It may be tough for anyone who watched the Bulls lose Tuesday night to the Charlotte Hornets to think it could get any worse. But the numbers prove the loss was even uglier than it initially looked.
The Bulls lost to the Hornets 130-105, giving Charlotte their first win of the season. From the beginning of the game, the Bulls looked out of whack. They fell behind by double-digits quickly and it became obvious they would need a big comeback to win the game.
Bulls trailed by 17 at the end of the first quarter.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 4, 2015
They are 1-40 all-time when trailing by 17 or more at the end of the first quarter.
Things got worse in the second quarter and by the third quarter it was out of hand. Almost none of the starters saw any minutes as the game wore on.
By the time the game mercifully came to an end, the Bulls had allowed 130 points, something almost unthinkable over the last few years under Tom Thibodeau. In fact, at no point under Thibodeau did the Bulls allow that many points in a regulation game.
The last time the Bulls let anyone score 130 points or more came in Vinny Del Negro’s final season. They allowed 132 points in a loss to the Utah Jazz in March of 2010.
What may be most concerning for the Bulls is the lack of production from former MVP Derrick Rose. The point guard went 2-8 from the field with only four points. That makes three straight games where Rose has failed to score more than 10 points.
Derrick Rose finishes with 4 pts on 2-of-8 shooting, 1st time he’s ever been held under 10 points in 3 straight gms pic.twitter.com/8cW5kHlAj8
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 4, 2015
The Bulls ugly defensive performance will be put to the test the next time they get on the court. They will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday night in Chicago.