Bulls Edge Blazers in Lottery Showdown, Playoff Hopes Dwindle for Portland

CHICAGO, Ill. — The Portland Trail Blazers fell to the Chicago Bulls, 118-113, at the United Center on Friday night in a game critical for both teams as they vie for favorable positioning in the upcoming NBA Lottery. With this loss, the Blazers’ play-in hopes dimmed significantly, leaving them 1½ games behind the Bulls in standings.

Portland entered the matchup with 43 losses this season, while Chicago had 42. The stakes were high; the outcome not only impacted playoff aspirations but also the lottery odds. The Blazers battled hard despite missing four key starters, including Anthony Simons due to left ankle soreness, marking his third consecutive game out.

Despite the adversity, the Blazers made a late push after trailing by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter. Deni Avdija led Portland with 37 points, while the Bulls’ Coby White and Nikola Vucevic each scored 31, guiding Chicago to their victory.

Portland’s struggles were apparent as they allowed Chicago to score 33 points in the first quarter and maintain over 50% shooting for much of the first half. The performance was a continuation of a troubling trend for the Blazers, who have struggled defensively this season.

“We were doing a really good job defensively to get to that point, we just didn’t have enough offense at the end to win the game,” said Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups. “But offensive rebounds kept us in it.”

Portland managed to secure 19 offensive rebounds, resulting in 20 second-chance points, proving critical in keeping the game competitive despite their poor shooting performance. They shot only 38.3% from the field and a dismal 26.2% from beyond the arc.

The third quarter was particularly challenging for the Blazers as they shot just 33% while the Bulls erupted for 40 points, leading to a 92-83 disadvantage before the final period. Despite the setback, Portland closed the gap late, but ran out of time.

With Sacramento defeating Charlotte, Portland finds itself 3½ games behind the Kings for the final play-in spot. To have a shot at the playoffs, the Blazers would need to win their last four games while hoping Sacramento loses all five of their remaining games.

As the season winds down, Portland’s performance has concerned fans. “We didn’t shoot it well anywhere, to be honest with you,” Billups added, acknowledging the need for improvement. The Blazers face the San Antonio Spurs next at home, which will be crucial as they look to salvage their season.