NEWSLETTER
In several ways, the Bulls and Pacers were doing the Spider-Man meme on Friday night.
They are two of the highest PACE teams in the league and rely heavily on their versatile scoring ability. The game ended up being the shootout many expected, as both squads drained at least 18 shots from downtown and dished 33 assists. With that in mind, the matchup came down to which atrocious bottom 10 defense could look … well … the least atrocious.
Indiana won that battle.
- The shot-blocking prowess of Myles Turner and the length of Pascal Siakam proved to be enough of an edge for Indiana. They helped hold the Bulls to just 47.4 percent shooting from the field. I know that may still sound like a solid shooting night, but the Bulls came into the evening as the No. 1 offense in the league over the last seven games. They shot 53.1 percent over that stretch! The second quarter, in particular, proved to be a back-breaker for Chicago. They shot only 8-23 from the field in the frame, and Indiana ended up outscoring them 36-19. While the Bulls were able to find their groove again in the second half, the cushion was enough for the Pacers’ creative offense to keep them at arm’s length.
- Once again, the Bulls lost the points in the paint battle 56-42. While the Pacers were a remarkably efficient 18-29 from long range, it was their ability to consistently create easy looks inside that won them the game. Whether it was straight line drives or wide-open cutting lanes, this Bulls defense looked lost and slow. Billy Donovan didn’t hesitate to call out his squad after the game.
“The biggest difference for us at this point is teams are taking a lot more shots than we are per game and they are generating more layups than we are per game,” Billy Donovan told Bulls dot com. “We have got to find ways to eliminate the straight (wide open HOV lane) layups; those plays kill you. We are not going to be perfect. There are going to be breakdowns and mistakes, but eventually we are going to have to do it in the course of the game.
- Lonzo Ball also expressed frustration with the Bulls’ lackluster defensive effort. He was one of only three players on the team to finish with a positive plus-minus last night, and the only player from the second unit. When the guy who missed two-plus years with a concerning knee injury is one of your best defenders, that’s a major problem!
- So what can the Bulls do to fix things? Find new players! As we’ve talked about before, this roster isn’t built to be productive on the defensive side of the ball. Is effort a factor? Absolutely. The Bulls act like they’re playing for the next offensive possession a lot of time. However, personnel matters the most. Chicago lacks length in the backcourt and verticality in the frontcourt. Do young guys like Matas Buzelis, Julian Phillips, and Dalen Terry have the potential to become solid two-way contributors? Yes, but they’re still in the very early stages of their development. At the end of the day, when you a trio of Zach LaVine, Coby White, and Josh Giddey standing in front of Nikola Vucevic … you just can’t expect to get the necessary stops.
- MASKED MATAS FOREVER! The forward suited up in a black mask on Friday night due to his nasal contusion suffered on Thursday night. He struggled with a 2-7 shooting night from the field, but he still hit a pair of threes and recorded a couple of impressive blocks. Enjoy the swats:
- Both blocks display such great timing on Buzelis’ part. Technically, he doesn’t have the craziest wingspan compared to his height, but he still knows how to use his wide frame and time his contests. The block on Haliburton is especially impressive! He moves his feet really well and completely closes off the paint. During a porous defensive night, his potential stood out even more.
- By the way, Buzelis’ nose injury is because of friendly fire. Zach LaVine hit him in the face by accident against the Spurs. According to K.C. Johnson, the two-time All-Star thought about making it up to the rookie with a bottle of wine. Then, LaVine remember that would be illegal!
- Did you see Julian Phillips’ poster? You should …
- ICYMI: The Warriors want a star … and the Bulls have two!
- The Chicago Blackhawks coaching search begins, so Tab is taking a closer look at who should be considered for the big-time opening.
- The Bears will lean on a new defensive play-caller with Matt Eberflus out the door. Learn more about what Eric Washington wants to bring to the table.
- A little update on Dansby Swanson’s health.
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