Stephen Curry.
Behind a strong effort from Stephen Curry in his first game since mid-March, the Golden State Warriors finally snapped their four-game losing streak.
This was a huge win for Golden State. Every game now for the next few weeks will ultimately help gauge how prepared for the postseason this team is. In the ninth seed fighting for a playoff berth, the Dubs need these games.
While they aren’t truly, they feel like must-win games for the Warriors. Thankfully, they came to play against Chicago, and despite holding it close for most of the game, the Dubs ended up winning by 14, 116-102.
It was Curry’s 32 points that propelled them to the victory, and his six threes were a big reason why he had a game-high 32. The rest of the starters were impressive as well.
Small forward Andrew Wiggins dropped 21 on 8-for-15 from the field while Wiseman ended 6-for-8 with 12 points. Draymond Green also had a notable game, dropping 11 points and a team-high 9 assists.
The Dubs second unit was outscored by nine as only three bench players got on the board. Kent Bazemore led the way with nine, and Jordan Poole tacked on seven as well. Kevon Looney‘s 17 scoreless minutes led to a disappointing game from the backup big man.
This was a game that will likely go down as growing pains for Chicago. They’re looking to alleviate some pressure off Zach LaVine, and in doing so, they added Vucevic. Getting that dynamic perfected will take time.
The Bulls are 2.5 games out of the 8th seed in a weak Eastern Conference. Given their blockbuster trade deadline moves, they’re looking to be true contenders with LaVine putting up career numbers.
Chicago is going to have to figure it out soon because, as with Golden State, this was a game they needed to win. Now 19-26, the Bulls must start to string together victories. Both these teams are on the brink of playoff contention, making this an even bigger win for the Warriors.