The Bulls are stumbling over a soft part of their schedule, losing Friday at Charlotte after falling to New Orleans and needing a late rally to top Washington by a single point, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required). After a fast start that included wins over Detroit, New York and Cleveland, Chicago has fallen back to .500 at 9-9 and may be headed for another mediocre season.
Teams have been taking advantage of the Bulls’ defensive weaknesses and lack of physicality, which Cowley points out have become more prominent with Isaac Okoro missing the past three games due to a back issue. Okoro is the team’s most versatile defender, and his absence limits coach Billy Donovan’s options on that end of the court.
“With Isaac being out, and there’s times with Isaac that we can put him on different players, and he’s an outstanding defender, and he’s guarded some of the best players in this league throughout his career,” Donovan said. “But with him being out, we don’t have the luxury to just rely on one guy stopping one guy.”
There’s more on the Bulls:
- Coby White is sitting out Saturday’s contest against Indiana, but Donovan said in his pregame meeting with reporters that this will be the last back-to-back of the season that he’ll definitely be held out of, relays KC Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link). White’s availability for future back-to-backs will be determined on a situational basis. He has appeared in five games since returning from a strained right calf.
- Jalen Smith (hamstring strain) and Noa Essengue (shoulder contusion) were both added to the injury report for tonight’s game, per Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link). Donovan said Essengue hurt his shoulder in a G League contest.
- Injuries have forced the Bulls to rely more on their bench players, notes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required), who adds that the roster isn’t built to withstand the loss of multiple rotation members. Donovan bemoaned the lack of “sustainability” earlier this week, but Poe suggests it’s a matter of not having the players available that he was counting on. Ayo Dosunmu believes the recent slump is a result of repeating the same basic errors. “Coach has been telling us a thousand times to box out,” he said after the loss to the Pelicans. “But on film, we’re going to the glass, not boxing out, just standing around. Coach is telling us to get into the ball. Coach is telling us what we have to do physically. We keep saying the stove is hot, and we keep touching the stove.”
Coby White just doesn’t equal wins. Get a haircut and try to be a real PG. Just a rich man’s Doug Overton
He’s not a point guard, he’s a bench scorer.
I completely agree. Sixth man at best
Another fine creation by Jerry R & Co.
We needed size, AKME didn’t address it. AKME kept saying “we want to win games”, but got a project in Essengue. Patrick Williams gives you 2 points 1/7 FG with nothing else to contribute in 17 minutes. We can sit here and blame the entire front office and coaching staff all day, but guess what? Jerry still will get profits because fans will still show up and lead the league in attendance. We’re the ones who are suffering but he’s the one who is laughing all the way to the bank. Stacey King is the team mascot these days and keeps hyping bums on the team. Buzelis has regressed and has disappeared in critical moments. What else can I say? Nothing surprises me anymore with them. 23 win team still in my mind, and nothing they do can convince me until then.
Cute little 5-0 streak to start the season. Lmao
Buzelis is young lol. Young picks are not saviors. He needs 4-5 yrs. He’s in his 2nd yr. Look how long Giddey and Coby took.
Bulls definitely can use size. More important the coach has to commit to a core.
No doubt Buzelis is young, but that doesn’t mean he just goes MIA. This is like his 3rd or 4th game he doesn’t crack double digits in PTS. He already is soft on the boards so if he isn’t scoring, he isn’t helping the team by any means when he’s on the court. Like you said Al, tesms have gone big last few years to compete, we’ve done the opposite and think 2016 nba with 6’8 or shorter players on our roster lmao.
As Moses once said, “no rebounds, no rings”.
Losing 3 games this week to Pelicans, Hornets, Pacers is a sign that this team got too happy with their 5-0 start. Up next a players only meeting lmao
They were down players. But yes those are tough loses. You knew coming in they were .500. This year is about building on that. You can’t rush young picks today. To me it’s a sign the team is desperate. Buzelis is good at 24-26 mins. They drafted Essengue for 2029. You can’t go forward with rebuilding if you don’t commit to a core. Seriously who do you build with.
We will build around Ayo watch. Just because it’s Jerry.
As you say, the Bulls need an athletic big guy or two similar to Bam Adebayo, Siakam, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, etc.
The Bulls are competitive because they play well as a team, have depth and because Billy Donovan is an excellent coach.
uh, yeah, right, how are they going to get that sort of player with a coach who tries to elevate this terrible team just enough to lose the play-in and get a terrible mid pick?
Yep need a big who can defend and grab some boards…and a star who can take over down the strech….they have neither…
Raz : 23 wins? I like ur optimistic.
We’re putrid bro. Legit watching other teams makes my heart feel better bc I know we’ll be floundering until the end of eternity with this staff and front office lol.
And Coby is still headed toward free agency.
“During a game between the Bulls and Hornets at Spectrum Center, a Charlotte fan sitting in the second row from the court was ejected for trash talking Chicago’s Josh Giddey.”
link to nypost.com
You want to draft 18-19 yrs olds. Then you will have to wait 4-5 yrs for them to show. You draft Essegue a nice talent who can’t help for 3 yrs minimum. If the Bulls are drafting for 4-5 yrs from now. Then What do they think of the players they have now. Vucevic is playing for a contract. You really think he is going to be this player for next 4 yrs. Ayo is a solid talent. With Giddey here. Ayo is best as a trade asset. Huerter is a solid 3rd guard. But only at 10-12 mill. If you want a quick fix. You can try and get AD on the cheap. Or you commit to a core now. And build around them.
AL, thats the point. AK kept saying “we want to win games” but then drafts a project thats 3-4 years away lol. It’s a microcosm of how badly things are ran here. If they wanted to win, then they would have either traded a pick for a 4 or get DQ. Neither happened, and here we are. Lmao
Listen I get your frustration. In NY we have put up with bad owner, management. Since Ewing left. And it took Thibs to turn this around. He committed to a core. And built guys up to trade them. Also drafted well. Whether it’s Donovan or the GM. You can’t build a team if you don’t commit to a core. You trade for them you draft for them. Bulls had Queen right there.
Coby, Giddey, Buzelis, Queen in two years would be a playoff team with a big future. They went for three years from now. I hate to sound like a broken record. Bulls have to commit to a core.
Coby, Giddey, Buzelis is a start imo. You bring in young vets and picks around them. Essengue is like a future pick. Unless you trade him lol.
Bulls have cap space to sign a young vet star next year. That’s what I do.
We have no core guys. I think it’s truly hilarious that we might be the only team without a core player or two. Majority of our team wouldn’t start or appear on other 15 man rosters. That’s how awful our scouting and development team is. Atleast with GarPax they knew the core guys and tried to identify them early on.