The Bulls shooting was bad, 27 percent on threes in a 17-point first half deficit when most of the starters played in Tuesday’s 129-125 New Orleans win in the preseason opener.
“We shot the ball really, really poorly and we have to have enough resiliency to overcome that; we struggled to shoot the ball,” noticed Bulls coach Billy Donovan.
The Bulls’ remind-you-of-molasses-sliding-off-the-kitchen table pace of play was a problem as the Bulls walked into a 40-25 first quarter hole against the pogo stick baby Pelicans. “I thought we were really slow,” offered Donovan. “They shot 70 percent in the first quarter (technically just 69.6). It’s hard to play fast (taking the ball out of the basket). Their guards picked our guards up full court and made it even harder. We gave up transition points and fouled too much and the pace of play was way too slow.”
The word sucked wasn’t mentioned, but the team’s defense was Dutch boy dike stuff with leaks everywhere, and 70 first-half Pelicans points. “We’ve got a long way to go defensively,” warned Donovan. “There’s no question about that. I thought the biggest challenge was open side pick and roll; we had a difficult time with that. I thought our weak side awareness was not great.”
So Donovan said this is exactly he was hoping for.
Huh? Did we miss something?
Twenty-seven Bulls turnovers for 36 points, and then coming on strong late to shoot 33 percent on threes, Summer League tryout guy Carlik Jones with the most assists, New Orleans with a 46-28 paint points edge through three quarters before the third teams took over—hey, our third team is better than your third team—Coby White with the first injury of the season, albeit minor, and Andre Drummond ejected with two technical fouls.
You wouldn’t say Donovan was happy; but he certainly wasn’t mad. Or sad.
“We can get better from this because it shines a light on things we’ve got to get better at,” Donovan explained, almost reveling in his get-back-in-the-lab mode. “These are opportunities to show and grow and try to get better from. There’s an opportunity coming in tomorrow (at practice) where can we take a step and get better. The worst thing for our group, I think, would have been you win by 25 or 30 points, ‘OK, were just cruisin’, hummin’ along; it’s great.’ This forces you to continually shine a light on where you’ve got to improve.”
Yes, it’s his story and he’s sticking to it.
Though there also is something to it.
After all, it was a practice game, and at least the Bulls now know they need more practice. The Bulls have three more of these before starting the regular season in Miami Oct. 19, Friday and next Tuesday at home and Sunday in Toronto.
Donovan said White wanted to return after three minutes, two missed shots and one knee contusion. But, you know, exhibition game.
Zach LaVine chose to sit out the second half more caution than concern.
He had 10 points in 17 minutes.
“I just want to work my way into it,” LaVine told reporters as NBA locker rooms reopened for the first time in two years (the players didn’t seem as joyous). “Obviously, coming off the knee and feeling really good I don’t want to put an extra stress on it where I don’t need to. I was rehabbing all summer, so take it a little slower. I feel really fine. I want to keep it that way.”
Donovan has said he’ll leave it to the veterans to help determine how much they want to play in these games.
DeMar DeRozan, of course, wanted to play the entire game. He stated his statistical goal for the season is to play 82 games. He had 21 points in 23 minutes, eventually settling into a bit more into isolation play with things breaking down and making 11 of 12 free throws.
Nikola Vucevic actually looked the best and, surprisingly, most active among the regulars with also a game high 23 minutes. He had four blocks and three steals, started off making a couple of baskets on post plays and had 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Another concern, perhaps, was the Pelicans lead scorer Brandon Ingram didn’t play and none of their regulars played more than 15 minutes. Zion Williamson looked fleet (for him) with 13 points. Devonte Graham led New Orleans with 21 points, but it was their young, athletic big guys with a series of layups and followup dunks and lobs that broke open the game early.
Javonte Green subbing for Patrick Williams at power forward was the first off the bench and predictably hustled his way to 18 points. Williams had a few nice offensive rebounds, but was mostly subordinate with five points, the only starter not to score in double figures.
Ayo Dosunmu got the first start at point guard to fill in for injured Lonzo Ball. Dosunmu was capable with 10 points and three assists in 22 minutes, but the Pelicans apparently did some scouting and pressured Dosunmu in the backcourt. He thus was slow in getting the ball up court as the Bulls then routinely got into offense late.
“I think I did an OK job as we continue to try to move more into a free flowing offense,” Dosunmu said. “There are going to be tough times. That’s when we need to come together and continue to move the ball, continue to trust each other and stick with the plan.”
Donovan said he’s going to give White, Goran Dragic and Alex Caruso opportunities at point guard through preseason and see how the players fit together for an eventual starter. That Dosunmu got the start in the first game probably suggests he’s the clubhouse leader.
Dragic had a rough debut playing off the ball with Caruso and committing three turnovers in 13 minutes.
“I thought Goran uncharacteristically had some turnovers,” Donovan said. “I think coming into a new situation, new team, learning to play with those guys it’s going to be normal. I don’t worry about him based on his experiences.”
Caruso looked the best at point with more thrust as he does mimic Ball the closest with his defense and offensive push. But he had five fouls in less than 17 minutes, which with his headstrong style of play raises concerns if he would be around to finish if he starts. Malcolm Hill showed a nice shooting touch late for 10 points in 10 minutes.
“We kind of were just going through the motions, which is a little disappointing," Caruso said of the Bulls' start. “It's preseason, so it's hard to put too much weight into it. But that is something we talked about at halftime. As a group in general, that's the identity we want moving forward: We want to play harder than everybody.”
Caruso started for LaVine in the third quarter, and not necessarily because of that the Bulls played with more interest, running up 39 points led by Vucevic and DeRozan to at least pull within 104-92 before the deep benches took over.
That gave Bulls rookie Dalen Terry a chance, and he wasn’t going through the motions with 11 points and seven rebounds in 18 minutes.
His shot remained a bit crooked, but he was typically caffeinated as he actually helped drive the Bulls to a 117-113 lead with 4:08 left in the game on a steal and fast break dunk that got the home crowd up and celebrating.
Too bad Drummond joined them as the latest NBA fun-goes-to-die regulation is a crackdown on player sideline celebrating. Drummond had gotten a technical foul earlier for complaining, and got his second and ejection for his revelry. It may have been for his unorthodox dancing, but I’ll have to check the tape on that.
Donovan, though, said the ejection was his fault because he forgot to warn the players among the litany of watch out stuff for the season about the merrymaking edict.
But the Bulls will have to do something about some things the way this one went. Just being able to escape celebratory technicals may not be worth the trade off of poor play.
“You’re not going to replace Lonzo,” said LaVine. “That’s just not going to happen. We’re not going to pick up what he brings to the table, his passing ability, his defensive ability, his shooting. There’s a lot we miss from him. It’s the first game with a couple of new pieces and we obviously have to adjust to that, but that’s what preseason is for. I don’t think it makes a big deal who starts at point guard; it’s more what they bring to the game.
“We’ve got to pick it up on that (defensive) end,” LaVine said. “We know what our shortcomings are. So it’s just trying to fill those gaps; don’t try to jump too much into one preseason game. I’m that type of guy. We’ll watch the film. We’ll see if we can adjust. If it keeps a pattern on and on, that’s when you start getting a little more concerned. Right now, I’m not concerned at all. I think it will iron itself out. I think we’ll be all right.”
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