Coby White thrilled the crowd early in the game with impressive moves to the basket, earning cheers and chants from the fans as the game came to an end. It was an unforgettable night.
White scored a career-best 42 points, leading the Chicago Bulls to victory over the Atlanta Hawks with a 131-116 win in the play-in tournament on Wednesday.
This performance marked a new high for White, surpassing his previous best of 37 points in both regular season and postseason games. It was a standout moment in his breakthrough season.
“It was amazing for that to happen,” White said. “I appreciate the fans. The atmosphere felt like the playoffs. The arena was electric tonight.”
Next, Chicago will face Miami on Friday, competing for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and a chance to play against Boston in the first round. Miami lost a close game to Philadelphia, 105-104, on Wednesday.
Dejounte Murray led Atlanta with 30 points, but the Hawks fell short once again after losing their last six regular-season games.
Nikola Vucevic contributed 24 points and 12 rebounds for Chicago, while DeMar DeRozan added 22 points and nine assists. Ayo Dosunmu, who missed the final four regular-season games due to injury, returned with 19 points.
However, it was White who stole the show, attacking the basket relentlessly and making 15 of 21 field goals. He also grabbed nine rebounds and dished out six assists.
Murray praised White’s hard work and character, expressing admiration for his dedication both on and off the court. He believes White has always had potential but now has the opportunity to shine.
