Tag: Chicago Bulls

Pat Connaughton/Blake Wesley NBA Tracker: Oct. 22-27

Basketball season is underway.

(This story was updated to change a photo.)

The 2024-25 NBA season has gotten underway, which means it’s time to watch Notre Dame’s two representatives. Neither player has exactly had a glowing start though.

[autotag]Pat Connaughton[/autotag] began his 10th NBA season by scoring nine points and grabbing four rebounds in the Milwaukee Bucks’ Oct. 23 season opening-win over the Philadelphia 76ers. He followed that up by shooting a combined 2 of 10 from the field in losses to the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets. He’s averaging 5.0 points and 4.0 rebounds a game in this young season.

[autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] now is in his third season with the San Antonio Spurs. He tipped off his campaign with six points and two assists while losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the Oct. 24 season opener. He had a single field goal and two more assists in six minutes during an Oct. 26 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Wesley is averaging a mere 4.0 points and 0.5 rebounds a game over two contests, but he has the Spurs’ second-highest plus/minus through two games. Granted, that came entirely during the Mavericks game, but still:

Here’s to decent seasons from both Connaughton and Wesley.

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Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Coby White has big game in Chicago Bulls first win of season

Coby White had a big game in the Bulls win over the Bucks.

With the 2024-25 NBA season tipping off this week, some former UNC basketball standouts are back on the court. And for Coby White, he’s out to prove that he can be even better than last season when he finished second in the Most Improved Player race.

So far, White is off to a good start as he helped lead the Chicago Bulls to their first win of the season on Friday night.

In the Bulls 133-122 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, White had a team-high 35 points. He shot 12-of-20 from the field including 7-of-13 from the three-point line. That’s an area where White has excelled at, proving to be a legit three-point shooter in this league.

https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1850009157702725791

In addition to White’s 35 points, he dished out five assists and had four steals.

With his three-point performance, White also passed Ben Gordon for third-most three-pointers in Bulls’ franchise history. He now has 771 to Gordon’s 770.

It’s a good start to the season for White as he helped contribute in this big win for the Bulls. With a season that is expected to be bumpy again for the Bulls, White could be the bright spot for the franchise.

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Lonzo Ball received love from his brother LaMelo after playing his first game in almost 3 years

LaMelo tweeted his full support for Lonzo.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball returned to the court after missing more than two NBA seasons and he looked great.

Lonzo, who was selected No. 2 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, could provide a major spark to the Bulls if he returns to form this season. While he received a game ball and a standing ovation, he also got plenty of love from players in the league as well.

LONZO BALL: An NBA player should not look this good after missing nearly 3 years

That includes a shout out from Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton as well as his youngest brother, LaMelo Ball, who is one of the top young players in the NBA.

LaMelo showed some major respect for his oldest brother, Lonzo. The two will play against each other on December 30 in Charlotte and then January 17 in Chicago.

They will have two more games against each other later in the season as well.

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Lonzo Ball should not look this good after missing nearly 3 years

Everyone loves a comeback narrative and Lonzo can provide exactly that.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball returned to the court for a preseason game and the results were fairly stunning.

Due to various injuries and multiple surgeries, Ball has not played a regular-season NBA game since January 2022. But after such a gruesome recovery process, the former No. 2 overall pick from UCLA is back on the court and that is fantastic news.

Just to see him suit up again and take the floor would go a long way for his fans. But instead, nearly three years later, his on-court performance was so fantastic.

LONZO BALL: Bulls guard immediately drained a 3-pointer after making his anticipated return from injury

Not only did Ball immediately hit a 3-pointer during the preseason game for the Bulls, but there was plenty more to like as well.

He still looks like a high-level defensive contributor, which could go a very long way for Chicago after trading away Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He consistently showed his amazing intelligence for the game and was durable enough to play an efficient 15 minutes of basketball.

Ball scored 10 points but also added 1 assist, 1 rebound, 1 steal, and 1 block. The guard did not turn the ball over during the contest, either.

If these are the types of moments that we can expect from Ball during the upcoming season, it would genuinely become one of the most exciting stories in the league.

Everyone loves a comeback narrative and Ball can provide exactly that.

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Photos of Lonzo Ball’s first game back with Bulls since 2022

Lonzo Ball is back on the floor!

It has been two years since Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball was able to play. For some time, it remained to be seen if Ball would be able to play again in the NBA.

But, after a long recovery and a lot of hard work, the former UCLA Bruins star was able to get back on the floor. On Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ball played 15 minutes and scored 10 points.

He also received a standing ovation from the fans and proceeded to start things off with a corner three.

It was a great sign seeing Lonzo Ball back, and here are photos from his first game back since 2022.

 

Lonzo Ball plays in first game since 2022

Lonzo is BACK!

When Lonzo Ball wore a UCLA Bruins uniform, he put on a show every single night. Then, he got drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and showcased his talent.

However, the past couple of years were not kind as Ball dealt with numerous injuries. On Wednesday night, Ball played in his first game since 2022 as a member of the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls played the Minnesota Timberwolves in a preseason contest, and Ball ended up playing 15 minutes and scoring 10 points.

As he entered the game, the home crowd gave him a standing ovation, and Ball proceeded by hitting his first shot.

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1846711071765127463

Ball’s first shot in two years was a corner three, and the relief on his face said everything you need to know.

The 2024-2025 season is right around the corner, and UCLA fans everywhere are hoping the best for Lonzo Ball.

Lonzo Ball immediately drained a 3-pointer after making his anticipated Bulls return from injury

Lonzo Ball is back.

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball made his anticipated return to the NBA on Wednesday night for the first time since January 2022.

After missing more than two years of NBA competition with injury struggles, Ball returned to play with the Bulls for the team’s preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The fans at Chicago’s United Center gave Ball a classy standing ovation as he took the court, and he paid them back immediately by hitting a great 3-pointer for the team.

It’s incredible Ball has been able to return to the league after battling the injuries he has. Draining a 3-pointer right away in his NBA return just makes all of this even more special.

https://twittter.com/NBA/status/1846709260991844353

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CHSN’s awful new score bug is so very hated by Chicago Bulls fans

This is terrible.

Have you heard about Chicago Sports Network? It’s the new regional sports network for the Blackhawks, White Sox and Bulls owned by those three Windy City franchises and Standard Media, and all that came about after their NBC Sports Chicago contract ran out.

While this is all well and good, CHSN decided to put together a vertical score bug (that’s the name for the thing on your TV that shows you the score of your game, timeouts, time left, etc). And, hoo boy, let me tell you … people DESPISE it.

It’s too big, it looks like a banner and, yeah, not great. Fans agreed:

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2024-25 Chicago Bulls: A quick preview

The Chicago Bulls appear ready to dismantle their roster and focus on a full rebuild around their remaining young talent. After years without significant roster changes, the Bulls shook things up this summer by trading away DeMar DeRozan, their top …

The Chicago Bulls appear ready to dismantle their roster and focus on a full rebuild around their remaining young talent. After years without significant roster changes, the Bulls shook things up this summer by trading away DeMar DeRozan, their top offensive weapon, and Alex Caruso, their defensive anchor. Although they missed the optimal window to get maximum value for both players, their trades have now positioned the team for a youth movement.

The future now centers around guard Josh Giddey, rookie forward Matas Buzelis, Coby White, and Patrick Williams. Buzelis, the 11th overall pick in this year’s draft, had an impressive Summer League showing and is expected to play a significant role this season. Standing at 6-foot-8 with rare ball-handling skills for his size, Buzelis brings much-needed versatility to the Bulls, though his shooting remains a work in progress.

Despite persistent trade rumors, Zach LaVine remains on the roster, leaving questions about whether the Bulls will trade him before the season or if he still fits into their future plans. Nikola Vucevic has also failed to meet expectations in Chicago, leaving the Bulls with a depleted frontcourt. The only reinforcement heading into the season is the addition of Jalen Smith on a bargain contract.

Derrick Rose classily bought newspaper ads in all 6 cities he played for his NBA retirement

Cool move from D Rose as he moves into this next chapter of his life.

2011 NBA MVP winner Derrick Rose announced his retirement from basketball on Thursday morning.

After his playing career was over, Rose made a classy decision. Rather than just post on Instagram and other social media platforms, the three-time All-Star point guard chose to show some love to his fans who are a bit less online as well. He also provided them with a cool physical item that they can keep forever as well.

Rose bought a full-page ad in six newspapers across the country, thanking all of the fans who supported him in each city that he played for both in college and in the NBA.

https://twitter.com/malika_andrews/status/1839253762893836677

Rose played in college for the Memphis Tigers and then in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls, where he enjoyed the most success.

He also played for the New York Knicks (multiple times), Cleveland Cavaliers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, and Memphis Grizzlies.

https://twitter.com/NBA_NewYork/status/1839256577074766017

So he took out full-page ads in the following  New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Commercial Appeal, Detroit Free Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer, and Minneapolis Star Tribune.

That is a cool move from Rose as he moves into this next chapter of his life.

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