Bulls vs. Markkanen Tonight, Let’s Talk About Tanking, and Other Bulls Bullets

Elias Schuster

Nov 28, 2022

Chicago Bulls

The team that beat the Bucks and Celtics should have no problem against the Utah Jazz tonight.

The team that lost to the Magic and Thunder will have every single problem against the Jazz tonight.

Let’s see which quad shows up.

We're in the Salt Lake Valley tonight 🌄

8 pm CT | @NBCSChicago | @670TheScore pic.twitter.com/0ilux0exwx
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 28, 2022

I’m prepared to rock back and forth in the fetal position for approximately three hours if the Bulls lose to Lauri Markkanen tonight. As if things couldn’t seem more disheveled in Chicago, they now have to battle a former franchise centerpiece that has looked like easily one of the best players in the league this season. Markkanen has gone from nothing more than a glorified seven-foot shooter to a full-blown offensive juggernaut. He’s averaging 21.7 points per game – technically more than Zach LaVine – and shooting 52.1 percent from the field. He’s rebounding far better than ever before and getting to the free-throw line at a career rate. The guy is playing exactly like the player Chicago always hoped he could be, and he now has a chance to make that hurt even more.

That is, of course, if he actually suits up. Markkanen has yet to miss a game this season but is now considered questionable for tonight’s game with a knee injury.

Lauri Markkanen suffered a knee contusion last night against Phoenix when he collided with DeAndre Ayton in the second quarter. He is questionable for tomorrow night against the Chicago Bulls— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) November 27, 2022

I wrote more about Markkanen recently here …

Ok, We Have to Talk About Lauri Markkanen for a Minute

The good news is that Utah isn’t the same scalding hot team that started the season. The Jazz have dropped four in a row and have fallen to 12-10 on the year. They still hold the league’s 8th-best net rating, but they aren’t playing the same efficient two-way basketball that dropped jaws over the past several weeks. Instead, their defense now ranks just 23rd in the league, as opponents are shooting nearly 48.0 percent a night on this team. They’ve also been one of the league’s worst teams on the glass, allowing opponents to score the third-most 2nd-chance points per game.

So, all things considered, the Bulls actually feel like a somewhat decent matchup against this Jazz team. They have two high-level rebounders in Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond who can help keep possessions alive or get the ball out fast in transition. Not to mention, they have two high-level scorers who can attack a defense that has now allowed by far the most points in the paint per game this season.

Utah has the 8th-highest TOV% and allows the 2nd-most fastbreak points per game.

Losers of 4-straight, the Bulls have an opportunity to grab one against a reeling team. Starters have to come out engaged on D and ready to play uptempo. Make them uncomfortable from the start.— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) November 28, 2022

Of course, there’s also a chance the Bulls are in a position to win and then blow it again.

Last season, the Bulls often fell back a pretty simple formula when games went to the wire: get the ball to DeMar DeRozan.

But that isn't working the same this year. Took a look at what's different (and the same) as the Bulls fall to 1-8 in clutch games:https://t.co/eYGTbCdLcV— Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) November 28, 2022

If you want to be on the brink of tears about the current state of the Chicago Bulls, I recommend Michael Pina’s latest at The Ringer …

If any team in the NBA should be tanking, it’s the Bulls. Changes may be on the horizon, whether Chicago likes it or not. @MichaelVPina: https://t.co/NIwWNZzmuh— The Ringer (@ringer) November 28, 2022

Simply put, I don’t agree that the Bulls should tank. While I can’t deny that they are in one of the more concerning situations in the NBA – and I wrote about just that here – I’m not exactly ready to press the panic button. Not only do I have zero appetite for another full-blown rebuild after how brutal the past half-decade turned out to be, but I think the front office has put itself in a situation where they have to keep pushing. Tanking right now doesn’t guarantee you a lottery pick. Let’s not forget that this year’s first-rounder belongs to the Orlando Magic and is top-4 protected. Sure, there is a chance they end up with a top-4 pick in this highly-intriguing draft, but there is also a greater chance they walk away with nothing. How could you stomach that?

Additionally, you just invested max money in Zach LaVine. A course has been set for the Bulls, and Arturas Karnisovas has repeatedly made clear that winning will remain the priority. Now, could I see a world where this organization takes a step back to re-organize this roster? Absolutely. Maybe that’s trading Nikola Vucevic. Maybe that’s trading Patrick Williams. Maybe that’s even seeing what the market is for DeMar DeRozan. What I can’t see right now, however, is a complete and utter sell-off. I think the front office will try to fix the mess they put themselves into before they just wipe the slate clean.

This freakin’ sucks.

The ankle injury Darnell Mooney suffered during today's Bears loss against the Jets is probably a season-ending one that will require surgery.

More from our updated post from earlier: https://t.co/PJrRGrfJ03 pic.twitter.com/vLBKUDDcTf— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) November 28, 2022

Speaking of teams that probably should trade their vets …

Players Meeting, Kane Trade Talk Warming Up, Butts in Seats Watch, and Other #Blackhawks Bulletshttps://t.co/cRGaOCJG3R pic.twitter.com/KtPZCbrO5t
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) November 28, 2022

written by

Elias Schuster

Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.

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