Sluggish Bulls Lose Badly to Pacers

As I said in my last post, the NBA is super random this year & the unexpected tends to happen. Seeing the Chicago Bulls get slaughtered by an average team was something I did not want to see on a fine Monday evening. I’ll be very honest; I did not have it in me to watch the entire game. The Bulls just came out really slow but that was something expected since that was their fifth game in seven days—just absurd. It involved a lot of traveling therefore had a greater impact than anyone anticipated. The Chicago Bulls small ball lineup struggled against the much larger Indiana Pacers team. Myles Turner was practically everywhere & Sabonis owned the paint; they played a zone defense & no adjustments were made. Missing Alex Caruso due to a wrist contusion was definitely noticed & the zone defense will continue to be used until Vooch returns. I guess you just can’t win them all.

The game immediately started off bad; the Bulls definitely looked sluggish, had turnovers & couldn’t rebound. The zone defense hurt them terribly & they couldn’t figure it out. Coach Billy Donovan started Coby White to see if he could continue his momentum from the New York game but Coby couldn’t get going. The Bulls got no offense going & had scored only nine points with less than three minutes left in the first quarter & that’s when I realized the game was not going to be good. Pacers went on multiple runs while the Bulls continued to have empty possessions. Seeing that the Bulls called up a couple players from the Windy City Bulls, I expected them to be used to provide some extra energy but that did not happen. To exploit the zone, Coach Donovan should have used the rookie Marko Simonović, who can shoot at all three levels. That did not happen. The second quarter there was some hope showed with a slight increase in activity & energy along with DeMar doing DeMar things. They proceeded to go on a run & cut the lead down to 11—only to let the Pacers go on their own run. The defensive rotations looked extremely slow & the players were struggling to get around screens. I do expect the physical impact from the New York game played a part. The third & fourth quarter was more of the same; it was truly unfortunate to see practically no adjustments made or different lineups tried. Billy Donovan generally has a good game plan & he might’ve but I’ve had an issue with his in-game rotations & adjustments from the day he was hired. This is one more game I blame on the coach.

Look, you can’t win them all. It just sucks to lose a game that they easily could’ve won. The Warriors game hurt less than this. We do move on though & take on the league-worst Houston Rockets tonight. They have won only one game this season & it is the best possible bounce back opportunity a team can have. They don’t have any crazy start talent & their new coach Stephen Silas hasn’t proven anything yet. They do have young talent in the explosive rookie Jalen Green, an explosive guard in Kevin Porter Jr & a talented three-level scoring big man in Christian Wood. Both Vooch & Caruso should be available for tonight & hopefully Vooch can use this game to get his groove back. In bounce back games, LaVine & DeRozan end up having great games so that is something that should happen. Expect the Chicago Bulls to bounce back & leave the city of Houston with a solid win.

BING BONG

The last time the Chicago Bulls played the New York Knicks, it was quite the ugly game due to physical basketball & abysmal officiating—the exact same thing happened last night. Listen, I really like this new age of basketball with the physical & tough defense plus stricter foul drawing rules but the NBA officials still have to recognize when a foul is a foul. New York has a history of rugged & tough basketball, especially against the Chicago Bulls but the referees need to recognize when it goes a little overboard. I’ll talk more about the officiating throughout the post. It was good to see the Bulls get over the awful officiating & continue their style of basketball. Chicago continuously drove the basketball & scored a lot in the paint. They also returned some of the favor by playing their brand of physical defense led by Lonzo Ball & Alex Caruso. DeMar & Caruso were absolutely essential in the win but the player that impacted that game the most was Coby White; it was great to see Coby get going & start to go back to his old self. Hitting some crucial shots down the stretch followed by the closing by of DeMar led to a breath holding win against a struggling New York Knicks team.

The Chicago Bulls popped off in the first quarter with great energy & early activity. This caused for a 11-4 run in the beginning of the quarter & them taking control of the game early. Tony Bradley looked significantly better off the PnR & provided a spark that isn’t very common. The Bulls were in attack mode the whole time, not settling for jumpers conducted by Zach LaVine. Zo & Caruso played impressive defense on Randle by timing the double team perfectly & forcing him to make tough passes or shots but eventually Randle did get going to help the Knicks jump out to an 8-0 run. The run was also helped by the careless basketball we often see from the Bulls. Nerlens Noel picked up three quick fouls which put the Knicks in a tricky situation since they were already without Taj Gibson & Mitchell Robinson while Javonte Green picked up three fouls too. The Bulls then went on a field goal drought ending the quarter up five points. The Bulls got out of their offensive slump quickly by starting the second quarter with great ball movement & hitting shots. Coby & Ayo came in to help provide a spark with Ayo leading the way with just exceptional defense & energy; Ayo hit a couple shots & forced an asinine turnover by the Knicks—his confidence is his best tool. Coach Thibs decided to do his “blitz” defense he’s known for forcing DeMar & Zach to take tough shots or make difficult passes—a defensive schemes the Bulls still haven’t found an answer to. The Knicks bench did the rest by providing energy that the starters lacked, something that Thibs has been vocal about. Then the officiating just became brutal starting with back-to-back technical fouls being called on Alex Caruso & DeMar DeRozan; the technical fouls came due to the officiating discrepancy. DeMar & Zach were both being hit on practically every drive but the fouls weren’t being called. Although the Bulls had more points in the pain, the Knicks had 12 free throw attempts compared to the Bulls 3 free throw attempts. Seemed like the Bulls players needed to get sniped in the head in order to get a foul call but the Bulls managed to hold on to their lead ending the first half up 51-45.

The Bulls came out slow in the third quarter, it looked like a mental thing to me. Similar to how Jordan & the Bulls were getting frustrated by the Bad Boy Pistons, LaVine & the Bulls looked frustrated by the Knicks & officiating. The players continued to struggle with the physical play while Randle actually found his groove. Randle led a surge of scoring and the Knicks went on a 13-3 run to take a one-point lead with about six & a half minutes left to play. The Knicks continued to attack the Bulls & get to the foul line; Zo, Caruso & Green all ended up with 4 fouls by the end of the quarter. The Knicks bench continued to provide unlimited energy and this was without Derrick Rose playing in the third. The offense for the Bulls became stagnant & sloppy as the New York Knicks ended the quarter up 74-72. Then Coby White came to life. The quarter started with back-to-back threes by Coby & DJJ, providing the exact spark the Bulls needed. Seeing Coby hit a shot made everyone on the team super excited & Coby himself expressed emotion. Energy began flowing throughout the team & the United Center led by Alex Caruso being practically everywhere on the floor. Coby hit a couple more threes & DeRozan got to his spots to help supplement a rough shooting night by Zach LaVine. The Chicago Bulls showed once again why they’re one of the best fourth quarter team, if not the best, by outscoring the Knicks 37-29 in the final frame. DeRozan & LaVine also continued their phenomenal fourth quarter play by dropping eight & ten, respectively. This would make it the 12th time in 17 games that the duo would eclipse 20 points on the same night. The Bulls finish off the game strong & win 109-103.

The Chicago Bulls continue to show they are a team with tenacity & toughness with this rugged win. Despite a frustrating night & poor shooting, they remained calm & composed to seal a win. The Chicago Bulls go on to face the Indiana Pacers tonight in a back-to-back game; usually in a back-to-back game, the starters would like more help from the bench & hopefully they can tonight. It was good to see Coby get back in his groove since he’s a vital part of the scoring aspect of the bench. Let’s hope to see some more of the Coby we’re used to seeing. Another night without Vooch, the Bulls will have to go up against Myles Turner, one of the best shot blocking big men in the league and also have their hands full with an all-star in Domantas Sabonis. Chris Duarte, their rookie, is also playing great basketball & will provide a tough matchup. Facing a middle of the pack team, the Bulls should be able to come out of this one with a win but the NBA this year has been quite the show.

LaVine Rises in the Mile High

If you want to be a good, successful team in the NBA, it is crucial for you to win games that should be won—exactly what the Chicago Bulls did on Friday night. With last minute news that the Denver Nuggets will be without the reigning MVP, Nikola Jokić, I anticipated it to be a relatively easy win. With the Denver Nuggets strong home court advantage (due to the elevation), teams tend to struggle out in the mile high. Chicago hadn’t won in Denver since 2006 & finally ended that terrible streak. This by no means was an easy win as the well-coached Nuggets stuck around majority of the game led by Will Barton & Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets were also on their second leg of a back-to-back game, an advantage for the Bulls, who had played on Wednesday night. I thought the Bulls would come out roaring but that wasn’t the case; although they did show some spurt of energy in the beginning of the third. The game was in Denver but as coach Mike Malone said, “I wasn't sure if we were at United Center or Ball Arena” & other Bulls players had tweeted about the arena booming with Bulls fans booming with Bulls fans & red colors everywhere. LaVine & The Bulls had to fight their way through this one but it was good to see a bounce back game after the devastating loss against Portland.

The Bulls were going to be matched up well against the Jokić-less Nuggets with Jeff Green starting at the five. Aaron Gordon came out on fire giving the Bulls a smooth 10 points in a variety of ways, as he did so all night. The Nuggets did get out to a 10-point lead about halfway through the first quarter as the Bulls seemed to struggle a little defensively but the Bulls stuck around with Lavine scoring 10 points ending the first quarter tied up. The Bulls took advantage of the pick & roll as Denver seemed to have no answer for the athleticism provided by Derrick Jones Jr. The Nuggets also switched between a 2-3 zone & man-to-man defense while the Bulls often took advantage of the zone. Ayo & Javonte came off the bench & provided immense energy, something we’ve become accustomed to. It was a back & forth first half with Zach & DJJ leading their team to a one-point first half lead.

The team came out with meaning in the third quarter starting it with a quick 8-0 run—helping control the remainder of the game. DeMar & Zach were getting to their spots & hitting their shots as the Bulls were just cruising throughout the third quarter. Caruso & Green also did their things, things that aren’t seen on a stat sheet; a lot of hustle plays & excellent defense leading to easy points. The highlight of the third quarter was the show the Bulls were putting on; with a dunk seemingly on every possession, the arena sounded deafening. Zach had a couple nice dunks & a blow by layup for an and-one along with DJJ having an absolute highlight of a dunk off a pick & roll, where he looked like he was just levitating. The energy was there for the Bulls & the crowd was definitely a catalyst. Although the Bulls did seem to have control of the game, Denver just hung around starting with a 6-0 run at the start of the fourth quarter. Aaron Gordon continued to make tough shots & Will Barton helped as well. Once it seemed like the lead was beginning to slip, Zach LaVine took over. It was exciting to see since most of the season DeMar has been the main guy in the fourth while Zach aided—this time it was the other way around. Zach just ascended to a different level hitting tough jumpers, deep threes & tough buckets inside the paint—an absolute scoring clinic. This could not have happened without the unlimited energy provided by Javonte Green, who has continued to play beyond his size. DeMar got to the line eight times as well in the fourth, giving him 8 points in the quarter; the Chicago Bulls were 24-24 from the charity stripe, exhibiting their physical play. Zach scored 12 of his 36 points in the quarter & the best duo in the NBA combined for 20 of the teams 26 fourth quarter points.

The Chicago Bulls put on a show but it still wasn’t a great win. The win should’ve been easier considering the Nuggets were without three of their star players, but a win is a win. It’s great to see Bulls fans throughout the country & the strong comradery of the Bulls team. They faced adversity head on without their starting center & having to adjust to different lineups & rotations, completing their west coast trip with a 3-2 record. The Chicago Bulls head back home to the United Center to take on the New York Knicks tonight—a much anticipated rematch from their game earlier this season. I expect the Bulls to continue their excellent play & have a sort of revenge tonight. Another game without Vooch, the Bulls will struggle with the size of the New York Knicks but the small ball lineup has been effective throughout the west coast trip. Expect the Knicks to play tough, physical defense to disrupt the Bulls high-paced offense. The Knicks have been playing pretty poor, especially their starting lineup as Thibs has been very critical of their play. Hopefully the Bulls can take advantage of this & continue to build off their momentum.

A Breakdown by the Bulls

The losses that hurt the most are the ones that you brought upon yourself. When you blow a twenty-point lead, it hurts way more than just a regular loss. The first half of the game was thriller & enjoyable to watch but the second half was just ugly & difficult to watch. The Bulls got out quick & played both great offense & defense until they kind of just slowed down. Allowing the Trailblazers to go on multiple runs led to a blown lead & most importantly—a loss. Winning the games that can be won is a very important part of your season, especially when you’re missing a couple of starters. These things happen though as we’ve seen the Los Angeles Lakers blow double digit leads to the Oklahoma City Thunder couple times this season but, winning teams generally don’t let this happen. It was a tough loss & even with a few moments left the game could’ve been ours but some things just aren’t meant to happen. Coach Billy Donovan, in my opinion, did not call a great game but the players should’ve been better in the second half. The Chicago Bulls are still on a learning curve & this can only make them better & give them a source of teaching for the future.

The Chicago Bulls came out hot in the first quarter with Zach hitting a three & Zo hitting a couple threes. They then quickly got out to a 14-2 run really early & continued their excellent play. Their defensive rotations looked almost flawless with deflections everywhere & a few offensive rebounds by Caruso. They really slowed down both Dame & CJ, forcing others on the team to make shots. Up seven at the end of the first quarter, things were looking really smooth. Then the head coach of the Trailblazers, Chauncey Billups, changed up the defensive scheme to a zone—something the Bulls have struggled with since the exit of Vooch. This stopped DeMar from getting to his sweet spots & forcing others on the team to play plays & hit shots. The Chicago Bulls, as an issue I’ve mentioned many times, got sloppy & didn’t keep up the intensity resulting in the Blazers to stick around. DJJ caught 4 quick fouls impacting the game more than anticipated. The small lineup returned & gave the Bulls the advantage to get their hands in the passing lanes & get out quick in transition. Norman Powell got going a little bit for the Blazers but the Bulls continued to play tough defense on Dame & CJ causing them to be up 15 at the half.

Then came the absolute breakdown of the Bulls in the second half. With very sloppy play & turnovers followed by the inability to rebound the basketball, the Blazers went on a small run to cut the lead to nine points. The Blazers got really aggressive on offensive, sending them to the free throw line quite a bit. This slowed down the pace for the Bulls, who like to play quick basketball & get easy transition points. The halfcourt offense for the Bulls then came to a strange stop & giving up 10 turnovers gave the Blazers the opportunity to go on a 13-3 run to make the lead 4 at the end of the third. If you think it couldn’t get any worse, you were wrong. This is where I thought Billy Donovan didn’t make the right adjustments, Zach & Caruso seemed to be on the bench a little longer than they probably should’ve & the offensive scheme just didn’t work. The Bulls continued to play sloppy by forcing shots & passes that just weren’t there; they couldn’t buy any buckets & Dame could by hitting a big three to tie the game up with seven & a half left to play. CJ then got going a little as well hitting some shots resulting in a crazy turn of events—Blazers taking the lead. The Bulls continued to struggle but Zach hit a three immediately followed by a terrible technical foul being called on him; Zach was appearing to show frustration regarding a no call on the possession before. I’ve had this issue with Zach this season where he argues calls, although many times he does get fouled. Zo stopped the bleeding late in the fourth with a couple blow by layup followed by Zach’s great defense on CJ that led to a shot clock violation. With the Bulls struggling to get shots off, both Zach & DeMar seemed to be forcing bad shots; Zach & DeMar are no doubt shot makers but they have to be aware of the game situation. Caruso had a huge offensive rebound & passed it to Zach, who had a clutch layup. The Bulls had a chance to the tie the game with Zach having a wide-open three with 6.5 seconds left but he missed—a shot Zach himself said he was surprised he missed.

As I said before, this game wasn’t out of reach, not even at the end. Just a complete breakdown by the Bulls. Great teams know how to put the game away & this is something that the new look Bulls will have to learn. This game was extremely reminiscent of games we’d see from the Bulls last year—which is not a good thing. I don’t anticipate this to be a continuous issue especially since Vooch will be back soon which won’t allow other teams to trap either Zach or DeMar. Their west coast trip record comes to 2-2 with a matchup against the Denver Nuggets, who are 10-4, tonight. We hope that the Bulls come out on top & finish their road trip with a record of 3-2. With Jokic playing at an MVP level & the Bulls struggling at the center position, by no means is this going to be an easy game. Jokic leads the NBA in PER, player efficiency rating, even without Michael Porter Jr & Jamal Murray. With the recent news of Jokic being questionable & Mike Malone not coaching tonight, this is a game that can be snagged. Let’s hope the Bulls can come out with some offensive & defensive tenacity to slow down Jokic & the Nuggets. Let’s try to keep the pedal to the metal this game, Chicago Bulls.

Showtime Bulls in HoLLywood

The Chicago Bulls showed the Los Angeles Lakers what showtime actually is. My goodness, what a game, right? If you didn’t watch this game, I feel sorry for you. Go watch the entire game, not just the highlights but the whole freaking game. It was a lot of fun to watch the Bulls but even more exciting to see the Lakers struggle; sure, they’re playing without LeBron James & a handful of role players but the Bulls are also playing without their starting power forward & center. It was a frustrating night for the Lakers, specifically for Anthony Davis, who eventually was ejected towards the end of the third quarter. Coach Billy Donovan once again went to his smaller lineup with Alex Caruso at the four; the small ball lineup is now 2-0 & is actually working extremely well, even better when Derrick Jones Jr is at the five. They get scrappy on defense with their double teams & deflections with those leading to instant transition points. The small ball lineup may be small but their quickness & grit makeup for the lack in size. The Lakers came out slower than the Bulls, which simply shouldn’t happen considering that the Bulls had played the night before.

I’ve been saying this & will continue saying this, if the Bulls come out hot, they’re almost unbeatable. Simply because when you play good offense, you want to play good defense & vice versa. These guys came out hitting threes, including DeMar! Zach, Zo & DDR all hit threes along with others resulting in a 62% three ball quarter. They kept blitzing Anthony Davis due to the smaller lineup on the floor & Bradley not playing that great but it kept working—AD was getting frustrated quickly. Zo’s basketball awareness was shown to be off the charts as he got to AD for the trap at the right moments on every play. This led to deflections which resulted in quick transition points. The Bulls get out in transition so quick it’s honestly insane, they’re so quick & everyone on the team is looking for the outlet pass. There were moments of Bradley seeming asinine making Coach Donovan bring in DJJ. Russ got downhill a couple times late in the first quarter but everyone is okay with Russ doing Russ things. In the beginning of the second quarter, we saw an issue that’s plaguing the Bulls all season, stagnant offense & allowing teams to get back in the game. DeMar was trying to do his thing but the offense wasn’t moving & the Lakers took advantage of that by cutting the lead from eight to four. Russ & THT got going but the Bulls had Ayo come in & provide a quick spark; Ayo had a couple nice rebounds & got out in transition quickly resulting in high energy plays. Then Zach & DeMar did what they do best, score. Zach & DeMar hit a couple threes & the duo looked nearly unstoppable. DeMar had ease getting into his spots with the help of poor defense by Carmelo Anthony while Zach hit his jumpers. AD was held to just 7 points in 18 minutes & struggled all game with the trapping. The Bulls finished the second quarter off real strong led by DeMar having 22 points on a blistering 57% shooting & Zach dropping in a smooth 17 points.

The Bulls looked like the classic Spurs or even the Warriors in the third quarter, they seemed just unstoppable. With their blitz defense & deflections, led by Zo & Caruso, they got out quick in transition & just showed energy that the Lakers simply couldn’t match. The ball was moving across all fronts & Zo was just on fire hitting practically every three that left his hands. DeMar had a couple tough yet beautiful buckets as the Bulls were just annihilating the Lakers. Coach Donovan once again had to have both Zach & DeMar on the floor together to avoid the double teams which allowed either one to have clean looks. Lonzo & Caruso’s pesky defense on AD eventually got under his skin leading to a weak technical foul on AD late in the third, but we’ll take it. He then left as LeBron walked onto the floor arguing with the referee, even when he’s not playing, which should’ve led to him getting a tech as well; players that aren’t suited up to play aren’t allowed on the floor & Bron was almost onto center court. Honestly, it was fun to see the Lakers get frustrated at home while the Bulls just had fun. Like usual, they had some great showtime plays & just looked comfortable. The fourth quarter was pretty the much the same as the third causing Coach Frank Vogel to throw the towel in early. Elite defense & an unstoppable three-headed monster in Ball, LaVine & DeRozan made for a great win against a Lakers team who don’t seem to have an identity without James.

DeMar ended up having 38 points on a blistering 65% shooting while Zo & Zach dropped 27 & 26, respectively. It was an exceptional team effort with their pesky defense & electric, contagious energy throughout the entire game. The small ball lineup is working & expect to see it again tonight against the Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers look to figure their season out & get on track; Dame who is dealing with an abdomen injury just isn’t playing like the Dame we’re used to seeing & the rest of the team isn’t playing well either. CJ McCollum in my opinion is not the number two option Dame needs & I've been saying that for a few years now. Their front office, who is probably as incompetent as GarPax was, just haven’t built a good team & talent to surround Dame with. Look to see the same blitz defense against Dame by the Bulls forcing either Norman Powell or CJ to make plays. Their defensive rating is average sitting at 16 & the Bulls should be able to take advantage of this by once again getting out in transition & getting some easy buckets. I don’t expect DeMar to slow down at all & have another good night. Coach Donovan has been making great adjustments in the last couple games leading to some solid wins. Look for the Bulls to come out with energy & put the Blazers away.

Kings of the Fourth

The difference between a decent team & a great team is the way they face adversity; after getting embarrassed on national television by the Golden State Warriors, the Chicago Bulls came out with meaning to secure a win against a great Los Angeles Clippers team. It was to my surprise when I read right before the game that Billy Donovan decided to bench Javonte Green & start Alex Caruso at the 4. I’ll be very honest, in that moment all I was thinking was what in the world is Coach Donovan thinking but he proved me wrong. I thought starting DJJ, someone with tenacity & length, would be a much better idea but I now learned that you can never go wrong with Caruso. His versatility & resilience was just pronounced last night. Billy Donovan continued to go small all night with DJJ playing the 5 at one point & it was to my shock to see the Clippers struggle against it. Holding the Clippers to 90 points is a phenomenal way to prove their defensive tenacity along with ending LAC’s 7 game win streak. Although the Bulls gave us all a heart attack in the fourth quarter, they bounced back & did their thing—as the third best fourth quarter team in the NBA.

The Chicago Bulls came out the gates with purpose, great ball movement & rebounding. With no turnovers in the first 6 minutes of the game, the Bulls looked like their normal selves—having one of the lowest turnover averages in the NBA. DeMar did his thing, back in his hometown, by getting to his spots & scoring extremely efficiently. The Bulls then got out to a quick 13-0 run, leading the first quarter by 13. Leading by thirteen was a double-edged sword as the Bulls sort of took their foot of the pedal & allowed sloppy mistakes to help the Clippers stay in the game. They allowed a 11-2 run by having five turnovers in the second & playing stagnantly on offense. Then the Clippers went into a blitz/trap defensive setup where they would blitz either DeMar or Zach, whoever was on the floor at the time, requiring the role players to make plays—something they didn’t do. Bradley had trouble catching the ball & finding the open shooter, something Vooch is exceptional at. Then DeMar did DeMar things by getting to the free throw line, slowing the game down & allowing the pace to be controlled. The Bulls ended up leading by 9 going in the break.

Zach came out aggressive early in the third quarter hitting a couple threes & a dunk. Having Caruso starting helped tremendously with hustle plays & allowing the Bulls to quickly get out in transition. That’s when the Clippers amped up their defense & started playing tough, physical defense—their style defense. Bulls then had a few turnovers & kept fouling, although I felt like the officiating was extremely inconsistent all night. Again, due to the stacking of Zach & DeMar, the Bulls struggled making plays when the trap came. The players kept running up to screen either of the two which allowed the defense to double & force someone else to play; this is an issue I’ve noticed in a couple games that the Bulls players sometimes seem to have trouble identifying when to stop sending or setting up screeners. It got pretty bad resulting in a 4-point game late in the third & ending the third with only a 6-point lead. The Bulls are one of the best fourth quarter teams in the NBA & after last night, DeMar leads the league in most fourth quarter points. They did struggle in the beginning of the quarter, again with the trapping. The Bulls continued to foul a lot, although the Clippers got away with push-offs & travels on many occasions, and played bad defense. DeMar was the only consistent scorer in the fourth until Zach stepped up & hit some tough buckets. The fourth quarter gave everyone a scare because the game should not have been that close, as the Clippers took a one-point lead early in the fourth. The Bulls then went on a quick 7-0 run to regain control over the game. It was still back & forth for a while with the Clippers having multiple opportunities to take over but we are all thankful for Wayoff P. The Bulls amped up their defense & had both of their best scorers due what they do best—get buckets. Caruso was everywhere while Zach hit some tough shots & DeMar ending the game with a smooth 35 points on 75% shooting.

Winners find ways to win & that’s exactly what the Chicago Bulls did. They had a rough night couple nights ago & came out with purpose. Zach & DeMar showed why they’re one of the league's best duos. Without their starting center & promising young forward, the Chicago Bulls are finding ways to win & create an identity— things an elite team does. They beat another playoff team that was coming off a 7-game win streak, all while on the road. The matchups don’t get any easier though as the Bulls take on a rough looking Lakers team, a team you can never count out though. Playing without LeBron James, they have moments of looking lost with Russ not entirely meshing well with the team. Carmelo Anthony looks rejuvenated & Anthony Davis does his thing. By no means is this an easy task, even with the Lakers poor play, especially after facing a tough Clippers team the night before. I can only imagine the nightmares AD & Dwight Howard will give us at the center position. As long as the Bulls can contain the role players like Melo & Monk, they can steal a win. The Chicago Bulls also get Coby White back tonight who will give a huge boost to the bench with his explosive scoring; the backcourt of Caruso & White will be exciting to see. I’m excited for the matchups & adjustments that will need to be made & anticipate another ugly game but definitely one that they can close. Lonzo returns to LA & Caruso will have his revenge game against the Lakers.

The Absence of Vučević

There has been a lot of slander regarding the play of Vooch, rightfully so; that doesn’t mean he’s not an integral part of the team. Yeah, even I have criticized his play but I still recognize his talent & importance on the team. Averaging almost 14 points per game & 10 rebounds, those are very important numbers for a team & especially against the league's best. Also, although there are moments where his defense looks abysmal, he still has smart defensive tendencies & is actually top 10 in the NBA in defensive efficiency. His ability to shoot & space the floor on offense is also something the Bulls miss when he’s out; teams have to respect his jumper no matter how many shots he misses. The spacing that Vooch provides was made evident when the Warriors went to a box-and-one defense to prevent DeMar & Zach getting into the lane or allow mismatches. I thought the game would be ugly & it was. There is no shame in losing to the best team in the NBA—a team that looks finals bound.

The Chicago Bulls started off good in the first quarter as Zach LaVine got going early with a quick 10 points. The Bulls played excellent defense holding the Warriors to 23 first quarter points. The ball was moving really well & the Bulls were getting good looks. The Warriors were limited on their threes & the game looked like it would be a good one. This is where the Kerr & his Warriors made the great adjustment of switching up the defense to a box-and-one & 5 players on the floor that can guard all positions. This wouldn’t allow mismatches & easy drives to the basket for both LaVine & Derozan. Kerr brought in a very talented rookie in Kuminga to help out on defense too, he’s got long arms & is a very strong young kid. Gary Payton II, who looks like an absolute stud, was giving LaVine a hard time with active hands & tough, physical defense. LaVine looked frustrated early & the Warriors continued to frustrate him. When teams trap either DeMar or LaVine, Vooch is available at the top of the key & either is ready to shoot or make a great pass to a cutter or open shooter—this was missed very much. Tony Bradley & Alize Johnson aren’t those type of playmakers. The Bulls the NBA’s best in avoiding turnovers but this was not the case against this rugged Warriors defense. They couldn’t make any adjustments & had 8 turnovers in just the first half when they average only 12 a game. DeMar couldn’t get going & the Bulls just looked stagnant on offense.

The second half was even worse, the Bulls offense looked the worst it’s ever looked & Steph Curry was could not be stopped—ending the night with an effortless 40 points. Although the Bulls did get a decent number of open looks, it just seemed like one of those nights where there is a lid on the basket. Javonte Green took more threes than anybody would like & Lonzo just couldn’t hit anything. The Warriors could not be stopped as they started the third quarter with a scorching 19-6 run led by great offense but terrible defense. The Bulls players looked aloof on defense as they were losing sight of shooters & had terrible effort moving around screens & double screens. On screens & switches, Bradley would never step up on Steph & kept allowing him space to get a shot off. There were multiple plays where Bradley & Zach just looked lost & weren’t trying. Rebounding looked horrible from the entire team, when rebounding is supposed to be a consistent team effort. DeMar had another bad shooting night but this isn’t something to be worried about—he is a professional scorer. The fourth quarter was just as bad & there isn’t much to say. The Bulls just struggled greatly against the Warriors league best offense & defense.
The second half is where the coach should be making adjustments & to be very frank, it didn’t seem like Donovan did. This is a complaint I’ve had with him quite a bit but hopefully it doesn't continue. LaVine had 7 turnovers in efforts of trying to play hero ball; I also can’t help to think that his thumb is bothering him as he constantly loses control of the ball. The Bulls faced a great adversity & they can only bounce back. They’ll be going up against a Kawhi-less LA Clippers led by a dark-horse MVP candidate in Paul George. Ivan Zubac, their center, will probably pose issues for us tonight since he’s an excellent rebounder & great screener. Reggie Jackson is playing exceptional basketball & Terrence Mann is a very solid player. This game is definitely winnable & the Bulls should come out with some fire, after being embarrassed on national television couple nights prior. DeMar should have a great game for his homecoming to Los Angeles & LaVine will do LaVine things; my only concern is the overall play of the team since everyone has to play a little better to make up for the absence of Vooch. Let’s get back in the winning column tonight.

Welcome to the CaruSHOW

Don’t you love it when the Chicago Bulls come out to a hot start? I can imagine the game is much easier when you don’t start slow & dig yourself a hole early in a game. Thanks to a very balanced offensive attack, the Bulls secured yet another win against a playoff team—something analysts said we’d have difficult doing. Although the Dallas Mavericks came into the game averaging roughly 103 points per game, they still are a very talented offensive team & an excellent three-point team; having them score 107 points isn’t too bad—especially for a team that was deemed as defensively deficient. With excellent defense & practically everyone on the team scoring, the Bulls were able to play a strong game, start to finish. The Bulls looked showtime & it was a very entertaining game, to say the least.

The Chicago Bulls came out on fire in the first quarter thanks to Lonzo Ball hitting four threes & Nikola Vučević scoring 9 points. They played great defense but may have been a little too aggressive as they put the Mavs in the bonus pretty early in the quarter. They defended Luka pretty well as he struggled throughout the game. During the second quarter, Jason Kidd had his team play a zone defense which seemed to trouble the Bulls; the Mavs went on a little run & kept themselves in the game. They had trouble guarding Jalen Brunson, who is playing exceptional off the bench, but that was fine as others were fairly limited. The Bulls were able to beat the zone by doing what they do best, get in transition. Thanks to collective efforts from everyone on the team, the Bulls ended the first half up 61-54.

The third quarter is where the Bulls practically sealed the game, which is a major relief since they tend to get going more during the fourth quarter. The beginning of the third quarter, the Mavericks seemed to stick around but then Alex Caruso stole the show, quite literally. Caruso had 6 steals in the game, tying his career-high. The day after he spoke on JJ Redicks podcast about the Lakers lowballing him during the offseason, Caruso looked like he was out to prove something. He scored 11 points in the third quarter with a couple threes & tough defense. This is something that I have been waiting to see; Caruso is a great defender & we all know that but he’s also talented offensively—which he finally showed. With a bench struggling to score on most nights, it was nice to see Caruso lead the charge both on the offensive & defensive end; now this gets me even more excited because the return of Coby White is nearby. Both of those players off the bench will provide a spark that the Chicago Bulls are in dire need of. The fourth quarter was a little slow but Zach did his thing, ending the night with a smooth 23 points. On a night where DeMar had an atypical shooting night, it was nice to see everyone else step in & play a well-balanced game. The play of the game & maybe even the NBA’s play of the night was towards the end of the game when Caruso stole the ball & gave it to Lonzo who immediately looked up & threw an absolute dart to Zach LaVine who capped it off with beautiful 360 dunk. Just a minute later, Caruso stole the ball again & ran down the floor to throw up an alley-oop to DDR. Showtime Bulls, baby.

It was a great & fun win but the Bulls have to get even more serious as they start a 5-game west coast road trip, all against elite teams. They start off their trip Friday night against the league best, Golden State Warriors. Ranked first in points per game, second in rebounds per game, first in assists per game & second in opponent’s points per game—the Warriors are a force to be reckoned with this season. They have started off hot, a little thanks to their schedule, but mostly by their great team play. They look like the 15-16 Warriors. With the unfortunate news of Nikola getting COVID & placed in health & safety protocols, the Bulls lose both size & scoring during this road trip—something they absolutely needed. The Chicago Bulls called up Marko Simonovic from the Windy City Bulls to help with that, but it’ll still be difficult to replace Vooch. Guarding Steph, who looks like this year's MVP, is always a mission but with Caruso & Ball leading the charge, they should be able to contain him, hopefully. The player I’m more concerned about is Jordan Poole who is absolutely balling this season as the new splash brother. The Bulls will once again need to start off hot, have balanced scoring & play excellent defense in order to win. This one might be ugly, Bulls fans.

Fourth Quarter Takeover

Imagine starting off strong & ending even stronger. Well, that’s what the Chicago Bulls did & guess what? They snagged a win. I’ve been emphasizing from the first game of the season how important it is to start the games off aggressively so that there isn’t a hole they’re stuck in. Now this was especially important against an elite offensive team in the Brooklyn Nets carried by the unguardable, Kevin Durant. It was one of the more exciting games of the season as both teams had relatively large leads & played great offense. On a night where the Chicago Bulls & the Chicago Bears were playing, it was nice to have at least one Chicago team come out on top. Let’s proceed to my thoughts on this game.

It was good to see Zach Lavine start off on fire & get to his spots; with Joe Harris guarding him, he had no choice but to attack. Aside from Zach, the entire team was playing well & aggressive, getting a majority of their points inside the paint. The Bulls also outrebounded the Nets 17-7 in the first quarter allowing them to lead the Nets 35-27 at the end of the opening quarter. Then came a slower second quarter, a quarter where the Bulls were outscored by 14 points. The Bulls offense looked very iso-heavy & stagnant—something we see practically every game. The second quarter slowdown was also attributed to the poor bench play once again with LaMarcus Aldridge torching the Bulls in the first half with 15 points & drawing a couple fouls that frankly shouldn’t have been called. With the Nets bench outscoring the Bulls in the first half 22-9, it was good to see the bench rally in the second half to end up with 33 points. Vooch seemed to struggle once again in a matchup that was favorable for him; Blake Griffin in no means is a great defender & Vooch should’ve taken advantage. He tried but his early season slump is continuing by missing a couple very easy shots. Vooch did gain his confidence later on by hitting big shots in the fourth & making a couple crucial passes.

The third quarter was a lot of back & forth with the Bulls only trailing by a couple. Then the fourth quarter is where the reserves simply took over the game. Ayo Dsonmu played exceptional basketball & as always, Alex Caruso played intense defense on Harden & gutsy hustle plays throughout. The defensive intensity was absurd only because they held an elite Brooklyn offense to only 17 points in the first although Steve Nash’s rotations looked a little sketch. The Bulls offensive aggressiveness was evident too as they got into the bonus early in the fourth & kept their foot on the pedal. DeMar, of course, led the Bulls again in the fourth with 10 points & getting to the line consistently. Lavine & DDR have proven to be a deadly fourth quarter duo as they lead the league in points scored in the fourth. I would like to get into the officiating but it’s pointless. They were very uneven & let Brooklyn get away with quite a bit so it was good to see the Bulls not argue & just play their game. Looked like Billy Donovan made good adjustments & the rotations were great; more of DJJ & Tony Bradley Jr being played is always a welcome sight.

I predicted the Bulls to steal a win & they did. Playing smart, team basketball is what the Bulls need with a steady offensive attack. The defense is what puts the Bulls over the top; holding their now 4th opponent to under 100 points is a beauty. I hope the Bulls continue their exceptional play into their game tonight against the Dallas Mavericks. A team with a superstar in Luka Doncic & great role players like Tim Hardaway Jr & Kristap Porzingis, they are a great team. With a new coach in town, they look pretty good sitting at the same record as the Bulls at 7-3. Another matchup that Vooch can exploit, I expect him to come out tonight & have his best game of the season. The Bulls just need to play aggressive defense against Luka & Hardaway Jr to slow them, something I’m not necessarily concerned about. Caruso & Lonzo have done exceptional jobs guarding elite guards/forwards throughout the season & it should continue tonight. As long as the Bulls play good defense & get some scoring off the bench, they’ll be just fine. The Bulls should win this game at home, an atmosphere that seems euphoric.

2 Game Skid

The Chicago Bulls played & lost to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday followed by another loss on Saturday against the same team. I wanted to wait for the second game to be played before I made this post. I mentioned in my last post that a matchup I’d be monitoring closely would be the matchup against Vooch & Embiid; two all-start centers with great skill sets on two very good teams. Embiid is no doubt the better player, he’s a defensive powerhouse with an excellent offensive arsenal; Vooch is your classic international player with great shooting & touch but not as great defensively. Vooch has had a rough start to this season, averaging almost 14 points per game on 14 shots with a 39% shooting percentage—for a center, that is terrible. His woes are impacting the Bulls in a way I had not anticipated, I thought even if he had average games that the Bulls would be okay but he does need to be an effective 3rd scorer. He’s missing very easy shots & the three ball is not falling but what makes his offensive inefficiency so bad is that if he’s not scoring, he’s just a straight up liability on the court due to his below average defense. His defensive share percentage dropped exponentially recently; he was coasting at a top 10 & now suddenly dropping to the 40s. Even though Vooch hasn’t looked like his all-star self, I don’t want to blame him entirely, this is where the coach needs to step in & change the game plan or make adjustments—something that Billy Donovan has not really done. Two games down double digits & trying to make a comeback, the Bulls failed.

Surprise! The game on Wednesday, the Bulls came out just flat; they trailed by 10 at the end of the first quarter & only scored 19 points. The defense was atrocious & we simply cannot guard the deep ball. Once again, DeMar helped push the Bulls & come out with a lead halfway through the second quarter but our defense folded. The 76ers went on a run to claim the lead once again. We let Georges Niang & Furkan Korkmaz look like the second coming of the splash brothers & let them hit threes however they pleased—the defense was just abysmal. Embiid didn’t have a great outing his first time around but he did have an excellent all-around game with a near triple double. With the Bulls not feeding the ball to Vooch, he didn’t put any strain on Embiid to play defense on him one-on-one—something that could’ve tired him out. DeMar kept the Bulls in the game throughout with a whopping 37-point outing & Zach played okay with 27 points but he did have 4 turnovers. Zach looked lost in the fourth quarter & had crucial turnovers & looked at the ref any time he bullied his way down the lane. Zach needs to learn that the NBA & its referees are calling games differently this year. Zach also seems inconsistent in his defense & coming around screens; he’s got to stay aggressive on defense—he's to athletic not to. Vooch looked flat out bad & the Bulls didn’t really do anything to get him going. Seems like this might be an issue for quite some time. The final thing I have to say about that loss is the bench play. The Bulls were outscored 30-13 in bench points—something that is happening consistently. I believe that Caruso & Ayo should be more aggressive or try to switch up the rotations since those looked pretty bad too.

Honestly, I did not see the second loss coming. I expected the Bulls to come out at home & play with a sort of revenge. They came out okay in the first quarter but just looked out of sorts. Their deficiencies were practically the same as the game prior. Defending the three ball was bad, lineup rotations looked horrible & Vooch had yet another slow game. Embiid basically had it his way the entire game as Vooch played downright horrible defense. He looked slow & barely got a hand up on Embiid’s jumpers. Even the last triple by Embiid, the dagger, was so poorly defended by Vooch that I wanted to punch the screen. This is a loss I blame enitrely on the coach though. There didn’t seem to be any adjustments made even with the Sixers playing without their defensive stud, Matisse Thybulle. I really like Javonte Green & don’t get me wrong but starting him is a mistake. Yes, he’s super athletic & provides great energy & defense but the Bulls are already a small team. Starting DJJ would be a much better move, in my humble opinion. He’s got much more length, plays solid defense & is a great rebounder. The bench played a little bit better this game with 27 points but it wasn’t enough. Billy Donovan has to find a way to get Vooch going or this is an issue that will plague the Bulls for the rest of the season. The front office also has to find a way to get a solid forward to replace the significant loss of Patrick Williams. I don’t have much to say about the second loss since it shouldn’t have happened. Lavine is struggling somewhat but I can’t help to think his thumb is bothering him & this is where Vooch has to step in & get his shots. He recently said in the post-game interview that he is okay with his new role but it seems like it still might be bothering him. For the first time in his career, he is the third scoring option on a team. Even though I said it once, I’ll say it again, Coach Donovan has got to figure out better rotations & make adjustments otherwise he will be in the hot seat.

The Bulls continue their difficult 12 game stretch with Brooklyn coming into town on Monday. This is a game where Vooch will have a mismatch all game, with Blake Griffin & LaMarcus Aldridge playing the five. KD will probably torch us since we don’t have anyone that could even slow him down but I anticipate Zo to slow down Harden, who is already having a difficult season adjusting to the new foul rules. I hope that the Bulls come out strong & aggressive, showing a sense of urgency & refusing to continue a losing skid. The Nets play relatively small too so the matchups are going to be fairly even; The Bulls just need Vooch to get going & the bench to come out & score some points. Caruso has got to be more aggressive as we know he has a great offensive arsenal. Hopefully, Coach Donovan has made adjustments & figured out a way to get the offense going more smoothly. I expect the Bulls to come out on top in this one & get back into winning form.

Comeback Complete

The Chicago Bulls took on a very talented Boston Celtics on Monday night in Boston. The Bulls were able to steal a game in TD Garden last year & fans were hoping for the same this year. With Patrick Williams gone for the season, I anticipated this game to be the first true test with the forward position being thin. Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown are the 1-2 punch for the Celtics along with talents like Marcus Smart, Al Horford, Grant Williams & Robert Williams. The Celtics have been a pretty disappointing team the last couple years & the start of this year as well; with one all-star in Tatum & another borderline all-star in Brown, everyone expected them to take a leap & become a dynamic duo for years to come. In my opinion, I’ve always seen Brown as a better player than Tatum—both offensively & defensively. Feel free to call me crazy. Tatum is pretty one dimensional & not that great of a playmaker; he has too much of an iso game & is not an efficient scorer. Brown isn’t a great playmaker either but he is a great defending wing player who can score on all three levels. I think the Cs made a mistake by focusing their attention on the growth of Tatum over Brown but, that’s a conversation for a different day. Let’s get to my thoughts on this very bumpy & heart racing game.

It’s been rare to see the Bulls coming out hot & firing on all cylinders in the beginning of the game. So, I was shocked to see multiple threes falling in & average defense being played in the first quarter. Zach once again had a slow start & in my opinion, seemed sluggish. Turnovers are seemingly to be a rather consistent issue with them committing 6 turnovers in just the first quarter, letting their 9-point lead deteriorate. By the end of the first half, they ended up with 10 turnovers leading to 16 points scored for the Cs. DeMar has become the engine of this Bulls team as he constantly starts off hot & leads the Bulls in scoring in the first quarter or two. He propelled the Bulls team into another lead but that was silenced by an aggressive Jaylen Brown who scored 12 points, an answer to which the Bulls didn’t have. It was good to see the bench play exceptional; DJJ had a solid game, Caruso as always balled out, Bradley Jr was an effective backup to Vooch & Ayo was phenomenal. The Bulls also struggled to get to the free throw line early in the game & rebounding seemed like a problem (something that we are used to). Rebounding wasn’t that much of an issue later as by the end of the game the Bulls had more boards than the Celtics; the issue is that when the Bulls aren’t rebounding well or being aggressive, they won’t get second chance opportunities—something that was vital for a team that was down 19 points. Honestly, the Bulls looked lost; there was no offense being generated, sloppy turnovers & pretty bad defense. But halfway through the third quarter is where that changed.

The starters owe this game to the bench. The guys came off the bench & gave a much-needed spark in a game that seemed over. All the players that came off the bench had great +/- led by DJJ’s +23 & Caruso’s +21. The Bulls went on an unreal 19-2 run with the help of defensive plays by DJJ & Tony Bradley. Ayo ended the run with a great deep ball suddenly giving the Bulls the lead. Dsonmu played like a veteran, he was playing the PnR phenomenally & had a couple nice looking floaters. His play defensively is underrated too, a longer guard who can guard 1-3 & can play the passing lanes is exactly what the Bulls needed. After the run ended, Zach Lavine suddenly woke up; scoring 13 points in the fourth quarter alone. Zach was looking great off the dribble & kept attacking the heart of the defense by getting into the paint. Although I loved his aggressiveness, I held my breath every time he drove in or drew a foul—he could’ve easily injured his thumb more than it is. Lonzo played great defense on Tatum & DeMar stepped up in the fourth as well as he scored 10 points during clutch time, leading to his scoring total to a game high 37 points. Outscoring the Celtics 39-11 in the fourth quarter led to a very gutsy, hard-fought win against an Eastern Conference playoff team. Shoutout Billy Donovan for the adjustments & the bench for some phenomenal play.

The Chicago Bulls are a good team & they showed it. This was another game that the Bulls would’ve lost last year & probably wouldn’t even try to claw their way back in. They were able to find their identity again & amp up both their offense & defense. It’s great to see DDR play exceptional basketball & silence all the executives & analysts that called him the worst signing this offseason—I just hope he sustains this play. The Bulls also need to learn not to take their foot of the pedal & not lose their identity; all games are winnable for the Bulls & they should stay confident in their team. The Bulls take on the Philadelphia 76ers tonight, a team they haven’t beaten since March of 2019—a game I was present at. The Sixers have their own issues right now with the whole Ben Simmons situation & Tobias Harris getting COVID. The Sixers also rested Embiid their last game so the expectation is that he will play on healthy legs tonight. Embiid vs Vucevic is a matchup that I will be watching closely as Vooch has issues with guarding centers that are taller & more offensively talented. Vooch will most likely struggle both offensively & defensively against Embiid but the Bulls should have a good gameplan to slow him down. Having watched a couple Sixer games so far, it seems like Embiid struggles with a double team against the baseline. Another thing to watch for is how they guard both Derozan & Lavine; the Sixers have great defensive talents in Danny Green & Matisse Thybulle & I’m excited to see what matchups Coach Doc Rivers plays. The Bulls will need to be aggressive with the boards & stay locked in offensively. Stay lit, Bulls fans.

 

Joakim Noah Night Ruined

I’m sure all the analysts, reporters & journalist are sighing with relief. Everyone expected the Chicago Bulls to faulter after their 4-0 start. The teams they beat weren’t impressive teams & that was a valid concern—a concern even I had. Beating teams, you’re supposed to beat is a good start but you can’t really base a lot off of that. The New York Knicks are an excellent team; they’re coached by a great defensive mind in Tom Thibodeau, have a great start in Julius Randle, a solid point guard in Kemba Walker, a very good player in Evan Fournier & many others. Coming into the game, they had the most threes in a game & most points per game; a very high-octane offense & incredible defense. They rotate extremely well on defense & always blitz the opponents' best players. The Bulls struggled greatly with this “blitz” D & Billy Donovan did not make many adjustments. The offense once again started slow while easy & open shots weren’t falling. Shots were being forced & the ball movement didn’t look as good as the past few games. There was more bad than good & that’s never a good thing

Let’s talk about the good. The Bulls had a pretty bad game yet still kept it in a 10-point range. At around the 90 second mark of the game, the Bulls went on a 12-0 run to bring the game down to 2. Randle choked at the free throw line & the Bulls couldn’t steal the win. The three-headed monster of Lavine, Vooch & DDR played an overall decent game. Three-point shooting was okay but moving forward is something that’ll definitely need work. Outside of that, the honoring of Joakim Noah was special & made any Bulls fan feel great & nostalgic.

There was so much bad that I don’t know where to start. Offense wasn’t good, defense was pretty bad, not much hustling & rebounding was atrocious. The Bulls were finally exposed for their small ball lineups & the injury of Patrick Williams was heartbreaking. The Bulls looked lost on offense & struggled way too much with the blitz D of Coach Thibs. Zach & DeMar kept calling up a screen but weren’t realizing that’s when the blitz would occur. Coach Donovan should have recognized this as well but doesn’t seem like he did since no adjustments were made. The lack of energy and scoring from the bench was an issue as well; when the starters don’t play well, you hope that the bench can come in & give a boost either through energy or scoring—this was not the case. The PnR defense was horrific & defending the three-point line seemed almost impossible— something you can’t do against the best three-point shooting team. The rotations looked all over the place & I get that Coach Donovan was trying to figure out the best lineup but it just looked too messy. Zach & DeMar seemed to force shots & Zo just couldn’t hit from deep.

This was a winnable game but a loss to a good team where you just played bad is something that I can live with. It’s still really early in the season & this team is brand new with a lot of new pieces. They’ll figure it out & keep pushing through. They just have to make sure they’re using the right lineups against the right teams & rebound by committee. Zach also needs to get aggressive a little before the game starts slipping away that way, he can get hot when they need him to. The Bulls take on a top 5 team in the NBA at home against the Utah Jazz led by one of my favorite players, Donovan Mitchell.