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  6. article_body => "<p>Just over two hours before tipoff, in his first public comments since Media Day, executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson talked about how Jim Boylen\u2019s teaching and coaching hasn\u2019t always translated from the practice floor and film room to games.<\/p>\n<p>Could the Bulls\u2019 first victory this season over a winning team be a step?<\/p>\n<p>And don\u2019t mention that the Clippers played without Kawhi Leonard, Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams in the Bulls\u2019 109-106 victory, secured on Zach LaVine\u2019s three-point play with 2 seconds to play.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, we didn\u2019t have (Otto Porter Jr.) or Hutch (Chandler Hutchison) or (Daniel) Gafford,\u201d Boylen said. \u201cSo we can \u2018Yeah, but\u2019 it a little bit too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bravado aside, there\u2019s stuff on which the Bulls can build here.<\/p>\n<p>LaVine posted his sixth 30-point game and ended a week filled with closing misses with a game-winner in which he powered through a Montrezl Harrell foul on a nice misdirection play involving Kris Dunn. Lauri Markkanen tied his season-high with 17 rebounds while posting his third double-double of the season. Denzel Valentine, playing all but two seconds of the fourth, hit a huge tying 3-pointer in the final minute and scored a season-high 16 points. Thad Young tied his season-high with 17 points.<\/p>\n<p>And Dunn was everywhere, relishing the challenge of guarding Paul George down the stretch and winning a crucial battle for a 50-50 ball that led to Valentine\u2019s tying shot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was a huge moment,\u201d Boylen said.<\/p>\n<p>So was Valentine closing a game.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just thought we needed some more shooting on the floor,\u201d Boylen said. \u201cWe\u2019ve wrestled with defensive lineups, offensive lineups. We try to mingle them a little bit. I just thought we needed someone to make a big shot. And he did.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Valentine has now scored in double figures off the bench in five of six games.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m very confident in my abilities,\u201d Valentine said. \u201cI was just waiting for the ball to come my way. Zach is our best player. So the ball\u2019s going to be in his hands. But shoot, I\u2019m ready for it. I love those moments. I love to make those shots.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dunn, who finished a plus-22, defended George as he missed a good look for a tying 3-pointer. George scored 10 points in just over 7 minutes in the fourth but missed all three attempts following Valentine\u2019s tying shot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love it,\u201d Dunn said of guarding great players. \u201cI know my niche on this team is to guard. And I take pride in that. It feels good to go against a big-time player and be able to get stops towards the end.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Markkanen actually received credit for the rebound that Dunn kept alive to lead to Valentine\u2019s tying shot, which Dunn said Markkanen teased him about. Dunn finished with nine points, nine rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals.<\/p>\n<p>But his two biggest plays didn\u2019t even crash the box score. He won the 50-50 ball to lead to Valentine\u2019s tying shot and then confused the Clippers\u2019 defense by slipping a screen on LaVine\u2019s game-winner.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI knew Zach was going to get downhill,\u201d Dunn said. \u201cBecause once I did it, I saw Paul George look at me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>LaVine couldn\u2019t believe how much space he had to operate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ll take it,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce I saw the lane open up, I think there were like 5 seconds left. We were trying to get the last shot. But once the lane opened up, I tried to get a one-on-one. He\u2019s a tough dude. I knew I could attack his body.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>LaVine missed game-winning attempts on an isolation 3-pointer against the Warriors and over a double-team against the Raptors. His three-point play offered a dose of redemption for a player who is never afraid to fail.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re not going to be perfect. As much as people are going to show more of the bad than the good, I\u2019ve had a lot of good times in the clutch as well,\u201d LaVine said. \u201cI try to make the right play for us to win. And I did that tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For one night, matters were more positive. The Bulls closed out a game against a good team and received multiple contributions while doing so.<\/p>\n<p>Heck, Boylen even downplayed Paxson\u2019s vote of confidence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe understand what we\u2019re trying to do. We\u2019re in step on what we\u2019re asking our guys to do and play like and work like and care like,\u201d the coach said. \u201cI\u2019m thankful for it. But I wouldn\u2019t expect anything less.\u201d<\/p>\n"
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Bulls

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Just over two hours before tipoff, in his first public comments since Media Day, executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson talked about how Jim Boylen’s teaching and coaching hasn’t always translated from the practice floor and film room to games.

Could the Bulls’ first victory this season over a winning team be a step?

And don’t mention that the Clippers played without Kawhi Leonard, Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams in the Bulls’ 109-106 victory, secured on Zach LaVine’s three-point play with 2 seconds to play.

“Well, we didn’t have (Otto Porter Jr.) or Hutch (Chandler Hutchison) or (Daniel) Gafford,” Boylen said. “So we can ‘Yeah, but’ it a little bit too.”

Bravado aside, there’s stuff on which the Bulls can build here.

LaVine posted his sixth 30-point game and ended a week filled with closing misses with a game-winner in which he powered through a Montrezl Harrell foul on a nice misdirection play involving Kris Dunn. Lauri Markkanen tied his season-high with 17 rebounds while posting his third double-double of the season. Denzel Valentine, playing all but two seconds of the fourth, hit a huge tying 3-pointer in the final minute and scored a season-high 16 points. Thad Young tied his season-high with 17 points.

And Dunn was everywhere, relishing the challenge of guarding Paul George down the stretch and winning a crucial battle for a 50-50 ball that led to Valentine’s tying shot.

“That was a huge moment,” Boylen said.

So was Valentine closing a game.

 

“I just thought we needed some more shooting on the floor,” Boylen said. “We’ve wrestled with defensive lineups, offensive lineups. We try to mingle them a little bit. I just thought we needed someone to make a big shot. And he did.”

Valentine has now scored in double figures off the bench in five of six games.

“I’m very confident in my abilities,” Valentine said. “I was just waiting for the ball to come my way. Zach is our best player. So the ball’s going to be in his hands. But shoot, I’m ready for it. I love those moments. I love to make those shots.”

Dunn, who finished a plus-22, defended George as he missed a good look for a tying 3-pointer. George scored 10 points in just over 7 minutes in the fourth but missed all three attempts following Valentine’s tying shot.

“I love it,” Dunn said of guarding great players. “I know my niche on this team is to guard. And I take pride in that. It feels good to go against a big-time player and be able to get stops towards the end.”

Markkanen actually received credit for the rebound that Dunn kept alive to lead to Valentine’s tying shot, which Dunn said Markkanen teased him about. Dunn finished with nine points, nine rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals.

But his two biggest plays didn’t even crash the box score. He won the 50-50 ball to lead to Valentine’s tying shot and then confused the Clippers’ defense by slipping a screen on LaVine’s game-winner.

“I knew Zach was going to get downhill,” Dunn said. “Because once I did it, I saw Paul George look at me.”

LaVine couldn’t believe how much space he had to operate.

“I’ll take it,” he said. “Once I saw the lane open up, I think there were like 5 seconds left. We were trying to get the last shot. But once the lane opened up, I tried to get a one-on-one. He’s a tough dude. I knew I could attack his body.”

LaVine missed game-winning attempts on an isolation 3-pointer against the Warriors and over a double-team against the Raptors. His three-point play offered a dose of redemption for a player who is never afraid to fail.

“You’re not going to be perfect. As much as people are going to show more of the bad than the good, I’ve had a lot of good times in the clutch as well,” LaVine said. “I try to make the right play for us to win. And I did that tonight.”

For one night, matters were more positive. The Bulls closed out a game against a good team and received multiple contributions while doing so.

Heck, Boylen even downplayed Paxson’s vote of confidence.

“We understand what we’re trying to do. We’re in step on what we’re asking our guys to do and play like and work like and care like,” the coach said. “I’m thankful for it. But I wouldn’t expect anything less.”