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Bulls Game No. 64: Don’t feel bad, Bulls … the Spurs are just that good again

By Michael Whitlow

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105. 24. 116. 29. Final

A bad formula when you play the defending NBA Champion: 20 turnovers, shooting 5-of-15 from three-point range and allowing a former NBA Finals MVP to go for 32 points on 19 shots.

Just like the Chicago Bulls were on Sunday afternoon in San Antonio, the NBA might be doomed if the San Antonio Spurs figure things out.

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The Bulls fell by 11 (somehow) to the defending champions, who are starting to look like the Spurs we’ve become accustomed to watching for the last decade-plus.

(I added the “somehow” in there because you usually don’t turn the ball over 20 times against a team like the Spurs on the road and live to tell the tale.)

Things weren’t completely bleak for the Bulls on Sunday. Pau Gasol added to his double-double count with 23 points and 15 rebounds for his 42nd(!) double-double of the year. Joakim Noah dished out nine assists for the second time in three games. Aaron Brooks and Nikola Mirotic combined for 41 points on 12-of-22 shooting.

So, what was the issue?

The issue was a limited rotation turning the ball over 20 times for the second time this season against an elite Western Conference opponent. (The first time was that wacky, yet thrilling overtime victory over Golden State.)

"“They’re very active with their hands,” said Bulls center Joakim Noah, who was responsible for five of the turnovers. “They got a lot of steals and into the open floor. We had no answer for that. We definitely have to take better care of the ball.”-Joakim Noah on the Bulls’ turnovers, CSNChicago.com"

Sure, Tony Parker was fantastic for San Antonio with 32 points on 13-of-19 shooting and torched the Bulls all day, especially in the third quarter to keep the Bulls at bay during their push. But, the factor that decided the game was easily the Bull turnovers.

The Spurs racked up 15(!) — yes, 15 — steals in Sunday’s game, with last year’s NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard logging three steals to go along with his 20 points and eight rebounds.

Nazr Mohammed!

Despite the loss, the Bulls did make a nice push in the third quarter to keep the game in reach for a while. The catalyst for that said run? None other than Nazr Mohammed.

Yes, the 17th-year veteran himself, Nazr Mohammed.

(I’ll give Kirk Hinrich the benefit of the doubt and say that this was intended to be a lob to Nazr.)

Mohammed scored eight points in 6:37 of action on Sunday and actually provided a nice punch off the Bulls bench. Believe me when I say that’s something I thought I’d never write, but hey, here we are.

Silver lining?

I couldn’t believe this when I first read this either:

Tim Duncan will go down in history as the greatest power forward in NBA history. “The Big Fundamental” has two NBA MVP Awards and five rings on his mantle.

To see him go without a bucket for the first time in 1,311 career regular season games is just … odd.

Oh you fancy huh, Niko?

Nikola Mirotic continues to progress despite the Bulls injury issues. Mirotic chipped in 19 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including hitting all nine of his free throws in the 115-106 loss. This dish to Hinrich for an open three-pointer was nice:

The only player with as many free throw attempts as Mirotic this month? Houston Rockets guard and NBA MVP candidate James Harden.

Next up for the Bulls (39-25): Memphis, 3/9, 7:00 PM CT.

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