Nikola Vucevic saves Chicago in pass 3 against the Blazers
Nikola Vucevic was big in the clutch for the second straight game as he drained a three-pointer and picked up Chicago Bulls past the Portland Trail Blazers, 122-121, at the Moda Center on Wednesday.
With 7.2 seconds left in the game, Kobe White drove to the lane to try to score a goal. But he found Vucevic open behind the arc and threw the ball to him. Veterans Center calm game winner as time ran out.
The Bulls improved to 8-6, while the Trail Blazers dropped to 6-9.
He finished with 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting and eight rebounds to lead Chicago. He also sunk a dagger triple in their win over the Denver Nuggets130-127, on Monday.
The Bulls nearly blew a huge lead in the fourth quarter after allowing the Trail Blazers to come back. Fortunately, Vucevic saved the victory.
White added 25 points, seven assists and two steals off the bench, while Josh Giddy contributed nine points, five rebounds and 13 assists.
The 35-year-old Vucevic has been the subject of trade rumors for the past few years. They became more vocal in the offseason as they linked him to the Golden State Warriors. Nothing happened, however, and the two-time All-Star remained in the Windy City.
Despite the trade rumors, Vucevic remained professional, repeatedly saying he was focused on his responsibility to help the Bulls. He is averaging 16.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.6 rebounds this campaign.
Chicago has only been to the playoffs twice in the last 10 seasons, including three straight absences.
The Bulls will return to action on Friday against the Miami Heat.
2025-11-20 05:59:00
