Rockets vs. Bulls: Play-by-play, highlights and reactions
The Houston Rockets (10-20) play against the Chicago Bulls (10-10) at United Center
Game Time: 8:00 PM EST on Monday December 20, 2021
Houston Rockets 30, Chicago Bulls 45 (Q2 08:20)
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Stephen Noh @StephNoh
This Rockets defense is ranked 25th on the season, 29th in past 10 games.
They switch without offering any sort of resistance, which gets them into bad matchups. Bulls were attacking those mismatches in that 1st quarter. pic.twitter.com/BZXSwteImn – 8:43 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
#Rockets start the 2ndQ w/ turnovers on their 1st 4 possessions. Still haven’t attempted a FG in the w/ 9:36 til halftime. Nwaba’s 2 FT end a Bulls 11-0 run, HOU down 41-28 – 8:43 PM
David Hardisty @clutchfans
Alperen Sengun can’t stop fouling. I know some of those calls were tough, but this is a big part of what’s keeping him from getting heavier minutes. – 8:42 PM
Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
Alex Caruso has a left mid-foot sprain, will not return tonight. #Bulls – 8:40 PM
Jamal Collier @JamalCollier
Bulls say Alex Caruso will not return tonight with a sprained left foot. – 8:40 PM
Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Bulls say Alex Caruso left game with a “left mid-foot sprain” and will not return – 8:40 PM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Alex Caruso won’t return with a sprained left foot, per Bulls PR – 8:40 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
Alex Caruso (left mid-foot sprain) will miss the remainder of tonight’s game vs. Houston pic.twitter.com/yp5vDl5eN5 – 8:40 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
Just warming up.
Nikola Vucevic: 8 pts
Ball/DeRozan/McKinnie: 6 pts each pic.twitter.com/m4BSlzxfeG – 8:37 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
End of 1.
Rockets: 26
Bulls: 35
@kroger | #Rockets pic.twitter.com/uvmEQJ4e0h – 8:37 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Bulls 35, Rockets 26 after 1. Bulls hit 5 of 10 3s, Rockets 3 of 9. Rockets not disrupting much. Wood with 10 points, his 12th quarter in double-digit scoring. – 8:36 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
C-Wood grabbing the OOP! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/C6PgIVwe43 – 8:35 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
Garry BIRD! 💦 pic.twitter.com/7jEJMWdQH6 – 8:34 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
Big man from range! 💦 pic.twitter.com/Zt4eA7Fs3t – 8:32 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
C-Wood staying with it! 😤 pic.twitter.com/MNliINb6L4 – 8:30 PM
Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Double-edged sword for the Bulls the last week – limited practice time to build up conditioning, and heavy minutes continue in games for several players. Help is coming.
Read it:
chicago.suntimes.com/bulls/2021/12/… – 8:30 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
EG 😤 pic.twitter.com/oaYwX1Qd4p – 8:28 PM
Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Bulls up 28-22. Vooch getting a ton of touches..8points. Bulls 60%. Wood 10pts – 8:27 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
Back-to-back threes from Alfonzo McKinnie! 🔥
@NBCSChicago | @Alfonzo McKinnie pic.twitter.com/703bdzjEcO – 8:26 PM
Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Alfonzo McKinnie’s first stint of second 10-day contract begins with back-to-back catch-and-shoot 3s – 8:23 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Bulls guard and noted Aggie Alex Caruso went to the locker room at the time out. – 8:23 PM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Tyler Cook ahead of Tony Bradley in rotation. Set to check in. – 8:22 PM
Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Caruso headed to locker room – ruh-roh. – 8:22 PM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Caruso heads to locker room.
Alfonzo McKinnie and Devon Dotson getting 1st quarter burn – 8:21 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
Vooch with the FOOTWORK.
@NBCSChicago | @Nikola Vucevic pic.twitter.com/WjCnqa6Yd7 – 8:20 PM
Cayleigh Griffin @cayleighgriffin
After falling down 9-0, Rockets make it a 2-point game, behind 8 points from Christian Wood – 8:19 PM
Kelly Iko @KellyIkoNBA
It’s early but that Armoni 3 was much needed. Rockets picking up some rhythm here down 13-10 with 7 minutes to go in the first. – 8:18 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Rockets’ start could hardly be worse. Bulls needed four seconds to score. Rockets 0 for 4 with 2 turnovers and two missed free throws. Bulls up 9-0 in three minutes. – 8:14 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
Fastest bucket of the season?!
@NBCSChicago | @Javonte Green pic.twitter.com/72Z72fWNUy – 8:12 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
#Rockets starters in Chicago. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/Hz4b6Q1XIZ – 8:09 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
👀🔴 – 8:00 PM
Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
We will give you a shout out tonight @670TheScore @Chicago Bulls radio network @Audacy @Robbie Hummel filling in for Bill. – 7:52 PM
Adam Wexler @AdamJWexler
#Rockets starters tonight vs Bulls:
Tate, Mathews, Wood, Brooks, Gordon
Bulls starters: Green, DeRozan, Vucevic, Caruso, Ball – 7:49 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
game. time. pic.twitter.com/gwEvP79X6R – 7:47 PM
Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
For those at the Bears game…join us on the radio @670TheScore ..for those of you flipping back and forth…catch Bulls ball on @670TheScore @Audacy @chicagobulls radio network 6:45 – 7:44 PM
Salman Ali @SalmanAliNBA
Rockets starters:
Armoni Brooks
Eric Gordon
Garrison Matthews
Jae’Sean Tate
Christian Wood – 7:32 PM
Cayleigh Griffin @cayleighgriffin
#Rockets starters vs. Chicago: Brooks, Gordon, Mathews, Tate and Wood. – 7:32 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
Rockets starters: Tate, Mathews, Wood, Brooks, Gordon.
Bulls starters: Green, DeRozan, Vucevic, Caruso, Ball. – 7:32 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
Same starters tonight vs. Houston.
@FirstAlert | #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/kj57jlDTSv – 7:30 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
Kobes club. pic.twitter.com/7KSMcUa5bu – 7:20 PM
Adam Spolane @AdamSpolane
ICYMI: “I was frustrated. In my mind I was like ‘Man, it’s never going to come.’ I was planning on doing something else with my life”
Garrison Mathews almost walked away from the NBA 2 months ago. He stuck with it, and now he’s part of the Rockets future audacy.com/sportsradio610… – 7:11 PM
Adam Spolane @AdamSpolane
“They’re both progressing fine. Jalen’s progressing quicker, and he’s very close to playing.”
Stephen Silas updated the status of Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr and provided a timetable for when they could return audacy.com/sportsradio610… – 7:08 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
📍 CHICAGO
@MichelobULTRA | #ULTRADrip pic.twitter.com/54ko17ekMO – 6:58 PM
Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Billy Donovan said, upon testing, Derrick Jones Jr.’s hamstring injury “doesn’t look too bad.” Doesn’t believe it’ll be a long-term absence
Team plans to re-evaluate DJJ after next two games, which would make him out Wed vs. TOR. Bulls have three off-days right after that – 6:38 PM
Adam Spolane @AdamSpolane
Stephen Silas says the hope is to have Jalen Green back on the floor in the next 3 games, before Christmas, while Kevin Porter Jr’s return will not come until after Christmas – 6:36 PM
Cayleigh Griffin @cayleighgriffin
Coach Silas says the goal is for Jalen Green to play before the Christmas break (within the next 3 games). KPJ is likely to play after Christmas. – 6:35 PM
Alykhan Bijani @Rockets_Insider
Jalen Green will ‘hopefully’ return in the next three games, “before Christmas break”. Kevin Porter Jr. “right after” Christmas break. Jalen is “very close to playing”. #Rockets – 6:35 PM
Kelly Iko @KellyIkoNBA
Stephen Silas said Jalen Green can hopefully return within the next three games. – 6:35 PM
Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Head Coach Billy Donovan says Derrick Jones Jr hamstring is not long term. Will be re- evaluated after Christmas. @Chicago Bulls @670TheScore 6:45 pre @Audacy @Chicago Bulls radio network. – 6:20 PM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Billy Donovan said he doesn’t think Derrick Jones Jr. will be long-term with his hamstring issue. – 6:18 PM
Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
f the NBA had to show 5 classic Christmas games in lieu of live games, what are the best 5 with the caveat that no team or player could appear 2x?
I’d go…
1984 Knicks-Nets
1990 Bulls-Pistons
2003 Cavs-Magic
2004 Lakers-Heat
2018 Celtics-76ers – 6:17 PM
Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
Bulls list seven players as OUT for tonight’s game: LaVine, Donsumu, Johnson, Thomas, Brown, Jones and Williams. 6:45 pre @Chicago Bulls @audacy @670TheScore a busy night in Chicago. That’s why God invented the radio. Multi task at home @UnitedCenter @SoldierField 🙂 – 6:02 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
It’s our @goaawol digital shirt toss time!
RT now for a chance to win – the only way to get this crewneck. pic.twitter.com/W0x0rX2ht7 – 5:45 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
Let’s run it back tonight, Chicago!
@LiquiMolyUSA | #BullsNation pic.twitter.com/RhCY7DxAWS – 5:20 PM
David Hardisty @clutchfans
The Rockets are 10-20 right now. Which of these two season outcomes do you think would be best for the future/development of the Rockets? – 4:36 PM
KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Clean L2M report from Bulls-Lakers. Players were barking a lot last night. Crew aced crunch time at least. – 4:18 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
New #Rockets at #TXSN – Rockets’ Christian Wood: No issues with knee since returning ift.tt/3FhVXrd – 4:18 PM
Jonathan Feigen @Jonathan_Feigen
New #Rockets at #TXSN – After brief absence, Rockets’ Armoni Brooks expected to play vs. Bulls ift.tt/3IYJ0Vw – 4:18 PM
Houston Rockets @HoustonRockets
See you tonight, @Chicago Bulls 👋
⏰ 7:00 PM Tip-Off
📺 @ATTSportsNetSW
📻 @SportsTalk790 / En Español KLAT 1010AM pic.twitter.com/rs2fqVIfpK – 4:00 PM
Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Bulls sign Alfonzo McKinnie to second 10-day contract sportando.basketball/en/bulls-sign-… – 3:50 PM
Sean Highkin @highkin
The Bulls are back pic.twitter.com/l9WJd2Ypz1 – 3:47 PM
Chicago Bulls @chicagobulls
“Come fly with me!”
Our @DunkinDonuts Dunk of the Week: pic.twitter.com/2qRpXV3Gko – 3:26 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
The best defense DeAndre Jordan played against the Bulls was while Javonte Green was on the FT line…
and it still didn’t work. pic.twitter.com/BiJeGnYkW8 – 3:23 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“DeMar DeRozan, without question, has been the best free agent signing.”
@LegsESPN and @BCusterTV think that DeRozan’s dominate performance over the Lakers proves he’s playing the best basketball of his career.
#BullsNation pic.twitter.com/noQV5knq4y – 2:46 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
Vooch block on Bron.
Javonte Green putback miss.
This had potential of being one of the best plays of the year 🥵 pic.twitter.com/7dloHoFFEp – 2:37 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
As of this morning, only 10 NBA teams didn’t have a player in the health and safety protocols:
Detroit Pistons
Houston Rockets
Indiana Pacers
New Orleans Pelicans
Oklahoma City Thunder
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
San Antonio Spurs
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards – 2:29 PM
Orlando Magic @OrlandoMagic
OTD in 1989, Otis Smith and the Magic overcome Michael Jordan’s 52 PTS & 7 AST as they defeated the Chicago Bulls 110-109 ✨
@MountainDew x #MagicTogether pic.twitter.com/RySgC6OOrY – 2:08 PM
