Shoutout to my cuddly pups. She is about the only thing that keeps me sane while sitting in my apartment all day writing about this depressing Bulls team.
Extra treats today for Winnie!
If the Chicago Bulls walked into the 4th quarter of a game down more than two scores last season, I thought they had it in the bag. Not only was DeMar DeRozan playing like the most clutch player in the league, but the team as a whole finished the season with the sixth-best net rating in the final frame. While they were a new group, they seemingly understood how to close out games with the right mix of energy and execution. Fast forward to today, however, and things couldn’t be further from the truth.
Despite DeRozan sitting fourth in 4th quarter scoring, the Bulls have been an utter embarrassment in crunch-time situations this year. The team’s 3-11 record in clutch games so far (contests within 5 points with five minutes remaining) is comfortably the worst mark in the NBA. Yes, that means tanking teams like the Hornets and Magic have technically been better than the veteran Bulls at closing out games.
We need to look no further than last night’s missed opportunity as yet another painful example of the Bulls’ inability to operate down the stretch. While they were able to force OT with a couple of crucial defensive stops (thanks to Patrick Williams), New York went on to outscore Chicago 11-3 in that extra period despite having RJ Barrett foul out. After DeMar DeRozan scored the team’s only field goal of OT, this is what the Bulls did:
– LaVine traveled – Caruso fouled Brunson (121-119) – DeRozan missed a midrange jumper – Bulls forced a turnover – Vucevic missed corner 3 – Bulls fouled Randle (122-119) – Vucevic’s post-up attempt was blocked – Bulls allowed an OREB that led to a Grimes 3 (125-119) – Williams missed his own 3 – Brunson broke Caruso’s ankles for a 3 (128-119)
Woof. The post-up attempt from Vooch on an elite shot-blocker in Mitchell Robinson and the last-second mid-range heave from DeRozan felt especially frustrating. Not to mention, the fact that Zach LaVine couldn’t contribute a single field goal attempt over that stretch is just brutal. Again, this is a team that finished 25-16 in clutch games last year, which happened to be the third-best record in the entire league. The fact that there has been this significant a drop-off is extremely disturbing, especially when we consider that the whole point of continuity is to give yourself an advantage
Two other extremely annoying things about last night’s game: (1) The Knicks came into the night as the NBA’s worst 3-point shooting team. Of course, that means they walked out of the United Center with their second-most 3-point makes of the season on 52.9 percent shooting. (2) The Bulls shot 54.8 percent from the field against what has been the best defense in the league this month and lost. When crap like this is happening, you know things are seriously broken.
If the Bulls truly believe Lonzo Ball can come back and fix everything, they are tragically mistaken. Don’t get me wrong, Ball fills glaring holes on this roster. Not only is he an amazing 3-point shooter, but he’s the very player who ensures that this offense runs in a way that best suits the trio of scorers. With that said, the sheer fact that his availability is this important to the team’s success speaks to how poorly constructed this roster is. He shouldn’t be the Bulls’ only transition playmaker, 3-point shooter, and high-IQ decision-maker. Plus, putting this much weight on the shoulders of someone who hasn’t stayed healthy in years is straight-up reckless.
The Bulls can’t work under the assumption that Ball will come back this season, nor under the assumption that he’ll ever come back the same. The longer they do that, the deeper they dig themselves into a hole.
Here’s a little feel-good story on the opposite of a feel-good day:
A reflective Derrick Rose contemplated his basketball mortality and tenure with the Bulls Wednesday evening:
"In hindsight, you always wish you had cherished things a little bit more. I wish I had danced a little bit."@KCJHoop has more:https://t.co/QozrKu3Bt5— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) December 15, 2022
That face looks about right.
Dying at Ty Lue's reaction to Kyle Anderson hitting him in the balls with a pass pic.twitter.com/LbTJL3gwbU
— CJ Fogler AKA Perc70 #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) December 15, 2022
He probably would’ve done this like 10 times against the Bulls.
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.
The new face of the Chicago Sky franchise officially arrived on Wednesday. Angel Reese met with media members at the Sachs Recreation Center in Deerfield. The former LSU standout and NCAA National Champion is only nine days removed from hearing...
While the NBA offseason will not officially start until June, it still can't hurt to familiarize ourselves with the Chicago Bulls' summer outlook. The organization finds itself at quite the crossroads, and it's not only because they disappointed fans with...
Good morning to everyone except those who voted Tyrese Maxey first for the NBA's Most Improved Player. https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/2024/04/23/coby-white-snubbed-mip-23/ As I clarified in our Coby White snubbed post, I have absolutely nothing against Tyrese Maxey. He's an outstanding player with a...
Coby White will not be taking home any hardware after his breakout season. The Chicago Bulls guard was in the running for the NBA's Most Improved Player award this season, finishing as one of three finalists for the honor. However,...
Changes are already underway for the Chicago Bulls According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Bulls coaching staff is due for a shuffle. HOF player and long-time coach Maurice Cheeks is reportedly leaving his position as a full-time member of...
The 2024 NBA Draft is fast approaching! We're just about two months away from the NBA's premier offseason event. While we don't quite know the order of the teams selecting yet, we're starting to get commitments on who will be...
Nikola Jokic's brothers are in some hot water. During Game 2 of the first-round series between the Nuggets and Lakers, Jokic's brothers could be seen forcefully climbing down a row of seats to confront a fellow fan. A video posted...
After watching the Knicks hit back-to-back 3-pointers to steal the lead and Jamal Murray nail a nasty game-winning mid-range buzzer-beater, I was reminded of how special playoff basketball can be. Of course, I was also reminded of how we haven't...
In case you were sleeping - which let's be honest a lot of us probably were - Jamal Murray hit an awesome buzzer-beater to give the Nuggets a 101-99 Game 2 win over the Lakers. Murray's game-winner was the icing...
The New York Knicks just took a 2-0 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers in a sequence you'll just have to see to believe. With roughly 30 seconds left on the clock down 101-96, the Knicks looked destined to walk out...
The Seattle Mariners (12-11), with Luis Castillo on the hill, visit the Texas Rangers (12-12) who will counter with Andrew Heaney, at 2:35 PM ET on Thursday.Find out how to watch the Seattle-Texas matchup below.When is Mariners vs. Rangers and...
On Thursday at 3:10 PM ET, Fernando Tatis Jr. and the San Diego Padres (13-13) face Ryan McMahon and the Colorado Rockies (6-18) at Coors Field.If you're trying to watch this game, keep reading for streaming and TV options for...
The desert heat is rising in Las Vegas, and so are the expectations for the Raiders. The 2024 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, and the Silver and Black hold the 13th overall pick. Will they prioritize shoring up the offensive...
The Minnesota Twins (9-13), led by Ryan Jeffers and going for a series sweep, host Gavin Sheets and the Chicago White Sox (3-20) at 1:10 PM ET on Thursday.Keep reading to see how to watch the Minnesota-Chicago matchup in the...
On Thursday, looking for a series sweep, Michael Busch and the Chicago Cubs (14-9) play the Houston Astros (7-17), with first pitch scheduled for 2:20 PM ET at Wrigley Field.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to...
Cole Ragans will take the mound for the Kansas City Royals (14-10) when they host starting pitcher Jose Berrios and the Toronto Blue Jays (13-11) in a rubber match on Thursday, with first pitch at 2:10 PM ET.Find out how...
Juan Soto and the New York Yankees (16-8) host Abraham Toro and the Oakland Athletics (9-15) on Thursday in a rubber match, with first pitch at 7:05 PM ET.Find out how to watch the New York-Oakland matchup below.When is Yankees...
For the second straight night, the Cubs are jumping all over the Astros in the first inning. After a couple hits from Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ to get things going, Michael Busch hit a sac fly, Christopher Morel walked,...
Alec Bohm and the Philadelphia Phillies (15-9) visit Elly De La Cruz and the Cincinnati Reds (13-10) on Thursday in a rubber match, with first pitch at 1:10 PM ET.Keep reading to find out all the details on how to...
The Milwaukee Brewers (14-8), led by William Contreras, visit Connor Joe and the Pittsburgh Pirates (13-11) at 12:35 PM ET on Thursday.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch Milwaukee take on Pittsburgh live.When is Brewers...
NEWSLETTER
