The Chicago Bulls may not have added a “W” to the win column Saturday night, but they added a “C!”
- Competitive was the word of the day on Thursday. Arturas Karnisovas stressed countless times that he believes his 25-28 team has competed at a high level this season, which I have to assume means he was satisfied with Saturday night’s outcome. The two teams went toe-to-toe all night long, ultimately forcing the Bulls to play their second OT game in three contests. Chicago has now appeared in a league-leading eight OT battles and has played the fourth-most clutch games (29). You can’t get much more competitive than that, folks!
- Unfortunately, as has become a trend in recent matchups, the Magic were able to walk away victorious. What was a strong third quarter from the Bulls – where DeMar DeRozan scored 10 points and the team shot 5-8 from downtown – turned into a crunch-time mess. The Bulls would go on to shoot just 9-30 from the field between the fourth quarter and OT. The Magic would go on to outscore them 34-22 over the final 17 minutes of actions, highlighting why they have held a comfortable cushion over Chicago in the standings all year long.
- If the Bulls want to take even a single degree of heat off their front office, it starts with winning games like this one. Not only were they in the driver’s seat heading into the final frame, but they also had an opportunity to cut into the Magic’s 3.0 game lead in the East. Not to mention, let’s be honest, playing the Magic just means more now. Orlando absolutely fleeced Chicago in the Nikola Vucevic trade, using that deal to spearhead a rebuild that now has them positioned to be the far more legitimate playoff threat. At the very least, you’d love to see the Bulls control this matchup, but they’re now 4-7 against the organization since that trade. And they’re 0-3 this season.
- I do give Nikola Vucevic credit for his 26 points and 17 rebounds. The effort he gave on the offensive glass was particularly important, as the Magic have ranked 6th in second-chance points and 7th in OREB% this season. Vucevic grabbed 9 OREBs to help offset any concerns in that department, leading to a 20-11 advantage in second-chance points by the time the buzzer sounded. Still, even with a motivated outing from their former big man, the Magic painfully reminded us they were right to trade him. Franz Wagner – who they selected with Chicago’s No. 8 pick – embarrassed the Bulls from the opening tip. He finished the night with 36 points on 15-22 shooting from the field. The 22-year-old used his blend of size and craftiness to attack nearly every Bull on the court. They looked helpless.
- The Bulls’ depth is also becoming a major problem. Relying on both Julian Phillips and Dalen Terry, the bench was outscored 35-12. If Drummond isn’t feasting, it has proven extremely difficult for Chicago to find consistent offense in the second unit. This is a big reason why we’ve seen some heavy minutes for both Coby White and DeMar DeRozan. I’m pretty sure the goal was to have Jevon Carter aid in this department, especially with his career 38.8 percent 3-point shot. But the veteran has never looked comfortable on the floor this season and is now registering DNPs.
- Seriously, what the heck happened with Carter? He appeared in 81 games for the Bucks last season averaging 8.0 points with a 42.1 percent clip from downtown. He also registered 11 games with over 15+ points, including a 36-point, 12-assist display against OKC. In other words, we’ve seen him get hot from time to time and string together his fair share of high-impact games. This season he’s scored over 15 points just once and is shooting 37.0 percent from the field.
- Considering these major question marks regarding the team’s depth, we better prepare ourselves for a third-straight buyout signing. The list of potential candidates is long this season, and I have to admit there are some pretty intriguing names. While the best options will surely head to the contenders, the Bulls can at least dangle their Play-In Tournament positioning in front of certain names. I’ll go over the least of the most intriguing prospects tomorrow, but my eye will surely be on shooting.
- One name I will mention now, however, is Thaddeus Young. I’d prefer to see him go to a winner at this point in his career, but I do think there is a world where he can help this Bulls team. While he may not provide the shooting this roster still needs, his defensive versatility and high-IQ decision-making could fit right in. He also has some experience playing next to Vucevic, as well as plenty of experience playing small-ball five for Billy Donovan.
- As it should!
- I’M SO READY TO EAT TOO MUCH!