Giddey on the double in 33-point blowout

• Australian Josh Giddey had solid double-double against the Wizards
• Ben Simmons went 5-from-7 for 10 points
• Johnny Furphy logged two minutes as benches cleared

The Chicago Bulls obliterated the Washington Wizards 138-105 (Game Centre) at the United Center on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Zach LaVine led the charge with a season-high 33 points as the Bulls shot a blistering 55.8% from the field, handing the hapless Wizards their 5th straight road loss.

The Wizards last win was against the Bulls on January 2, 2025.

Australian point guard Josh Giddey stuffed the stat sheet in the 33-point win. Giddey, 22, scored 12 points, ripped down 13 rebounds, served up seven assists and three steals. His 12 points came on 5-from-11 from the field, including 2-from-4 from three.

From the opening tip, Chicago seized control and never looked back. The Bulls raced out to a 36-26 lead after the first quarter behind LaVine's hot shooting and Nikola Vucevic's dominance in the paint. Washington briefly threatened in the second quarter, closing the gap to single digits, but Chicago's balanced attack proved too much to handle.

The floodgates truly opened in the third quarter as the Bulls outscored the Wizards 41-24 to blow the game wide open. Vucevic controlled the glass and dished out assists, finishing with a monstrous 23-point, 13-rebound, six-assist stat line.

For Washington, this loss marks yet another low point in a dismal season. At 6-30, they now own the worst record in the Eastern Conference and show few signs of turning things around. Jordan Poole provided a rare bright spot with 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc, but received little help from his struggling teammates.

The stark contrast in team shooting percentages tells the story of this lopsided affair. While Chicago connected on 55.8% of their field goals and 46.9% from three-point range, Washington managed just 39.8% overall and 39.1% from deep. The Bulls also dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Wizards 55-45.

LaVine's 33-point outburst come on 14-from-21 shooting.

Golden State Warriors @ Indiana Pacers

Australian rookie forward Johnny Furphy, 20, logged two minutes in the Pacers 108-96 win (Game Centre) against the Golden State Warriors.

Furphy didn't trouble the statisticians. The Warriors were without Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

Indiana moved to 21-18 (11-6 at home) while the Warriors dropped to 19-19.

Brooklyn Nets @ Denver Nuggets

Australian point forward Ben Simmons' Brooklyn Nets were on the wrong side of a 124-105 beat down (Game Centre) by the Denver Nuggets in Denver.

Simmons logged 22 minutes, 10 points on 5-from-7 from the field, four rebounds, seven assists, a steal but four turnovers. He was -17.

Brooklyn is 13-24 while the Nuggets moved to 21-15.