The repeated defensive shortcomings and ongoing slide in the conference standings paint a dire picture for the Bulls. Yet, these problems have existed for the better part of the season, and Chicago has failed to scheme accordingly. Alex Caruso, who has demonstrated his quality as a clear defensive standout, left Nickeil Alexander-Walker wide open for an open corner three-pointer on an inbounds play because he was too busy complaining to officials.Īt some point, the Bulls have to make adjustments. Some possessions showed downright laziness. The Bulls could not recover or figure out their rotations, contributing to numerous open looks from the perimeter. Nikola Vucevic began to hedge too long on pick-and-roll, and the Jazz responded by finding short rolls and sparking ball movement. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago) that the inability to stop Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson from steamrolling to the bucket contributed to bad trapping and poor rotations.
Billy Donovan said after the game (h/t K.C. Gobert repeatedly sealed on-ball defenders as the screener, allowing Conley to get into the paint at will and forcing help defenders to cut off drives, which then led to numerous open three-point attempts.ĭribble drives also proved problematic. The Bulls could not slow the Mike Conley-Rudy Gobert pick-and-roll. Still, the continued collapse in the fourth quarter highlighted persistent problems in Chicago’s defensive scheme. He showed little hesitation off the dribble and got into a nice groove. Johnson March 17, 2022Īs previously noted, the Bulls could not have prevented some of Donovan Mitchell’s triples. Said that led to trapping and poor rotations for open 3-point shots or fouls.- K.C. Chicago plagued by the same defensive shortcomingsĭonovan rightly pointed out Bulls' inability to control dribble penetration, particularly from Clarkson and Mitchell. Utah put the game to bed with a 14-0 run of its own. But the Bulls forgot how to get stops, let alone string them together. Spida ignited the Jazz out of the break, and the Bulls could not contain Utah in the final period.Ĭhicago appeared ready to make things tight after a 15-6 run cut the Jazz’s lead to just four points. Too often, however, Chicago gave him just enough space to get his jumper off, typically getting caught between playing drop coverage and hedging on screens. To his credit, the Bulls contested a couple of those triples. Mitchell went 7-of-9 from deep for the quarter.
Most of them came from a red-hot Donovan Mitchell, who got in quite the rhythm from beyond the arc. However, the defensive effort slowly began to wane in the third quarter.Īlthough Chicago forced five more turnovers in the third period, Utah scored 35 points. Chicago forced nine turnovers, many of which led to fast-break points. Here is the full 17-man Bulls roster for the 2021-22 season.Despite shooting 40% from the floor in the first half, the Bulls hung tight with the Jazz. LaVine averaged a career-high 27.4 points per game last campaign, good for seventh in the league. The Bulls are led by Zach LaVine, who is coming off his first year as an NBA All-Star. In a preseason survey of NBA general managers, the Bulls were voted the most improved team in the league, and Ball was voted as one of the most underrated offseason acquisitions. The Bulls had a busy offseason, welcoming veterans DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball, along with former Lakers guard Alex Caruso to the roster. 20, and a new-look roster is expected to contend for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference this season. A new season of Chicago Bulls basketball begins on Wednesday, Oct.
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