Exhausted Clippers falter as Bulls explode with record-setting three-pointers, ending LA's winning streak in a decisive blowout.
The Los Angeles Clippers saw their six-game winning streak come to a screeching halt on Tuesday night, and head coach Ty Lue was honest about what went wrong in the 138-110 blowout loss to the Chicago Bulls.
"Of course, you know, the trip we had, going 2-1 was a good trip for us but I thought this game on a back to back really caught up to us," Lue said after the loss. "Guys were tired, were slow. We're already slow, but slower."
The Clippers had just finished a three-game road trip that took them through Toronto, Brooklyn, and Washington before heading to Chicago for the back end of a back-to-back.
While going 2-1 on that stretch was a solid outcome, the fatigue clearly showed against a Bulls team that came out firing from the opening tip.
The loss drops the Clippers to 19-24 on the season while the Bulls improved to 21-22.
Chicago's Hot Shooting Overwhelms Tired Clippers
The Bulls made it a long night early on by shooting lights out from behind the arc.
Chicago tied a franchise record with 25 three-pointers in the game and led by as many as 31 points throughout the contest.
Coby White matched his season-high with 27 points while knocking down six of those franchise record-tying threes, and Matas Buzelis added 21 points in the dominant win.
Seven Bulls players finished in double figures as Chicago's balanced attack proved too much for Los Angeles to handle.
The Bulls built a 21-point lead by halftime thanks to a 45-point second quarter that matched a season-high for points in a single period.
Even when the Clippers made a run and got within six in the third quarter behind John Collins, who scored 11 of his points during a 25-point stretch, Chicago quickly answered with a 13-0 run to put the game out of reach.
Clippers' Road Trip Success Followed by Tough Homecoming
While Lue was clearly frustrated by Tuesday's performance, there were some positives for the Clippers to take from their overall road swing.
Los Angeles picked up wins over the Toronto Raptors in overtime and the Washington Wizards before falling to the Bulls, giving them a 2-1 record on the trip before returning home.
The Clippers' young bench players have stepped up throughout their recent stretch of strong play as well, with Jordan Miller and Yanic Konan Niederhauser providing valuable contributions.
However, the team was without star forward Kawhi Leonard for the third straight game due to a left knee contusion, which put more pressure on James Harden and the rest of the roster.
Harden, who is averaging 26.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game this season, finished with just 14 points in the loss and struggled from long range.
Looking Ahead for Both Teams
The loss is certainly a humbling moment for a Clippers team that had been riding high after winning seven of their last eight games prior to Tuesday night.
Los Angeles had clawed their way back into playoff contention after a brutal 6-21 start to the season, and they still sit in 10th place in the Western Conference with plenty of basketball left to play.
For the Bulls, the blowout win was exactly what they needed after some inconsistent play in recent weeks.
Chicago now heads to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves on Thursday, while the Clippers will look to bounce back when they return home to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
As Lue pointed out, sometimes the schedule just catches up with you.
The Clippers will hope some rest and home cooking can get them back on track after a rough night at the United Center.