NBA scores 2015: The Bulls’ double overtime loss highlights their strange up-and-down play

Also, Carmelo Anthony keeps it going for some reason and O.J. Mayo helps bolster Milwaukee’s bench.

Jan 30, 2015, 12:55 PM UTC

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Three games into an NBA Thursday night and it could not have been more quiet on the court. The announcements of the NBA All Star reserves had created a buzz, but the three games that followed were blow out, noncompetitive affairs. The Bulls and the Lakers appeared headed in a similar direction when Los Angeles surprisingly went up big in the first half.

When Chicago made a run in the second, led by just-named All Star Jimmy Butler, it wasn't all too surprising. The Bulls pulled within four points headed into the final frame and made another fourth quarter push, but the Lakers clasped onto that second-half lead like a drowning man a buoy. With the Lakers able to take a 98-89 lead with 1:21 to play, everything seemed set up for a win in regulation.

Instead, it would take two overtime periods to secure it. Jimmy Butler rattled off seven points and Pau Gasol forced overtime with a tip in, and Derrick Rose missed a chance to win at the end of the first overtime. The Lakers -- who had come into the game with nine straight losses -- made enough plays against Chicago down the stretch of the second overtime to come away with a 123-118 win.

Strange games and stranger play is par the course for Chicago. On Tuesday, they beat the NBA's best team, the Warriors, in overtime, with Derrick Rose committing 11 turnovers and hitting the game winner. A game before, they were beat soundly at home by Miami because Hassan Whiteside had 14 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocks. Last Thursday and Friday, they beat Dallas and San Antonio on a back-to-back, but they're only the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. At different points of the season, Chicago has won 10 of 11 games and lost six of eight.

It’s almost impossible to predict what Chicago will do each game. Some nights, their big man trio of Gasol, Noah and Gibson look like they won’t allow a single offensive rebound ever again, totally dominating teams with their size and strength. Then in another instance, Noah looks old and injured while Gasol can’t defend a soul and is getting beat off the dribble possession after possession. Derrick Rose is somehow even more inconsistent -- at times, he’s at his former MVP level, but too often he’s camping along the 3-point line for low-percentage jumpers.

Before the Hawks rose out of the East, Chicago was the conference favorite for many. They're still an easy playoff lock and are in good position to earn home court advantage in the first round with a 2.5 game lead on Cleveland for the No. 4 seed. Once there, it's anybody's guess at what type of Bulls to expect.

It’s been a wacky NBA season, and somehow, the Bulls are trying to be the wackiest. That’s an accomplishment all by itself.

3 other things we learned

The Nuggets are adrift in sea of basketball mediocrity. They're aren't good -- as evidenced in a 99-69 loss on Thursday to Memphis -- but they aren't terrible, either. Denver beat the Pelicans on Wednesday but had a seven-game losing streak prior to that. Besides Jusuf Nurkic, they isn't really any young talent the team's developing. Instead, it's a roster full of veterans that really need to be traded, but many of the buyers this season have already made moves. The Nuggets looked primed to reestablish themselves as a force in the West just two summers ago, but it never clicked and now no one really knows where Denver goes from here.

Mayo continues to help a depleted Bucks bench. The Bucks' 15-point halftime lead was never in jeopardy in a 115-100 beat down of the Magic, with seven players reaching double figures. One of those seven was O.J. Mayo. After season-ending injuries to Jabari Parker and Kendall Marshall and a suspension for Larry Sanders, the Bucks' depth has been thinned out considerably. However, Mayo's solid play has helped the team overcome some of the injuries and still give Milwaukee a punch when their starters aren't on the floor.

O.J. Mayo's 2014-15 season	Minutes	Points	FG%	3PT%	Assists	Turnovers
Bench (30 games)	24.4	11.7	44.1	37.4	3.2	1.6
Starter (15 games)	24.3	10.7	40.1	30.0	2.3	2.3

Carmelo Anthony keeps playing through pain, but it hasn't mattered much. The Knicks were blown out by the Pacers on Thursday as Anthony played his sixth game of 2015. Bothered by a knee injury that will need surgery at some point, Anthony has gutted it out in New York and lead the Knicks to four wins in their last six games, including a 31-point performance against the Thunder on Wednesday. But neither he nor his team looked sharp in Indiana, especially in the third quarter, where the Pacers pulled away by outscoring New York by 23. With New York far out of playoff contention, you have to wonder why Anthony keeps doing this.

Play of the Night

Victor Oladipo makes this look easy. No, actually, for Oladipo, this is easy. He's a freakishly good athlete, which is why you should be so excited for his upcoming NBA Dunk Contest appearance.

4 fun things

Check out the Lakers’ tribute video for Pau Gasol!

This Lakers alley oop, on the other hand, was not nearly as effective.

For the sake of Kevin Harlan, put up a ‘beware of flying objects’ sign at the Staples Center.

That’s a real nice pass, Pau Gasol.

Our 2015 NBA All-Star Game coverage: Here are the reserves, who were announced on TNT before the games. You bet there were snubs, too -- here are the top five omissions from the roster. The All Star starters, Rising Star Challenge rosters and participates for the Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Shootout can be found here.