The Bulls hosted one of the best teams in the Western Conference in the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. They lost the game early but fought back late. Unfortunately, they couldn't close the once 30-point deficit.
Here are 10 observations from the game:
--- Earlier on Saturday, the Bulls announced Zach LaVine would undergo season-ending foot surgery that would leave him out for at least 4-6 months. LaVine, who hasn't played since Jan. 18, chose to receive the surgery. Tough news for a Bulls team fighting to remain in the Eastern Conference play-in picture.
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MORE: Bulls' Zach LaVine to undergo season-ending foot surgery
--- Torrey Craig was activated before the game after missing 22 games with a plantar fascia injury. He hasn't played since Dec. 16, and the Bulls certainly missed his defensive efforts on the floor.
--- The Kings' offense runs like a well-oiled machine. They had 24 assists on 28 field goals in the first half. Domontas Sabonis recorded five assists in the first quarter and finished with six in the first half.
--- De'Aaron Fox put himself on pace for a career evening in the first half. He put down 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. He slashed through the Bulls' defense with ease, as the Kings posted 71 in the first half.
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--- Lonzo Ball joined the NBC Sports Chicago broadcast to discuss his ongoing rehab. He's improved recently, doing physical activities that once caused him pain and are now pain-free. He mentioned the goal of returning has kept him motivated in rehab.
"Definitely doing much better in rehab," Ball said. "It's been a long process, obviously, longer than I'd like it to be. It's definitely cut out in stages and I keep checking off the boxes I'm supposed to and getting better each week."
MORE: Lonzo Ball talks improving in rehab: 'Definitely doing much better'
--- The Bulls went on a 20-4 run in the third quarter to help close, what once was, a near 30-point gap. They brought the deficit down to 10 points by the end of the third quarter. Coby White closed out the quarter with an emphatic slam to bring the momentum into the fourth quarter.
--- Bulls posted five fast break points in the first half. They notched that up in the second half, posting 15 in total. It didn't match the Kings' fast-paced 24 points on the break, but the tempo change helped the Bulls generate more offense.
--- White had one of those games again. He dropped 26 points, shooting 10-of-18 from the field and 4-of-7 from 3-point range. He added six rebounds and four assists to a phenomenal night. He was a nominee for Player of the Month in January, and he's carrying that momentum cleanly into February.
--- With White, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic also brought 20+ point games. DeRozan scored 24 points on 5-of-13 shooting from the field; he sunk 14 free throws, too. Vucevic scored 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting, adding 12 rebounds and three assists to his night.
--- Even though the Bulls brought the game back within a couple of possessions, they couldn't hang on. Fox's 41 points and Malik Monk's 22 points off the bench were too much to bear. Sabonis also posted a triple-double by the game's end.
The Bulls get a two-day break before staying at home Tuesday to host the Minnesota Timberwolves --- the second-best team in the Western Conference.