Why Does This Keep Happening? Still Needing a PG, NBA Attendance Record, and Other Bulls Bullets

Elias Schuster

Jan 12, 2023

I’m convinced that if you bet on the Chicago Bulls to lose to every below-.500 team from here on out, you will finish the regular season as a trillionaire.

Let’s get rich to heal the pain!

I want to say that this Bulls team never fails to disappoint … but can you really call something disappointing if it is also entirely predictable? The Bulls’ losing to lesser opponents is about the only thing they do consistently. As much as I wanted to believe that last night’s game against a Wizards team missing Bradley Beal, Kristaps Prozingis, and Daniel Gafford would be different for a recently hot Bulls team, deep down in my gut sat that vomit-inducing feeling of another rancid loss.

From silly fouls to careless defense to ill-timed turnovers, the Bulls did everything in their power to hand a depleted Wizards team that victory. They scored their fewest points since mid-December and their third-fewest all season long. And, look, I know it was the first game without DeMar DeRozan this year, but that’s still no excuse when we consider who DC had off the floor and what this Bulls team is trying to prove. Not to mention, isn’t this why you build a core of three “All-Stars?” The absence of one shouldn’t make that significant of a difference against a team like this.

Wizards cap off a 41-21 third quarter with a full court TD on a made free throw.

Bulls now trail 87-80 after leading by as many as 16 pic.twitter.com/f5aapJCGUR— Will Gottlieb (@Will_Gottlieb) January 12, 2023

What frustrated me more than anything was the final rebounding tally. The Wizards were missing their two tallest players and two of their top four rebounders. For a Chicago Bulls team to lose this battle 52-39 despite having a clear size advantage with Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond is laughable. To me, this is what underscores best just how embarrassingly outworked the Bulls were from the opening tip-off.

I seriously have no idea why this keeps happening. I know I’ve criticized the way this roster was built, but I don’t even think that’s the issue here. Regardless of the Bulls’ obvious flaws, there is no question they have had the talent advantage in a number of these losses. This just feels like a mental thing at this point. The team heads into these matchups overconfident and with a lack of care. They seem to believe that they don’t have to play at the level they do against the better teams in the East. But why? What have they proven? That they can get destroyed in the first round? You would think a couple of ugly losses would make them realize they are barely holding onto the final Play-In Tournament spot and thus every game matters. The fact they haven’t realized that is a major indictment of head coach Billy Donovan and the locker room leadership.

Speaking of which, Billy D sure sounded frustrated …

LIVE: Postgame Media Availability following tonight’s game against the Wizards https://t.co/WjnOM3INZZ
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 12, 2023

The absence of a true point guard remains frustratingly apparent. And I hate that I have to type that sentence every darn season. The Bulls had the right idea trying to feed Vucevic the ball last night, but they didn’t have the right personnel to do it effectively. I re-watched each of the team’s turnovers and four came on entry pass attempts to the big man. Another came on a bad bounce pass to Derrick Jones Jr. who had an open layup in transition and another on a pass Caruso had to make along the perimeter because he couldn’t find a way to get it into the paint to Vucevic. Woof.

If the Bulls do seek out “minor” moves at this season’s trade deadline, I could envision one of those being in the point guard department. I know that sounds a bit crazy when we consider how many guards are already on this roster, but it’s clear they still need a true facilitator. If Lonzo Ball isn’t planning on returning any time soon, filling that hole for a hopeful playoff run (and I really want to emphasize “hopeful”) feels like a necessity.

Tomorrow night the NBA is expected to break its attendance record …

NBA history: The San Antonio Spurs will set the league’s single-game attendance record Friday vs. Warriors at the Alamodome, selling 63,592 tickets to beat previous mark by Hawks-Bulls in 1998. pic.twitter.com/zT1aW5ESXM— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 12, 2023

You love to hear it!

Kevin Warren Could Become the Next Bears President “Before the End of the Week”https://t.co/UrWgUeZPFT pic.twitter.com/KYNfDbYX1I
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) January 11, 2023

You don’t love to hear it …

It looks like a no-go for 88 tonight but we might have another #Blackhawks forward back in the lineup… https://t.co/jdoboFZl29 pic.twitter.com/ZdghfbdamK— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 12, 2023

Yeah … def not a good idea.

Sounds Like the Cubs Could Be Done Adding Offense (But I'm Not Sure They Should Be)https://t.co/l77bLtB8sN pic.twitter.com/MZz64rwezx— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) January 11, 2023

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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