It really did look like the Bulls were going to get this one.

And oh what a boost it would have been against the looking-invincible San Antonio Spurs.

And not just because the Bulls had a 22-point second quarter lead, 14 at halftime. It was the way they were playing, everything coach Tiago Splitter had talked about, lightning quick decisions, the ball jumping around like a ball chasing cat, Jalen Smith the Wemby stopper. The Bulls elusive center was dropping threes like coins in a wishing well, and it seemed like the Bulls might get their wish. Superstar Victor Wembanyama unable to seal the paint and chase Smith to the perimeter, where Smith would make all five of his threes and equal a career high with 23 points to lead the Bulls.

Matas Buzelis was dragging the smaller Spurs guards to the basket as Wembanyama checked a map for Smith’s whereabouts.

“Stix (Smith) can spread the court and take Wembanyama out of the paint,” noted Splitter. “I thought that matchup with Wemby would be a good thing. It worked for a little bit; second half it didn’t.”

Like Napoleon at Marengo where his army was in retreat in the morning and then recovered to a decisive victory, so it was for the Spurs. Their hand-to-hand combat to begin the second half overwhelmed the Bulls, a 17-3 Spurs beating with five Bulls turnovers in four minutes got the Spurs into a tie. And then quicker than you can say croissant, the Bulls resembled a puff pastry as Wembanyama in the second half scored 17 of his game-high 32 points. The Bulls coughed up a dozen second half fumbles to one for the Spurs. San Antonio had 16 fast break points to one basket for the Bulls after halftime and the Spurs won their 10th consecutive game 124-119.

The Bulls lost their eighth straight to drop to 1-9.

And the Bulls only got that close in the end after Splitter cleared the bench with two minutes left with the Bulls trailing 120-105.

“We did a lot of good things,” argued Splitter, and he was correct, a first half where you could begin to dream about what the Bulls, at least with some future personnel changes, might be like.

“Shared the ball, moved the ball in the first half,” said Splitter. “Took good shots, open shots. Finally made threes tonight, which is great.”

It actually bordered on the uncanny as the Bulls shot 85 percent in the first quarter, 75 percent with six of eight threes in scoring 41 first quarter points. This for the league’s poorest shooting team entering the game. Could they actually have found something? Playing the way Splitter has asked was a start.

The Bulls even kept it up, four of seven threes in the second quarter. 66 percent first half overall shooting and 67 percent on threes, the largest lead of the season.

Hey, sometimes even the greatest teams have a night and just decide the flush it, the Spurs finishing a cross country road trip after playing in Phoenix on Monday. But the Bulls let them up with five missed jumpers to close the second quarter sandwiching a Caleb Wilson putback.

This being the first mention of Wilson and not a great one.

The acrobatic rookie squeezed in 15 points in 15 minutes even as the Bulls don’t look for him often on offense. Much of his scoring lately has been his Barry Allen impersonation gathering in loose balls and second shots in a flash. But early in the third quarter trying to sneak up behind Wembanyama, Wilson appeared to jam his right hand into Wembanyama’s elbow. Wilson quickly looked down at his hand, left the game and didn’t return. The Bulls said they would have more information on Thursday. Hand injuries derailed Wilson’s one collegiate season.

And the Bulls unraveling was occurring about the same time.

“Turnovers,” lamented Splitter. “Nineteen, (and) those turnovers were live balls leading to layups on the other side; that’s the game right there. They got plus 20 shots (98-76 field goals from turnovers and offensive rebounds). Hard to beat them (then) because they are very good. That third quarter we were careless with the ball. Against a team like this you play 12 bad minutes and they beat you.”

And so it was to begin the second half as the Spurs didn’t miss much. Can’t run taking the ball out of the net, as we are told. But when the Bulls did have a chance they reverted to slow mo mode, walking into what became a bakery full of turnovers. The turnover, by the way, like Wemby, was created in France. During an epidemic when apples were baked into pastries.

Talk about your epidemic as the Bulls became stuffing. It was sickening for the Bulls to begin the third quarter, Buzelis and Josh Giddey splitting three turnovers in less than a minute. And suddenly the score was tied at 73 with eight minutes left in the third quarter.

There’s a famous quote from World War II from a Japanese admiral. “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”

The Spurs don’t have the veterans, but they know how to battle.

And few are bigger in the NBA world these days than the 7-5 Wembanyama and his band of exciting guards.

Dylan Harper with his dad, Ron, on the Bulls celebrity row — Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose and Tom Thibodeau all came out to see the French sensation — scored 18 points. De'Aaron Fox had 17 and seven Spurs scored in double figures. With former Bulls coach Billy Donovan on the Spurs sideline as their lead assistant coach.

The Bulls got an impressive and active 17 points off the bench in 16 playing time limited minutes from Nic Claxton and 13 each from Tre Jones and Buzelis, all of Buzelis’ in the first half. It was a rough game for Josh Giddey with nine points and seven turnovers while Buzelis added six turnovers.

It’s a concern with this group as several of the starters tend to be weak with the ball when faced with physical pressure.

“What did I want to see from them (Matas and Josh) in the second half?” Splitter asked rhetorically. “Not that, not turning over the ball. Be aggressive, take the right shots. We were finding Jalen Smith in the first half. He opened the court for us taking Wembanyama out of the paint, so that helped. But then when you turn over the ball you don’t have a chance. So as a team we’ve got to do better and take care of the ball. They pressure, they are active on the ball. They know they have Wembanyama behind them in case they get beaten, but we have to get better.


“They just put more pressure on the ball, made us uncomfortable,” said Splitter. “That was it, basically. He (Buzelis) played extremely well the first half and didn’t play well the second. (It’s) the consistency you need in this league. He’s going to bounce back and play better next time.”

That should be with the return of Norman Powell, who was out again with a back spasm. He is expected to play ob Friday in the United Center against Atlanta in the Bulls' second NBA Cup game.

The Bulls were ready for this one, and it was a delight to see.

Maybe even for the Spurs, who spent a lot of the first half watching the Bulls run and shoot.

And what do you know, make ‘em.

The Bulls got into the paint like Monet and were creating quite the impression on Wembanyama. The Bulls concentrated on the left sideline corner where Smith got passes and banged in a pair of threes to open the game. Smith even was faking and going by Wemby, and then handed off for three straight Buzelis scores, a three and a pair of drives. Renoir couldn’t make this scene look much better.

The Bulls? Our Bulls?

It be so.

The Bulls then delighted as many teams do to see Luke Kornet enter. The Bulls scored 10 straight points and 14-2. It’s also partly why the plus/minus is so much better for the Bulls reserves than starters. Kornet minutes, but there were those miscues from the starters.

Patrick Williams and Jordan Hawkins again got the call over Buddy Hield and Leonard Miller, and both played well. Williams had a team-high plus/minus and had nine points, seven rebounds and four assists without missing a shot.

The Bulls then laid a 13-2 second quarter bruise on the Spurs with threes from Buzelis, Jones and Smith. Williams snared a loosed ball and slammed, Claxton had Kornet swiping at air, and not Jordan. And you began to think just maybe, just maybe, and what a kick start this could be.

Until the kick in the butt. The Spurs were on the run. And the Bulls were mostly watching after halftime. There’s something there. Just not enough of it for now.

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