The Chicago Bulls may have lost on Monday night but second-round pick Daniel Gafford helped keep his team alive in the fourth quarter against the defending NBA champions.
Head coach Jim Boylen called upon Gafford off of the bench to help give the Bulls a lift and he responded. Gafford recorded 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field in nearly 20 minutes of work. He recorded six points and three blocks alone in the fourth quarter, including a putback layup to give the Bulls a 92-91 lead with 1:06 left in the game.
Though the Bulls were unable to get any closer after a layup by Kyle Lowry on the ensuing possession, Gafford provided the spark most teams need from their rotational players. Boylen kept Gafford in the game during crunch time, certainly an indication that the 6-foot-10 center has earned the opportunity to play this season.
Gafford has played sporadically this season but is typically guaranteed to give the Bulls a spark off the bench. His performance on Monday was just the second time scoring in double figures as he proved he can produce when given the playing time.
Up next for the Bulls: A home matchup Wednesday vs. the Hawks.
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