The Chicago Bulls continue to let teams with lesser records hang around.

This time it was the Charlotte Hornets, who were just 4-14 heading into the game. Similar to their last game, against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Bulls were not able to fend off the Hornets. This was exactly what Nikola Vucevic warned about when he recently spoke out about the team’s unsustainable play.

The Bulls lost 123-116, and slipped into familiar territory: 9-9, the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.

Despite a poor shooting half (3-of-14 from three, a season-low) for the Bulls, they were able to keep themselves in the game for their second-half surge by getting to the rim at will, shooting 16-of-25 at the rim in the first half. The poor three-point shooting continued in the second half as the Bulls finished the game 8-of-36 from deep. But unlike the first half, the Bulls weren’t quite as effective at getting to the rim in the second half, going just 30-of-47 in total.

Coby White hit his 1,000th career three-pointer in the third quarter, helping spark the Bulls’ offense. He led the Bulls with 25 points on 11-of-23 shooting, while chipping in four assists.

Josh Giddey was an assist shy of another triple-double, going for 25 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists.

Up next: Bulls head to Indiana for the second night of a back-to-back against the Pacers. 

Tune into the CHGO Bulls postgame show.

After giving up 75 offensive rebounds over the last four games, an average of 18.75, the Bulls held the Charlotte Hornets to just 10 on Friday night.

The Bulls were better throughout the game, allowing just five through the first three quarters. But in the fourth quarter, the Hornets grabbed five more, which helped them open up the game.

The Bulls are a defensively challenged team with very little margin for error. Allowing teams to get second chances, especially on possessions where they do execute their coverages, is back-breaking. Not only does it mean an opportunity for opponents to secure easy second-chance points, but it also puts the Bulls in a compromised position where they have to send extra bodies to the boards, which means they have less of an opportunity to get out on the break. 

– Will Gottlieb

One thing I’ll always be with my fellow Bulls fans is honest. I can’t remember the last time I cared so little about a Bulls game than tonight’s also-ran NBA Cup game between the already eliminated Bulls and Hornets. And not because I don’t care about Bulls Ws. But in the grand scheme of things…Da Bears are 9-3 and just beat the defending Super Bowl champs ON THE ROAD! NINE AND F-ING THREE! Read the room, Bulls.

Does it count as progress if the Bulls’ defense “held” the Hornets to 67 first-half points after giving up 70+ to each of their past three opponents? …No? I mean, technically it does. But, yeah. This defense is still baaaad.

Hornets absolutely crushed the Bulls on the glass in the fourth quarter. Nothing new, nothing fun.

…Did Adam Amin just say “the Bulls were 6-of-30 before hitting that one”? Lolz.

– Matt Peck

So the Bears are 9-3. I kind of want to stop there. 

White is so damn good and I missed him so much. What a great thing to have on your team when you are not playing well as a squad. 

The Bulls gave up 67 points in the 1at half to the Hornets, which is crazy, but luckily, there is no real defense in Buzz City, so the Bulls stayed close. 

Thank God for Tre Jones. He is so calming out there. Gives the team what they need when they need it, whether it’s scoring, defense, setting up in the half-court, etc. 

The defense is crazy bad. No resistance at all. 

Congratulations to White for hitting his 1,000th three-point shot.

– Big Dave