Vit Krejci felt confident every time he took a shot, and he was right on target each time, which felt amazing.
He set new personal records with 18 points and six 3-pointers, while Bogdan Bogdanović scored 20 points, leading the Atlanta Hawks to a 113-101 victory over the Chicago Bulls. This win marked Atlanta’s fifth victory in six games.
Krejci made all six of his shots, surpassing his previous bests of 16 points and four 3-pointers. He credited the team’s ball movement for their success in shooting, emphasizing the importance of making plays with multiple passes.
Dejounte Murray contributed 17 points, and Clint Capela had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Hawks, currently in tenth place, closed the gap to just half a game behind the ninth-place Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings. The Bulls lead in the head-to-head tiebreaker.
DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 31 points, while Coby White added 22 points. Despite the loss, DeRozan didn’t think they played poorly.
Bogdanovic also had a strong game, making six of his seven shots, including two 3-pointers. The Hawks excelled from beyond the arc, making 19 of their 40 attempts, while the Bulls struggled, making just 7 of 28.
Bogdanovic and coach Quin Snyder had a brief disagreement during a timeout late in the game, but both downplayed it afterward, emphasizing their good relationship.
Atlanta maintained a comfortable lead throughout the game, with Krejci’s standout performance in the first half helping secure the win.
Several players were absent due to injuries, including Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, and Patrick Williams for the Bulls, and Javonte Green for personal reasons. Meanwhile, Hawks players AJ Griffin, Mouhamed Gueye, and Onyeka Okongwu are progressing in their recovery from injuries.
