Bulls Can't Get Final Shot Off, Lose 125-124 to Grizzlies in Memphis

Matas Buzelis scored 29 points, Josh Giddey recorded his 13th triple-double with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, and Collin Sexton added 26 off the bench, but the Chicago Bulls lost 125-124 to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night at FedExForum. Cedric Coward hit two free throws with 6.5 seconds left to give Memphis a 125-122 lead. Giddey answered with two of his own at the 4-second mark to make it 125-124. The Grizzlies then turned over the ensuing inbound pass, giving Chicago a chance to win — but the Bulls could not get a shot off in time. Chicago falls to 29-45 and has now lost three straight. Memphis snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 25-49.

Tre Jones added 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Both teams were playing the back end of back-to-back sets — Chicago lost 131-113 at Oklahoma City on Friday and Memphis lost 119-109 to Houston at home. Both teams sat significant players. The Bulls were without Jalen Smith (right calf — now out for the season), Nick Richards (right elbow), Anfernee Simons (left wrist), and Guerschon Yabusele (left ankle sprain). Memphis was without Ja Morant, Zach Edey (season-ending), Jaylen Wells (toe), and Cam Spencer (lower back). Coward led the Grizzlies with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Tyler Burton had 18, Jahmai Mashack added 17, and Rayan Rupert scored 14.

23 Turnovers and a 42-Point Third Quarter Did the Bulls In

The story of this game was two numbers: 23 turnovers by the Bulls and 42 third-quarter points by the Grizzlies. Everything else — the competitive first half, the fourth-quarter comeback, the heartbreaking final sequence — is secondary to the fact that Chicago gave the ball away 23 times and Memphis converted those into 27 points. The Grizzlies had 17 steals. That is an extraordinary number against any team, let alone one that should have been comfortable handling a 25-49 opponent on the second night of a back-to-back.

The first half was tight and ugly. Both teams struggled from outside the arc — four minutes before halftime, the two teams were a combined 5-of-28 from three. Sexton was the best player on the floor in the first quarter, scoring 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting including a three and 4-of-5 from the line. Jones added 5 and Giddey had 2 points with 3 assists. The Bulls led 30-28 after one. The second quarter was more of the same — Buzelis had 8, Giddey added 6 with 4 assists, and the teams went to halftime tied at 58.

The third quarter was a disaster. Memphis outscored Chicago 42-30, and it was not because of any single dominant performance — it was because everyone contributed. Rupert exploded for 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting including two threes. Coward had 7 on 3-of-4. Javon Small hit a three and had 2 steals. Mashack added 5. Burton had 6. The Grizzlies attacked without hesitation while the Bulls turned it over repeatedly — Giddey had 2 turnovers, Jones had 2, Sexton had 1, and Dillingham had 2 in just 6 minutes. Buzelis was the only Bull who kept scoring, putting up 10 third-quarter points on 4-of-6 shooting with two threes, but it was not enough. Memphis led 98-88 entering the fourth.

The fourth quarter was Chicago's best period. The Bulls outscored Memphis 36-27 and nearly completed the comeback. Jones was the engine — 9 points on 4-of-4 shooting including a three, plus 5 assists. Sexton added 8 with a three and 3-of-4 from the line. Buzelis had 7. But every time the Bulls pulled close, Memphis answered. Coward's free throws with 6.5 seconds left looked like the final word. Giddey hit two free throws to make it 125-124 with 4 seconds remaining, and when Memphis turned over the inbound, Chicago had the ball with a chance to win. They could not get a shot off. The final: Grizzlies 125, Bulls 124.

Buzelis Had His Best Game in Weeks, and the Turnovers Wasted It

Buzelis' 29 points on 10-of-21 shooting with 10 rebounds and 3 blocks in 39 minutes was by far his best performance of the road trip. After 18 points on 6-of-15 in the Philly blowout and 15 on 6-of-13 in the OKC collapse, Saturday's game was a reminder of what he can be. He scored in every quarter, had 10 in the critical third to keep the Bulls within striking distance, and added 7 in the fourth during the comeback attempt. His three-point shooting was still inconsistent — 3-of-10 — but his ability to get to the rim, finish through contact, and draw fouls (6-of-7 from the line) was exactly the kind of aggression this team needs from him.

Giddey's triple-double was a significant bounce-back from Friday's 1-of-11 nightmare in OKC. He went 6-of-11 from the field, grabbed 13 rebounds, and distributed 10 assists. But the 5 turnovers and the -15 — worst on the team — told a different story. His third quarter was particularly rough: 1-of-3 from the field with 2 turnovers and a -15 in 10 minutes, which aligned exactly with Memphis's 42-point explosion. The triple-double numbers are nice, but the turnovers are a recurring theme that continues to undercut the production.

Sexton was again Chicago's most reliable scorer, putting up 26 on 6-of-14 from the field with 3-of-6 from three and 11-of-13 from the line. He drew fouls at an elite rate and converted consistently. Jones had 19, 9, and 6 — another strong all-around night. Lachlan Olbrich, pressed into 22 minutes with Yabusele, Richards, and Smith all out, had 8 points, 7 rebounds, and a block. Dillingham's 5 turnovers in 15 minutes were a problem — the ball security issues are not limited to Giddey.

Looking Ahead

The Bulls are 29-45 and have now lost three straight and five of their last six. They sit 25 games behind Detroit in the Central Division. The frontcourt situation is bleak: Jalen Smith has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with his recurring right calf issue, Richards remains out with a right elbow injury, and Yabusele missed Saturday with a left ankle sprain. That leaves Buzelis, Miller, Olbrich, and Patrick Williams to handle the frontcourt minutes — not exactly a group built for physical battles against NBA centers. The next game is Monday at San Antonio at 7:00 p.m. ET on Peacock.

For Memphis, the win snapped a five-game losing streak and moved the Grizzlies to 25-49. Coward's 24 points and clutch free throws headlined a balanced effort with five players in double figures. Like the Bulls, the Grizzlies are playing out the string with an eye on the draft lottery — Memphis is without Morant and Edey for the remainder of the season. The Grizzlies host Phoenix on Monday night. Despite the heartbreaker, the season series between the two teams is now split 1-1 after Chicago's 132-107 blowout win at home on March 16.