Memphis left the United Center with a 104-100 NBA Preseason win over Chicago, a result built more on efficiency than volume. The Grizzlies led for 42:17 of game time and owned the key moments late, even as the Bulls surged in the third and kept the score tight. It finished 30-27 after the first, 60-50 at half, 85-82 through three, and 104-100 at the horn. Attendance was 18,966, and it felt like a regular-season edge with how physical it got. On Sofascore, the box score makes the story clear: Memphis shot better inside and from the line, Chicago clawed back with offensive boards and threes, but could not cash enough freebies.

Shooting numbers tell the tale

Memphis shot 47% from the field to Chicago’s 37%, and that 10-point gap is a tough hill to climb in any gym. The visitors dominated inside, hitting 26 of 45 on two-pointers at 57%, while the Bulls were held to 18 of 46 at 39%. Chicago did outscore Memphis from three, 12 of 34 at 35% versus 10 of 31 at 32%, which kept the game within reach late. The free-throw line proved decisive. Memphis went 22 of 26 at 84%, while Chicago left 12 points there at 28 of 40 for 70%. That eight-point swing at the stripe looms large when the final margin is four.

Quarter splits add more color. Chicago’s third-quarter push was powered by 10 of 13 free throws while Memphis did not take a single attempt in that frame. In the fourth, roles flipped in a different way. Memphis shot 7 of 10 on twos and 2 of 2 at the line, while Chicago went just 1 of 7 on twos and 1 of 4 on free throws, surviving only through five made threes. When the game slowed, the Grizzlies got quality paint touches, and the Bulls settled or missed at the rim.

Second-chance fuel vs late-game control

Chicago won the glass 43-40 and hammered the offensive boards 16-9, a big reason the game stayed close. Leonard Miller grabbed 11 rebounds with seven on the offensive end, and Tobe Awaka added four more offensive boards. Those extra possessions mattered during the comeback stretch and helped Chicago post the game’s longest run, a 13-0 burst. Memphis still protected their lead by rebounding better when it mattered most. In the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies had 8 defensive rebounds to the Bulls’ 5, which limited second-chance damage at crunch time.

The defensive rebounding edge for Memphis overall was 31-27, a quiet but important number behind their shot-making edge inside. Chicago’s total of 16 offensive boards often met a packed paint or missed put-backs, especially late, when they shot 33% in the quarter. In the end, rebound volume could not completely offset shooting efficiency. The Bulls’ best work on the glass arrived in quarters they did not fully convert from the field. Memphis trusted their half-court sets, got the ball to finishers, and kept Chicago to one shot more often in the final minutes.

Turnovers swing the third, then settle

Memphis finished with 21 turnovers to Chicago’s 16, and that nearly cracked the door open. The third quarter was the swing, with the Grizzlies coughing it up 10 times as the Bulls won the frame 32-25. Chicago turned defense into offense there, posting five steals in the period and finding a rhythm at the line. But the Grizzlies steadied in the fourth, cutting the turnovers to seven while matching Chicago’s six field goals on fewer jumpshots and more layups.

Steals leaned Memphis 13-9 across the night, which tracks with their active guard rotation. Javon Small had 4 steals, Scotty Pippen Jr. added 3, and Zach Edey chipped in 2 from the middle. Chicago spread their nine steals around, led by Dailyn Swain and Drew Peterson with 2 each. Assists also favored Memphis 25-19, a sign their inside-out game created cleaner looks, especially early and late. Even with the turnover edge, the Bulls rarely led, spending only 3:52 ahead compared to Memphis at 42:17. The game flow data on Sofascore mirrors the eye test: one big Bulls run in the middle, Grizzlies control for most of the rest.

Standout lines on both sides

Ty Jerome was sharp for Memphis with 16 points on 5 of 8 shooting, including 4 of 6 from deep, plus 4 assists and a +16 on the floor. GG Jackson II supplied 14 points at 56% from the field with 4 rebounds and a block, while Zach Edey delivered a tidy 10 points on 3 of 3 shooting, 5 boards and a block. Cameron Boozer added 10 points on 3 of 5 from the field and a perfect 4 of 4 at the line, plus 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Role impact also popped in the plus-minus. Cedric Coward was +19 in 12 minutes even with 2 points, and Karim Lopez was +10 with 6 defensive rebounds.

For Chicago, Caleb Wilson led all scorers with 21 points, hitting 5 threes on 11 attempts to keep the Bulls alive late. Norman Powell added 17, going 10 of 12 from the line and 50% from the field. Josh Giddey posted 13 points, 3 assists and a block, while Leonard Miller produced a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, seven of them offensive. Isaac Okoro had perhaps the most efficient impact at +25 in his minutes, adding 5 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds with a steal. Rookie minutes were a mixed bag. Matas Buzelis had 6 points with a block, but finished -19 in limited time, and the Bulls’ bench shot 33% or lower for several stretches.

Quarter by quarter: how it unfolded

Memphis set the tone in the first, hitting 4 of 9 threes and 45% overall to lead 30-27, despite Chicago grabbing seven early offensive rebounds. The Bulls went 1 of 6 from three in that period, missing chances to punish those second looks. The Grizzlies owned the second quarter, 30-23, with a 12 of 15 mark at the line and steady shooting to build a 10-point halftime cushion. Chicago kept fouling, and Memphis cashed in at 80% from the stripe in the half.

The third quarter was Chicago’s best. The Bulls outscored Memphis 32-25 behind 10 of 13 free throws and a 5-10 turnover disparity that tilted the pace. Memphis rebuilt control in the fourth by simplifying the shot diet. They went 7 of 10 on twos and took care of the ball enough, while the Bulls shot 1 of 7 on twos and 1 of 4 at the line, leaning heavily on 5 made threes just to stay within one possession. The Grizzlies’ biggest lead was 14, the Bulls’ was 6, and the visitors never trailed in the final quarter.

For fans tracking preseason form, this one fit a common theme. Better two-point efficiency and cleaner late-game possessions usually beat extra threes and offensive boards, especially when one side wins the free-throw battle by percentage. Memphis ticked those boxes. Chicago showed fight, found a third-quarter groove, and discovered some helpful rotation notes, but left points on the line. You can dive deeper into the numbers and player pages on Sofascore, including the play-by-play and advanced splits for every quarter of the NBA Preseason.