The Chicago Bulls looked like a completely different basketball team for 24 minutes Wednesday night. Unfortunately, basketball games are 48 minutes long.

Despite an electric first half at the United Center, the Bulls dropped their eighth straight game, falling to the San Antonio Spurs 124-119. Chicago came out firing on all cylinders, scoring 70 points in the first half and playing some of its best basketball of the season.

But that excitement came crashing down after halftime. The Spurs came out of the locker room with a renewed defensive intensity, forcing Chicago into careless turnovers and ultimately taking control of the game.

So, let's get into the Good, the Bad and the Ugly from Wednesday night's loss.

For the first 24 minutes, the Bulls looked fantastic. The offense was clicking, shots were falling from everywhere and the ball movement was as good as we've seen all season. Chicago played with pace, confidence and energy, putting together easily its most impressive stretch of basketball this year.

Individually, several players stood out.

Jalen Smith was an absolute monster. Going up against one of the most intimidating defenders in NBA history, Smith showed absolutely no fear. He finished with 23 points on an absurd 8-for-9 shooting from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc.

His ability to stretch the floor forced Victor Wembanyama away from the basket, opening up driving lanes for his teammates. Smith continues to prove just how valuable his offensive versatility is to this Bulls team.

Caleb Wilson was also putting together another impressive performance before suffering a hand injury early in the second half. His off-ball movement was particularly effective against San Antonio's defense and he grabbed several important rebounds in limited minutes. Hopefully, the injury doesn't keep Chicago's promising rookie sidelined for long.

Chicago's new-look bench unit of Tre Jones, Jordan Hawkins, Patrick Williams, Noa Essengue and Nic Claxton continues to show real promise.

Claxton was outstanding Wednesday night, finishing with 17 points and six rebounds in just 15 minutes. His chemistry with Jones has been especially encouraging. Claxton understands how to find open space around the basket and his athleticism gives Chicago a different dimension offensively.

And finally, a much-deserved shoutout to Patrick Williams.

After collecting DNPs through the opening weeks of the season, Williams has worked his way back into the rotation over the last three games and he's delivered.

His defense has been excellent, particularly compared to the rest of Chicago's roster, and he's consistently making the right decisions offensively.

Williams finished with nine points, seven rebounds, four assists and a block while shooting a perfect 100% from the field. He also posted a team-high plus-20 in an outstanding all-around performance.

It's genuinely refreshing to see the longest-tenured Bull finally looking comfortable in a system.

The biggest concern coming out of Wednesday's loss is Caleb Wilson's health.

Wilson injured his hand while attempting to steal the ball from Wembanyama and was unable to finish the game. While the injury could turn out to be minor, it's certainly something worth monitoring, especially considering Wilson dealt with hand issues during his lone collegiate season at North Carolina.

The last thing Chicago needs is an extended absence from one of the few players consistently providing reasons for optimism.

The other frustrating development was Chicago's inability to keep its emotions in check.

The Bulls picked up four technical fouls Wednesday night, including one for flopping and three stemming from frustration.

That's simply unacceptable.

In a game decided by five points, giving away free throws and additional opportunities can be the difference between winning and losing.

The Bulls are a young team and frustration is understandable during an eight-game losing streak. But they need to do a better job controlling what they can control instead of allowing officiating decisions to dictate their emotions.

How do you follow up your best half of basketball all season with arguably your worst?

Apparently, the Bulls have figured it out.

Chicago's first-half shooting was never going to be sustainable, but missed shots weren't the reason San Antonio climbed back into the game.

The Bulls completely fell apart when the Spurs turned up the defensive pressure.

Chicago repeatedly threw the ball away in the third quarter, turning what should have been manageable possessions into easy opportunities for San Antonio. Every careless turnover seemed to drain a little more of the momentum the Bulls had built before halftime.

And unfortunately, two familiar names were at the center of the collapse.

Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis combined for an astonishing 13 turnovers.

That's inexcusable.

The second either player faces legitimate ball pressure, it sometimes looks like they completely forget how to handle a basketball. They lose their dribble at the slightest bump, force questionable passes and settle for difficult floaters or contested threes instead of working for quality shots.

Both players have plenty of talent, but their inability to consistently operate against physical defenses is becoming a serious problem.

Life is easy when shots are falling and the team is running in transition. But basketball games, especially close ones, are won in the half-court.

If Giddey and Buzelis want to establish themselves as long-term starters on winning teams, they have to become stronger with the basketball and more comfortable creating offense when defenses tighten up.

Until that happens, performances like Wednesday's will continue to be a recurring theme.

The Bulls will look to snap their eight-game losing streak Friday against the Atlanta Hawks.

Another difficult matchup awaits, potentially without Caleb Wilson, although Norman Powell could make his return to the lineup.

Regardless of who's available, the message should be simple.

Chicago proved Wednesday night that it has the talent to compete with good basketball teams. Now it needs to prove it can sustain that level of play for four quarters.

Because 24 minutes of great basketball means absolutely nothing if the other 24 cost you the game.