Head coach Billy Donovan told reporters, including K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, that the Bulls held a players-only meeting on Wednesday night following the team’s season-opening loss to the Thunder. The Bulls were blown out at home, losing 124-104.
Donovan said the players requested more time amongst themselves when he entered the locker room. He added that he liked that the players were taking ownership of the poor performance.
“I mean guys want to win,” Zach LaVine said. “You put up a game like this in Game One and you don’t have some conversations … guys are frustrated. It sucks to have to happen Game One. It happened. We’ve got to go from there.”
Center Nikola Vucevic said he hopes it’s a learning moment for the team, Johnson adds.
“A lot of guys said a lot of good things, things that needed to be said,” Vucevic said. “I think we can really use this to learn and change some things that we need to change.
“It wasn’t anything crazy, no fighting or none of that. It was really constructive. It was maybe one of the first times since I’ve been here that this was like this. And it was really needed.
“I started saying some things. I really liked that so many guys jumped in and said so many good things. Not one guy is 100 percent right. Everybody had something to say and sees things differently. And when you have these constructive conversations, they can only bring positive things. I think communication is very important.
“I’ve been on teams in the past where we’ve had those, and it worked almost every time where we were able to really fix some things and move on.”
As Johnson writes, Vucevic also had a heated exchange with Donovan during the third quarter. He touched on what transpired following the game.
“Just unhappy in some of the stuff we’re doing,” he said. “Obviously, I expressed it a little bit more aggressive than I should’ve in the moment. Those happen in the heat of the moment. You’re trying to win and do what you can to help the team. I didn’t like what was going on. We talked it out. And it’s over with.”
For his part, Donovan said he had no issue with the exchange, though he admitted both parties could have handled it differently.
“It wasn’t disrespectful or anything,” Donovan said, per Johnson. “He was just frustrated with the way we were playing. I didn’t blame him. I fell in line with him. But there’s gotta be a way together we can solve those issues and problems.
“I think the confrontation piece is really, really good. I think it’s really healthy. And I think it needs to happen as much as possible.”
Not good, obviously, after GAME ONE!
Donovan’s leash just got even shorter.
Bulls really should accepted a rebuild in the offseason. Now the picks and player movement have dried up. They likely have to wait until the off season to move Lavine and Vucevic. They may get off of Demar at the trade deadline.
I agree.
Another long long boo-ring season
Donovan wants confrontation as much as possible? That’s umm … an interesting approach to coaching.
Not really. It’s pretty common. And confrontation is usually a good thing as long as all parties are arguing in good faith.
Donovan was never a good coach. He was terrible in OKC and not good with Bulls either. He doesn’t command respect.
I dunno what their problem is, I quite enjoy when I’m blown at home.
Blown OUT… I guess you overlooked that little detail. If that happens to you, practicing at home, better see a proctologist immediately.
Except “out” was missing when the article first published. It did indeed say that the Bulls were blown at home. Actually came back just to see if they corrected that typo.
Is that so? Then I stand corrected. One has to wonder what, besides writing this article, the author was doing at the time.
Bulls have more players only meetings they discuss with the public than any team in the last 60 years easily
Everyone with the slightest following of the NBA besides the Bulls players themselves knew they would suck this year. Looks as if some players have worked it out tho, that’ll it’ll be a long season. You can be assured DeRozan ain’t hanging around unless they pay him big time like they did Zach. Even Vuce just got a fresh deal ofcourse he doesn’t have a bad word to say.
Guys like Vuce, Zach, Coby, Ayo they aren’t going to say a bad word they just got money and have to hang around if you really what to see what’s happening ask DeRozan or Patty Will, guys they might be gone
KnickerbockerAl Probably likes this. He wants DeRozan
Really? I hadn’t noticed! It’s becoming a little sad and obsessive Al. Turn it in.
They need a point guard. Trade Ball and Z Lavine with a pick for Harden, Beverley and PJ Tucker . Bulls starters. PG. Beverley SG. Harden SF. DeRozan PF. Tucker C. Vouch 6th men White, Alex C and P Williams. Helps 76s get younger.
Then the bulls resign C Jones
Trade Drummond for a young center and somewhere he can start
I would offer it if I was the Bulls
Yeah cause we want Lonzo …. He’s out for the whole season after missing all of last season and might not play again and who k led hkw good he will be after he returns….
Then there’s Zach, one of the worst contracts in the league. No thank you
Trade is declined
Oh, oh! How an NBA’s team’s season ends after one game is an impressive feat.
I guess I have no choice but to cancel my travel plans to see the Bulls in the NBA Finals.
Thanks Reinsdork, your other team sucks also.
Is there any other owner that owns TWO completely dysfunctional teams at the same time? I mean the Sox debacle is bad enough but this just as bad. I stopped watching after the First Quarter because you could just see the way it was going to go. This team has for 4 years REFUSED to draft or sign a decent PF to help their C as he gets run over all day long. I don’t blame Vujevic and Drummond for getting mad. They leave those guys on an island and then the G’s sag in to help them and the other team just rains 3’s all night long. Williams is pathetic but let’s remember who expects him to play a position he can’t play. The Beverly decision was stupid, Should of resigned him. Oh but he wanted to get paid, Can’t have that. Lying Reinsdorf’s, We’ll go into the Luxury Tax when everyone knows its a pathetic lie. It’s not worth watching.
The only other one I can think of is Christopher Illitch, when both the Red Wings and Tigers sucked in Detroit. And that was because they both hit the downturns in recent success at the same time (and because he took over right after his father passed). The Red Wings at least seem to be returning to being at least an average team, and the Tigers just completed a roughly average season too. Even when the White Sox and Bulls look good, it doesn’t look sustainable.
The Bulls should have tore it down and rebuilt the team but alas they are now going to miss the playoffs once again.
Williams is a SF and not a PF.
White is a Scoring Guard and not a Point Guard.
LaVine is just a pure scorer.
The Bulls need to move Vooch, LaVine and DeMar and get picks but fire this front office first!
Don’t even think that White is all that good. Unfortunately, the Bulls gave White a three year deal for $40 million with incentives.
not a good sign
Maybe the 76er’s can get Lavine in a three team deal now. Demar will be Knick on Feb too.,
Not good, particularly if the subject of this POM is the same as that at last year’s POMs. The problem is not really communication. It’s that the team has two offensive “stars” who dominate the ball on offense and don’t defend, but together don’t provide the kind of prolific offense that can make up for less than stellar defense.
Been saying it since last yr …….
DeM DeR to Knicks ……
Did you watch Quickley last night.