December 28, 2020: Still Searching

Another Bulls game on Sunday, another Bulls loss. This team that I was excited for, this team that I called playoffs for, have stumbled out of the gate at 0-3, still searching for that first W. What gives?

Well, first off, let’s start with the most recent loss against the Warriors. A quick check of the box score shows us some positive things. Lavine 33, Coby, Wendell, and Lauri with 20 points… the “big 4” came to play. Yet, we still lost? I should have saved the question “What gives?” for right now. It doesn’t make sense that these guys combine for 98 points in a loss. That should be a victory 10 out of 10 times. Well, let me just say that the offense isn’t the problem. Averaging 113 points a game should be enough to win.

The biggest problem in this young season is the defense. 124, 125, then 129; those are the point totals allowed thus far. There is no universe where this is acceptable. Why has the defense been so bad? Is it coaching? We can’t blame Boylen any more… or can we? Did he teach them so many bad habits that they need time to break them? Well, maybe, maybe not, but I do think they need some more time under their new coach Donovan; I expect improvement. Is it the talent on the floor? I’m sorry, I’m not buying this. Maybe the Bulls have enough talent to be a great team, most likely they don’t, but when it comes to defense, you’re talking about effort. There are average overall talent guys that can be great defenders. Am I saying the Bulls haven’t been putting forth the effort? I guess I am. I haven’t watched every minute of every game, and I certainly think the coaching needs to settle in for the guys, so this defensive scheme becomes second nature, but you gotta want it. How bad do the Bulls want their first victory? Show me on the defensive side of the ball.

I did like something at the end of the game on Sunday. No, not the blown 5 second call, and now we hear, the blown offensive foul on the Warriors in that last game winning segment of the game. It was the possession before. Zach Lavine is that guy to take that shot in that spot. Tie game, time ticking down… having the ball in his hands is OK with me. However, in the past, his decision making hasn’t been the greatest. Pulling up 3 feet behind the line, fading away against 2 defenders, forcing up the most difficult shot possible in the most important part of the game; it may work sometimes but is not a good formula for success. Well, Lavine took the ball to the hole, pulled up, and got a wide open, high success rate look; he nailed it. Yeah, what happened after sucked, but I will take the positive out of this one. It was nice to see Zach make a good decision at the end of the game.

Off to Washington now, for back to back games on Tuesday and Thursday. Let’s squeeze a win in before 2020 goes bye bye. And let’s play some DEFENSE!!! Go Bulls!