The Portland Trail Blazers’ slim remaining play-in hopes went up in smoke Friday night in Chicago, as they fell to the Bulls 118-113. Minus four starters due to injuries and soreness, the Blazers made a late run but ultimately ran out of bodies and time.
The Blazers’ loss means they won’t make the play-in but pushed them to 1½ games behind the Bulls (33-42) in the overall NBA standings. The Blazers are one game ahead of San Antonio (32-44), which has the eighth-worst record, for now. They would have the ninth-best NBA draft lottery odds.
The Blazers shot just 39.3% in the first half but managed to stay ahead at halftime with a 54-52 lead. However, they struggled in the third quarter, shooting only 33%, and trailed 92-83 after a 40-point push by the Bulls. The Blazers then cut the deficit to 106-101 with 4:16 remaining before falling behind again.
Coach Chauncey Billups praised his team’s defense but lamented their inability to score at critical moments. “We were doing a really good job defensively, we just didn’t have enough offense at the end to win the game,” he said.
Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 37 points and 11 rebounds, while Dalano Banton scored 21 points in his starting role. Despite their efforts, the Blazers fell short, losing by five points in a closely contested game.
Source: https://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/2025/04/depleted-trail-blazers-come-up-short-during-loss-at-bulls.html