NEWSLETTER
While I wish DeMar DeRozan got a better look, I had no problem with the Bulls’ final play. Is that a hot take?
Nikola Vucevic led (shot-blocker and massive human) Mitchell Robinson out to the corner to open up the paint. Meanwhile, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine worked on the inbound. The opportunity for a little misdirection hand-off to LaVine for the drive to the rim was there, but Fournier switched appropriately and DeRozan saw Barrett take one step to his right to open a good angle to find the 15-footer. However, one noticeable slip and pump fake later, DeRozan air-balled the potential game-winner.
CURSE YOU MOISTURE!
Tough ending for the Bulls. The idea here was to use DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine to create confusion for the defense. But DeRozan’s fake handoff was not persuasive, then he couldn’t angle the drive toward the basket, allowing Mitchell Robinson to help off the corner. pic.twitter.com/LoQ4Vh5yTZ
— Positive Residual (@presidual) October 29, 2021
• You can scream he should have given it off to LaVine all you want, but I think it was more than an understandable shot from one of the best mid-range shooters in the league. I mean, do we not remember what he did on Monday night? DeRozan sank several clutch and contested midrange buckets to ice that Raptors game. Last season, he also shot 48 percent on all mid-range looks, which ranked in the league’s 87th percentile, per Cleaning the Glass. It’s a make-or-miss league, and he missed it. I can live with it, and so can the Bulls.
• Yes, it’s time to eliminate moral victories from our vocabulary, but I’m giving things at least a 12-game cushion. The fact of the matter is this was only the fifth matchup of an 82-game season. Not to mention, as much as it pains me to say, the Knicks are a good basketball team (they’re particularly well-built for the regular season)! This was the new-look Bulls’ first battle against a legitimate playoff-caliber opponent, and they walked away with only a one-point loss on national television despite shooting just 42.9 percent from the field. I’m sorry, but I have to give them credit for that this early in the season. We also got to be happy the Bulls-Knicks rivalry is back, right!?
• Overall, I thought DeMar DeRozan summed up my general feelings on this first loss well:
“You got to give the Knicks credit. They played extremely hard. Coached extremely well, defensively and offensively,” DeRozan told reporters after the game. “Man, we were down what eleven with three minutes to go whatever it was? For us to not hang our heads, keep fighting, that’s big, especially this early in the season. I’m proud of those guys we kept fighting. We didn’t want to lose the game, so just something like that just makes you more hungry, eager to correct your wrongs.
• New York brought a level of discipline and physicality the Bulls had yet to see this season. And while it took time for the team to adjust, they did. As the game went on, the Bulls not only rotated on the defensive end better, but they put their head down and drew 15 of their 22 free-throw attempts in the second half. They started to match New York’s intensity while also taking good care of the basketball. In fact, considering the size advantage and natural aggressiveness of this Thibs team, the Bulls defense held up well in this first real test. The Knicks have been a top-5 offense to start the season and have averaged the 3rd-most points per game. Chicago held them to only 104 points, which tied for their season-low through the first five games. The Bulls also won the turnover battle 13-7, and it was this scrappy defensive effort that helped this closing lineup go on a 12-0 run over the final 2:13 of play.
• One thing that has to improve over this upcoming gauntlet schedule is the Bulls halfcourt offense. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Bulls’ halfcourt offense currently ranks 18th in points per 100 plays, whereas their transition offense has been 2nd-best in the league. Considering their personnel, this team is always going to thrive when they get in the fastbreak and push the pace, but there is still enough offensive talent where halfcourt sets should not be a long-term problem. The team has a ton of new pieces and it’s going to take longer than five games to get comfortable, but I hope something clicks soon.
We’re still building. Still trying to get our rhythm,. Still trying to understand where our shot is going to come from. We have lapses where sometimes we’re rushing, we’re kind of forcing a little bit. That’s expected, it’s going to come with time. There is going to be that game where we all catch our rhythm.
• I’m worried about Patrick Williams, folks. The fact he had to exit yesterday’s game is not a good sign. And, after the game, the team failed to give much more of an update than a “sprained” left wrist. My gut tells me he is going to miss tomorrow’s game, but we’ll see.
Patrick Williams Left Tonight’s Game with a Wrist Injuryhttps://t.co/EDCyRM8PaA pic.twitter.com/95YIQeA3Rc
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) October 29, 2021
• Joakim Noah got all the love.
Chicago loves you, @JoakimNoah. pic.twitter.com/m08pEQiaAR
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 29, 2021
• This play was incredible, by the way.
THIS IS CHICAGO BULLS BASKETBALL.
(🎥 @chicagobulls)
pic.twitter.com/2alrL7davi— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) October 29, 2021
• Got to love a determined rookie.
Justin Fields said he was planning on having Zoom meetings with receivers to help get everyone on the same page. That's what leadership looks like. https://t.co/gt4rMQ5ooV pic.twitter.com/sZcIQCzy8Y
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) October 29, 2021
• As they should.
The Blackhawks Asked the HOF to X-Out Aldrich’s Name on the Stanley Cuphttps://t.co/q4HcoLXKkl
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) October 29, 2021
