Commentary: The key word for today...Defense |
This week has not been kind to the Chicago Bulls, as they are on a four-game losing streak. The team has been without Zach Lavine since last Friday against the Brooklyn Nets. Lonzo Ball has been out even longer. The team, to put it mildly, has been struggling with defense for the past week. The up-tempo style of offense has been relatively consistent, but you will not win many games in the NBA if you don’t put up at least a decent effort on the defensive side of the ball.
Will having Zach Lavine fix the defensive woes for this team? The answer to that question is no, as he is not a defensive wizard, although when he does put in the effort, he is decent. The team you see on the court will likely be the team that finishes the season minus Nikola Vucevic. Odds favor Zach Lavine and Nikola Vucevic heading off to greener pastures before the trade deadline. Everyone who follows the Bulls knew the season was most likely going to be a long one. We are seeing shades of that right now during this losing streak. The team is not tanking to keep their top 10 draft pick protected and enter the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes; however, if the team continues to play like they have the past week, they will pick high during the upcoming draft. The difference in the talent level can be seen against the elite teams. This team has talent. Coby White is starting to look better, and Ayo Dosunmu can be a lightning rod of excitement when he wants to be. Bulls fans are not expecting the team to win every game; the fan base is realistic, but effort is what the fans need to see on a nightly basis. Playing with effort on both sides of the floor is critical for how this season will go. The offense is fun and exciting when they are playing fast and sinking threes all night. What is not fun, however, is watching the team miss their shots and give up easy baskets because they are not playing harder on defense. An off night happens during the season; that is undeniable. There were some good moments against the Minnesota Timberwolves. For the first time this season, the Bulls led after the first period ended. But as in life, what must go up must come down, and in the fourth, the team gave up 42 points and turned what could have been a winnable game into a route. Leading the whole game and getting blown out in the fourth is unacceptable. Watching the game, one could see the frustration on head coach Billy Donovan’s face. A fan base starving for a contender deserves to see some success on the court. The team is young and will most likely get younger once trades start happening. The young players must up their games on both sides of the floor. They must count on one another as soon they will be leading the charge for what the future looks like for the Chicago Bulls. However, the team can keep the fan base content by playing effortlessly and using the one-word championship teams all have…defense.
