Chicago Bulls: 5 worst losses from 2017-18 NBA season

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(Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) /

5. Oct. 28, 2017: Bulls no match for Oklahoma City Thunder

The schedule certainly wasn’t easy on a team hoping to start the season on the right foot. Having already suffered losses to the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers, OKC was the fourth playoff team the Bulls faced within the span of 10 days.

Although the Bulls were competitive through their first four games, they only had one win to show for their effort – a 91-86 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Oct. 26. On the other side of the equation, although the Thunder had acquired Paul George and Carmelo Anthony, they struggled out the gate as well, winning just two of their first five games.

At the offset, the Bulls kept pace with the Thunder and the triple-double machine that goes by the name of Russell Westbrook. In the first quarter, Chicago knocked down six of its 11 attempts from beyond the arc and trailed by just three points (26-23) after the first quarter.

However, the game got ugly in a hurry after that, to say the least. The Bulls opened the second quarter missing nine of their first 10 shots, including all eight of the 3-point attempts while committing six turnovers.

Meanwhile, during the same stretch, the Thunder went on an 18-2 run and outscored the Bulls 24-8 in the period. While the Bulls were still in position to make a game of it, the damage was already done as the Thunder continued to impose their will on the young Bulls, limiting them to just 38 points in the second half on their way to an easy 101-69 victory.

Not only did the lack of effort draw the ire of the head coach, it also touched a nerve with Bulls big man Robin Lopez.

"“Anyone here will tell you that we didn’t compete from the beginning,” Lopez told ESPN. “That’s something we can’t afford — short lapses let alone for an entire 48-minute game.”"

Markkanen scored a team-high 15 points, but his effort wasn’t enough to overcome an offense that converted just 28.2 percent of its attempts.

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