For the Bulls, it’s probably wait ’til next season…for the in-season NBA Cup.
Because the Bulls Friday in a Xerox game from Wednesday’s loss to the Orlando Magic — scoring the same 33 points in a desultory first half and then carried by Zach LaVine’s clutch shooting raising the United Center roof and almost, only almost, stealing a win — dropped a second consecutive game to the Magic, 103-97, and slipped to the bottom of their group with two losses and verging on elimination in a 4-9 overall season record.
“It was important (because of the tournament) coming into it,” said DeMar DeRozan, who returned from a one-game personal reasons absence and scored 23 points. “We wanted this one to continue to give ourselves a chance.”
That seems unlikely now, if the larger question is just what is going on with this slumping Bulls team that was trailing by 20 points into the second half, and by 13 midway through the fourth quarter before another one of those hair-on-fire runs fueled by more LaVine hot shooting with a driving full-court layup, a pair of threes and then setting up Andre Drummond for a dunk.
“I didn’t think we were playing bad,” said LaVine. “We just didn’t get off to a good start again. We’re showing we are capable obviously in the second half, but we have to put two halves together. Just some energy, made some shots (in the fourth). We were playing hard on defense. They were getting loose balls and second chance points; that hurt us. Obviously, we just have to make shots.”
Which LaVine did. Because then it was more Zach with a 17-footer as the young Magic seemed to be disappearing in what became a 16-0 Bulls run. And then when LaVine with a game-high 34 points, six assists and two steals with a no look pass in transition fed Coby White for a runway slam dunk with 3:39 left in the game, it looked like the Bulls were ready to eat with a 90-89 lead.
White’s step-climbing dunk over Magic star Paolo Banchero had White exultant and flexing and White taking fist and chest bumps from teammates as he prepared to shoot a free throw with the foul on the play.
Orlando got a Gary Harris three in response. But there was that man again, LaVine, a 10-footer with about three minutes remaining to tie the game at 92. That made it LaVine either scoring or assisting on the last 16 Bulls points.
And that being the LaVine whose name has been in escalating trade rumors and speculation all week, and who’s two threes in a 10-second span in the last 17 seconds Wednesday almost won that game after the Bulls came back from 19 points behind.
“That’s a sign of a true professional,” said DeRozan. “Understanding what’s in front of him and you can’t worry about whatever else is out there. Him being a true professional and worried about the moment and trying to lead us to a victory, like he (almost) did the other night and tonight.”
Just punching that time clock.
“My job is to play basketball,” said LaVine. “It’s pretty easy to do that. I come and do my job, come out here and play and do the best I can to help us win; everything else is white noise. How long has my name been in trade talks? I’ve been doing the same thing; it’s not hard. I understand the city, understand the media, understand the position I am in. We’re not winning. Obviously, more and more stuff comes with it. Win basketball games and stuff gets quiet. Keep your head down, continue your routine and I think everything will be OK. The challenge is go out there and get a win. Everything will take care of itself if you go out and win a ballgame. We can talk about everything else, noise, morale. You go out and win, it will be OK.”
Which it seemed like the Bulls were finally about to do despite all that had gone before in yet another debilitating game debut.
While the Magic is a young team and was missing starters Wendell Carter Jr., Markelle Fultz and his replacement Jalen Suggs, they have some clever scorers in Banchero and Franz Wagner. They also run a nice cutting and movement game, and in a preview of what was to come sprung free Wagner for a layup. The Magic dominated inside scoring 52-34.
That gave Orlando a 96-92 lead with 1:38 left, but then came on stage the Amazing Alex.
“AC is like our spark plug; kind of feed off his energy,” said DeRozan.
The headband igniter with 18 points and four of five threes got the stalled Bulls vehicle back in gear.
And pretty much all game also with the usual steals, deflections and opponent frustrations as Bulls coach Billy Donovan finally gave in and started Caruso for the first time this season. At power forward, of course, where Caruso only had to give up those five inches to Banchero. So Caruso came out and did what he could to start that balky Bulls engine with a trio of three pointers for the Bulls only scores the first six minutes of the game and a 9-4 lead.
“We got off to a good start,” said Donovan. “But (also trying to finish with Caruso and manage his playing time since he’s basically in a body cast during every timeout) not playing him 12 straight minutes (is a problem). You are taking a guy who is your energy guy and he’s going 12 minutes without playing and I have to manage his minutes; we have to figure out the combinations.”
But that was then, and this was a chance to win a game, and maybe still matter in Adam’s new tournament.
After a Cole Anthony miss — and this thing had gotten fun and interesting — DeRozan on the move made a terrific pass to a diving Caruso, who was fouled and made both free throws for the Bulls to trail 96-94 with 54.7 seconds left. Banchero then missed with Caruso smothering him and Caruso guided the rebound to DeRozan.
DeRozan pushed the ball out quickly and dribbled in deep. He began to lose the ball when he pushed it to Vučević in the deep right corner. Vučević straightened out the bounce push to White who centered it to Caruso at the top of the key for….
….the Lead!
“This is probably the most unattached to results that I’ve been in my life basketball-wise as far as shots going in or out,” said Caruso. “And that’s probably why I’m making most of them. If I’m open, I shoot it. I’m playing basketball, competing to win. If it’s the right shot, take it. Trust the work. I worked really hard this summer and this preseason and during the season. There’s no reason not to shoot them.”
Magic timeout with 26.1 seconds left; 97-96 Bulls
Orlando ran a clever play passing to Wagner in the backcourt to inbound to give him a running start. Vučević, who sat out the fourth quarter until about the last 90 seconds, was defending Jonathan Isaac. Isaac off the bench had a huge game with 18 points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes in leading Orlando’s 46-34 rebounding margin. Orlando's reserves with Caruso starting outscored the Bulls 50-8.
Caruso was on Wagner, who led Orlando with 21 points. Coming from the backcourt with speed, Wagner blew past Caruso who was cut off by a tough Isaac screen. That left Vučević on Wagner, and the 6-foot-10 athlete slid by and euro-stepped to his left for a layup and foul and 99-97 Magic lead with 20.6 seconds left in regulation.
The Bulls came out of their timeout with a good sequence which didn’t produce as well.
LaVine threw in to DeRozan above the circle. LaVine ran a brush screen and DeRozan moved around to his right past LaVine. DeRozan then drove the lane with LaVine coming open well on top of the floor. Isaac moved in to help, leaving Vučević alone in the right corner.
“It was a great play,” said LaVine, who had 25 second half points. “Me and DeMar on action. I slipped (out) and DeMar was able to make a great pass and we’ll take that every day of the week, Vooch shooting an uncontested three. I think we got the best shot at the time; couldn’t ask for more.”
Well, maybe it going in?
The shot hit front rim and Isaac rebounded. He was fouled and made both free throws to effectively end the game. Wide open shot for a win from a player who can make that shot. Why not? Shake their hand, tip your hat and all that?
Though if you have nits to pick, it was an unusual fourth quarter for Vučević, who didn’t enter until 1:38 was left because the group with Andre Drummond was bringing the Bulls back. That was Vučević's first shot of the fourth quarter and first since 3:37 left in the third.
The Bulls had one last bit of desperation left with LaVine getting an attempt for a three trailing by four with eight seconds left. Gary Harris stripped the ball as LaVine went up to shoot.
“Gary got a good hand on the ball,” said LaVine. “At that point just trying to get a shot up; he’s a good defender. Not a lot you could do about it.”
And so then the ongoing question became what about those starts to the games? Falling behind double digits regularly. And at home?
“Just the force and pace we played at (in the second half), we’ve got to be able to establish that for the whole game because we are digging ourselves incredible holes to come back from,” said Donovan. “I give our guys credit for fighting the way they did to give ourselves a chance to win that game. But that’s a difficult way to live. When they play like they did in that second half, it’s inspiring to watch. If they weren’t engaged why not just throw the towel in? Why fight and work to get back in the game? It’s them wanting to win. I feel sometimes when we come out, we’re testing, ‘What’s the game going to be like?’ Instead of coming out, ‘OK…we gotta go.’ If I had the answer we would try to get it corrected.”
DeRozan also said he was searching.
“They need to put us down 18 when we come out so we come out with a sense of urgency,” he quipped. "We put ourselves in a tough position every single night when we do that. Like Billy said, if we had the answer we’d fix it right away. We’ve just got to come out with a sense of urgency. Not easing into it; first half, first quarter easing into like we don’t want to mess up. But that’s causing us to mess up on both ends. And then they steamroll us until we get down and then we fight back.
“I remember I was the fastest guy in elementary school, so I gave somebody a head start. But I couldn’t catch up to them,” said DeRozan. “We can’t do that. We can’t rely on one of us being able to get us back in the game.”
Actually, I think I know the problem. But since I don’t believe the coaches read my stories, we can keep it among us.
It’s also part of this being a really good, quality group of people. Sometimes that’s not ideal. Because they really are trying to do the right thing, to do what’s asked of them.
“The players are doing everything they can,” said LaVine. “I know everybody is trying to do the best they can. We’ve got a good group of guys; everybody is encouraging. I think we’ve done a good job of staying positive. Everybody in this room supports each other; so we’ll figure it out.”
Now we understand this next part is me postulating.
Donovan talked about a more “random” offense last season. This season the adjustment seemed to be a continuation of this read-and-react notion. The theory, which made sense, was penetration into the lane with some speed that would correspondingly collapse the defense and open up perimeter shooting. Not an untypical NBA strategy.
They haven’t been able to sustain that kind of pace. But seemingly more significantly, the players appear to be trying — perhaps too much — to be unselfish and move the ball for better shots. The result to start the game often seems to be passing up shots and then extending the time clock and eventually finding a shot. Which isn’t often a great shot without the penetration. There is some success with turnovers into transition. But that’s slowed some lately while the Bulls’ play hasn’t been as error free.
It just seems like too often the ball is circling the offense. And while ball movement is laudable, it needs to have more purpose. Lacking a true point guard complicates things.
Then in the third quarter LaVine, Vučević and DeRozan attempted 19 of the Bulls 23 shots. There were more isolation and one pass, screen/roll. And then in the fourth quarter LaVine and DeRozan attempted 14 of the team’s 20 shots, and the Bulls were back. Almost all the way.
Now, no one likes isolation-heavy, individual play. The kids are happiest when everyone gets to play. But it does appear in these repeated contemplative beginnings that there’s an emphasis on the extra pass. Which is a basketball mantra for all that is good about the game. Though sometimes you want the coach screaming, “No, no, no,…good shot.”
“Throughout the season there are different challenges,” said DeRozan. “It’s the ones who can dig themselves out of holes you are in personally, team wise.”
The Bulls insist they still are those guys.
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