The Chicago Bulls faced off against the Houston Rockets last Thursday, January 11, 2024, escaping with a five-point victory in overtime, 124-199, in front of its home crowd. While its occurrence is rather ordinary, the Windy City atmosphere was electric, celebrating Filipino Heritage Night (FHN) with one out of two Fil-Am cagers in attendance.
Like other sporting franchises, United Center’s rendition of FHN highlights the gathering of its local Filipino community, complemented by themes, performances, and (most of the time) apparel constructed around the occasion. In line with this, the Chicago Bulls released a co-branded New Era trucker headpiece, featuring the six-time NBA Champions’ branding and a Philippine flag sewn on its side panel, culminating the nation’s red-blue-yellow threads.
As Filipino Chicagoans supported their hometown herd, several attendees continued to rally behind their Fil-Am visitor: second-year guard Jalen Green. The 21-year-old supplemented Houston’s rally in the fourth, providing 18 markers (on 42.1 percent shooting), six rebounds, and eight assists, in 40 minutes on the floor. Despite a strong showing post-regulation, Zach LaVine’s scoring barrage in its closing segments allowed the home team to prevail, scoring 12 points over the visitors 7.
