What we learned from the Chicago Bulls' dominant victory over the Washington Wizards

Originally posted on FanNation All Bulls
By Stephen Beslic | Last updated 3/17/24

The Chicago Bulls were all business on Saturday night, winning 127-98 over the Washington Wizards. Here are two things worth discussing about the Bulls' rare lopsided victory.

Came to win

Judging from their two losses to the Detroit Pistons this season, the Bulls tend to get off to slow starts against teams in the sub–.500 range—but that wasn't the case in this game. From the opening tip, Chicago came out with intensity and purpose, determined to take care of business against a struggling Wizards team.

They led 32-19 after the first, with Nikola Vucevic scoring 16 in that stretch. They poured it on from that point, establishing a huge 22-point lead, 67-45 at halftime.

"I know they're a struggling team and have not played well this season, but they have some very good players, and they play hard, and we approached the game very seriously, especially missing Coby (White) and some other guys as well," Vucevic said.

"I'm just really happy with our approach from the beginning to the end."

The Bulls' 29-point margin of victory is their biggest this season, tying their 29-point win over Memphis on January 20.

Vooch is COOKING! ‍@NikolaVucevic in the first quarter:
- 16 points
- 6-6 FG
- 5 rebounds pic.twitter.com/e0nEjRLkr7
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 17, 2024

DeMar took it easy

Veteran swingman DeMar DeRozan has had to carry a mountain of responsibility for the Bulls this season. With a depleted squad and many injuries, DeRozan has been asked to do it all on the court. But against the Wizards, he found some time to take a break.

While DeRozan still played 35 minutes, he didn’t take his first attempt at the basket until there were only three minutes left in the first half. However, it didn’t mean he was passive, as he already had four assists at that point. Overall, DeMar had a quiet night with 13 points and six assists.