NEWSLETTER
Shoutout to Sir Patrick Flowers for taking over some BN Bulls duties yesterday. I had to skip the day due to some unfortunate circumstances, but I’m back on the saddle today and ready to act way too hyped about a victory over the stinky winky Pacers!
- When the Chicago Bulls’ offense gets in a rhythm, it looks as unstoppable as any in the league. Yes, I know last night’s season-high 124 points came against a tanking Indiana Pacers team, but that doesn’t necessarily make it any less impressive. Indiana is jam-packed with highly competitive youngsters, and I don’t think we can ever consider it easy to shoot 49.4 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from long range.
- The Bulls also dished a season-high 34 assists, as the ball bounced around the horn in the way that head coach Billy Donovan has preached. Ayo Dosunmu, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic all finished with at least four dimes, while Patrick Williams joined the four in scoring double-digit points for the first time this season.
- I’d be lying, though, if I said the Bulls dominated because of their starting five. As strongly as they played, it was the second unit that pushed this game completely out of reach for the Indiana Pacers. But that warrants its own discussion, so look out for a solo post on the Bulls’ bench mob later today.
- Instead, let’s circle back to the most contentious player on the roster: Patrick Williams. Every single game from “The Paw” this season had been a disappointment, but last night may have provided us with a small glimmer of hope. Head coach Billy Donovan made a noticeable move to get him involved from the jump. The former No. 4-overall pick found himself fading off the screen for a 3-point field goal, converting a fastbreak after poking the ball away, and confidently driving through the Pacers’ defense for an easy finish. He still only saw 15 minutes of action, which included zero 4th-quarter minutes, but I’d have to deem it an encouraging performance.
- The question now is whether Williams can build off his first aggressive showing of the year. Perhaps this performance helped show him how he can contribute alongside this starting group. Whether he’s scoring off a screen or attacking the rim after a kick out, he has to stay active and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves. Don’t defer. Don’t hesitate. Don’t park in the corner. The more he does that, the easier things will be for everyone.
- Javonte Green makes my head explode every single game.
- To be honest, I don’t know how Green would do in a dunk contest. I think he’s at his best when he’s in the flow of the game and breaking out in transition. Having said that, there is no question I would love to see him get the opportunity to show off his peak athleticism. He’s one of the more underrated athletes in the league, and I’m sure he’d bring a ton of energy to the event.
- The Chicago Bulls’ offensive explosion included plenty of 3-point makes. Not only did the team shoot a season-high 30 attempts, but they also knocked down a season-high 16. Zach LaVine led the way with a 6-8 performance, while Goran Dragic went a perfect 3-3 off the bench. Unfortunately, I don’t expect this highly efficient night to become a trend, but it was at least exciting to see.
- The Bulls might see a couple of first-round picks tomorrow …
- Rumor had it that Tony Freakin’ Bradley won a 3-point shooting contest after practice. I said I needed proof earlier this week, and I guess NBC Sports Chicago gave me just that:
- I had the DeMar DeRozan 20,000 points post all typed up and ready to go last night, but I guess it’ll have to wait for tomorrow.
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY. PLEASE WISH FOR A HEALTHY KNEE WHEN YOU BLOW OUT THE CANDLES!
- Ayo Dosunmu: Bears Expert.
- For a league that is trying to discourage tanking, this doesn’t necessarily seem like the smartest decision.
- Did they get back enough?
- Taking a page out of the DeMar DeRozan textbook … I like it!
