Warriors win their seventh straight in a dominant 119-93 victory over the Bulls

The Chicago Bulls came into Chase Center on Friday hoping to keep their early-season success going against the Golden State Warriors. Entering play at 7-3, the Bulls have relied on excellent defense and a well-rounded offensive attack. However, with All-Star center Nikola Vucevic out with COVID-19, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan had to adjust his rotation without one of his best players.

The Dubs struggled early, committing five turnovers in the first five minutes, falling behind 10-5. Stephen Curry generated some early offense, but a combination of Warrior mistakes and good defense by Chicago made it difficult for Golden State to score.

The Bulls extended their lead to 24-14 before Curry sparked a short run to close the quarter, bringing the Warriors within six.

Rookie Jonathan Kuminga received some rotation minutes, filling in at the four against an athletic Bulls roster. He finished without a big statline but had some fantastic dunks in garbage time and flashed some of his best defensive efforts of the year. While his offensive game still needs some development, Kerr will give him more consistent playing time if he consistently plays that well defensively.

The Warriors shot just 43.5% from the field and 31.8% from three in the first half alongside ten turnovers, but they still led 51-45 at halftime. Then, the third quarter struck.

The Bulls are well suited to matchup against Curry, with elite perimeter defenders like Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso to throw at him. But, of course, no one is capable of stopping Steph. Despite their best efforts, Curry got going offensively. He finished with 40 points on 15-for-24 from the field.

Zach LaVine tried to lead the Bulls offensive charge and started 4-for-5 from the field, but Golden State answered with their box-and-one defense, even doubling LaVine at times in the second half. While the Bulls wing finished with 23 points, he could not put together the explosive stretches Chicago needed.

Without Vucevic occupying Draymond Green’s attention inside, Green was free to roam defensively. Whether the Warriors were in zone or man, Green was causing problems. He finished with 9 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists but made his most significant impact on the other end of the court, enabling perimeter defenders like Payton, Andrew Wiggins, and Andre Iguodala to focus on LaVine.

Even though Curry sat for three minutes, he scored 15 points and led Golden State to a 35-17 quarter. Just like that, the Warriors were leading by 20 heading into the fourth.

The Bulls have quietly been one of the best teams early in the NBA season. Entering today, they ranked in the top ten of both offensive and defensive efficiency. Yet, the Warriors added them to the lengthening list of opponents they have dominated.

Golden State finished their eight-game homestand 7-1 and are now 11-1 on the season. Now they get ready for a three-game road trip to take on the Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets, and Cleveland Cavaliers. They will look to extend their seven-game winning streak on Sunday against the Hornets.

If you want to chat about the Warriors latest win, join the Twitch stream: