3 takeaways from the Chicago Bulls' deflating loss to the Washington Wizards

The Bulls faltered yet again in crunchtime.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Another day, another close loss for the Chicago Bulls. 

In what has been an unpleasant trend this season, the Bulls dropped another game that was decided in the clutch, dropping them to 19-23 for the season. Here are three takeaways from the Bulls' deflating loss to the Washington Wizards:

Zach LaVine continues terrific play

With leading scorer DeMar DeRozan sidelined for the first time this season due to a strained right quad, much of the offensive chores were left on the shoulders of Zach LaVine. The athletic wingman delivered, scoring 38 points on 15-of-28 shooting—this was the third time in four games that LaVine scored 35 points or more. He also had four three-pointers, including this improbable one that tied the game at 97-all.

BIG TIME PLAYER!@ZachLaVine | @NBCSBulls pic.twitter.com/m6HASNUXlX

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 12, 2023

LaVine's gaffe and refs miss another call

Suddenly down three after Washington forward Kyle Kuzma made a difficult three-pointer with 6 seconds to go, the Bulls were left with no choice but to attempt a three-pointer to try and tie the game. Surely, that's what they did, right?

Wrong.

No one:

Absolutely no one:

Zach LaVine:pic.twitter.com/dyrgTHVgIb

— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) January 12, 2023

In an inexplicable turn of events, LaVine instead stepped inside the three-point line to shoot a difficult long jumper that missed. The Bulls' star later explained that he got fouled by Delon Wright on his initial move, but the refs did not blow their whistle.

“We were just trying to get a three off. And then when I went in to go pullup, I think it was Delon Wright who fouled me. My instinct was to go up and try to get a 3-point play,” LaVine said. “I was going for a pull-up when he fouled me. I shot it. They didn’t call it. And that’s how it is.”

“They were intentionally trying to foul. (Wright) looked at me and said, ‘I got you.’ So. But you leave it up to the stuff in the air now and for that stuff to be called. You don’t want to be in that position,” LaVine added.

Third quarter meltdown

After a strong first-half performance, the Bulls headed to the break ahead by 13, 59-46. However, once the third quarter ended, they were already down by seven, 87-80, as the Wizards outplayed them in every way imaginable during that 12-minute stretch, putting up 41 points to the Bulls' 21. 

Obviously, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan was dismayed by his team's performance in the third.

“What happened in that third quarter is not a standard of play that is going to put you in a position to win,” Donovan said.