Let’s just call it the Preseason of Javonte.
Because it was again the undrafted, undersized, unassuming and unafraid forward whose unstoppable, uncomplicated and generally unforeseen play—certainly to NBA talent evaluator—which led to the unraveling of the Toronto Raptors in the Bulls Sunday 115-98 victory.
Green had 17 points, including the highlight dunk of the preseason with a flying mimic of Michael Jordan’s 1988 All-Star game contest win, and now is averaging 16.7 points in the Bulls 2-1 start, shooting 77 percent overall and 75 percent on threes as he added two of three more.
Not good enough, however, to overshadow the perfect three for three from three for No. 3, the 13 percent career three-point shooter Andre Drummond, who hadn’t made a three pointers in an NBA game since before masks.
Perhaps it’s the three quarters exchange rate to the U.S. dollar in Toronto, where the Bulls played, though more on that later. Maybe the Bulls did add a stretch four in the offseason.
Anyway, back to Green, who didn’t play in the first-half when the Bulls were not very good, giving up a whopping 38 first quarter points and trailing by 10 at halftime with 16 lazy turnovers.
The Raptors’ Flip Saunders-inspired oscillating matchup zone the Raptors used to start with Scottie Barnes defending Nikola Vučević seemed to unhinge the Bulls early. They failed to take advantage with Vučević inside or overload a side and cut as the Raptors repeatedly switched in what was a disguised zone defense.
It’s just preseason, you know.
With the biggest questions concerning: who will start at point guard? Probably Ayo Dosunmu, who started his third straight and had 14 points, though half late in the fourth quarter when Toronto was featuring players destined for other continents.
And what of power forward and Patrick Williams, who came off the bench again, this time with Derrick Jones Jr. starting. Jones had little impact, and the game didn’t change for the Bulls until Green entered to start the third quarter and the Bulls took control with an 18-5 start.
Green had six points in the third, and then 11 more in the fourth quarter as the Bulls kept more regulars in the game. The game was tied for the last time with 7:35 left before Toronto went with likes of Justin Champagnie, Khem Birch, Jeff Dowtin, Gabe Brown and Ron Harper Jr. Yes, the son. Program sales skyrocketed.
Otto Porter Jr. wasn’t playing, out injured. Who’d have predicted? The Raptors also have former Bull Thad Young, who hustled around for five points and a couple of steals in six minutes. He makes you smile even with the opposition.
It’s a curious Raptors team that sort of plays this modern NBA model of four guys (sorry, they have Fred VanVleet, too), all long armed and about the same size who roam and switch…and likely will be battling the Bulls this season similar to last in that five to 10 group of playoff hopefuls.
The Bulls got this one to extend to 2-1 in the preseason games, though the Bulls trailed most of the first half when both teams’ starters played.
Or maybe most of them.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan has said especially these first three preseason games would be a laboratory for combinations and experimentation, though the way Green has played and inspired the offense it would be surprising if he’s not starting at power forward in Miami Oct. 19 for the regular season opener.
The Bulls have one more preseason game, Tuesday in the United Center against division and playoff rival Milwaukee.
Williams played 21 minutes and was one of eight with three rebounds.
DeMar DeRozan, popular in Toronto from his long and loving stay there to start his career, again led the Bulls, this time with 21 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals. He’s scored at least 21 points in each of the preseason games without playing in the fourth quarters. He’s also made 22 of 23 free throws.
Scoring partner Zach LaVine, conversely, apparently has been easing himself through these games after knee surgery early in the summer. He had nine points in 24 minutes on three of nine shooting, twice getting shots blocked in the same possession by O.G. Anunoby. LaVine had five turnovers and DeRozan added four as both were taking ballhandling responsibilities in the halfcourt with no true point guard. New acquisition Goran Dragić was rested by Donovan in a planned day off given his age and summer playing schedule.
Vučević was steady again with 13 points and nine rebounds in 26 minutes. He’s averaging an efficient 14 points and nine rebounds, also without playing fourth quarters.
The surprise in all of this was Drummond, who appears to have been practicing.
Not only hadn’t he made a three since February 2020 before the NBA shut down for the pandemic, he’d only attempted six since. He apparently never makes a three when there’s a virus going around. He’d made 13 percent of his attempts before that. But his three tries Sunday were perfect swishes that barely rattled the nets, if rattling a lot of observers. He had nine points and nine rebounds in 15 minutes.
Vooch probably still has his starting job, however.
It wasn’t a particularly auspicious beginning for the Bulls in giving up 38 first quarter points, 59 percent Toronto shooting and the Bulls missing five of seven threes. Toronto also was getting inside for 18 paint points with fast breaks in that first quarter while the Bulls couldn’t establish Vučević in the post. Toronto, meanwhile, mostly plays to mismatches and went at DeRozan several times. The VanVleet/Gary Trent backcourt outscored the Bulls Dosunmu and LaVine 21-6 in the first.
The Bulls brought some zest to their game, predictably enough with Alex Caruso. He even called for a lob dunk try on an inbounds pass. He missed. But he tried. And likely will again.
Caruso finished with eight points, and at least for now seems to be moving too fast for many of his teammates. He’s adept at the old give and go when he dribbles up, hands off to someone and goes to the basket. But more often than not the Bulls don’t look for him as a cutter. Yes, it’s still preseason.
The Bulls play during much of the first half was sloppy with many of the 16 turnovers on lazy passes with too much standing around and watching on offense. At the half, the Bulls were shooting 42 percent, 31 on threes (26 percent without Drummond) with those 16 turnovers, for, fortunately, just a dozen Toronto points.
Green’s presence seemed to change that starting the third quarter. He continued to shoot well on corner threes and Vučević got some action in the post. The Raptors aren’t a particularly good shooting team, and after making three of five in the first quarter they were five of 32 the rest of the game as the Bulls extended defensively a bit more after halftime.
Toronto closed the third quarter with a 9-0 run to take an 80-77 lead entering the fourth quarter after each coach challenged an official call. Apparently, also to get into regular season form.
It was Drummond’s third three pointer for a 90-87 Bulls lead in the fourth quarter that seemed to be the asteroid that sent these Raptors to extinction. And in a nod to the baseball playoffs, there were calls for the officials to check behind Drummond’s ears for, well, something.
Three perfect threes?
With their young legs group including rookie Dalen Terry and Green with a pair of unbelievable (much overused adjective, though not in this case), the Bulls kept piling it on until the end.
In a way both uncanny and what they hope will not be untypical.
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