Bulls Blog

 Bulls vs. Hornets The Bulls took over in the third quarter behind excellent three-point shooting on their way to a comfortable 133-119 win.   Neat Bull ets: It was the first time the Bulls scored 100+ points through 3 quarters this season. The 133 total marked a season high in points. Vucevic finished 6-6 from downtown for his first 30-point game of the season, to go along with 14 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks. DeRozan scored a relatively quiet 28 points, with Zach Lavine right behind him at 25. All 5 starters shot over 50% from the field, and the team shot 60% overall. The Bulls finished the night 14-30 from downtown. Three Thoughts From Today's Game

Bulls vs. Heat The Bulls lost their much-anticipated measuring stick game to the Heat 107-104.  How both teams ended up scoring over 100 points I will never know.  It felt like neither team could get a quality look, let alone score, for much of the game.  Three Thoughts From Today's Game 1. This Was No Moral Victory I would have been okay with the loss and even considered it a moral victory if it wasn't for the fact that Miami was playing without Tyler Herro (22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists per game).  The problems were numerous for the Bulls: Problem #1 : Turnovers (22) The Bulls had 22 of them.  It's hard to win a game against any team with that many turnovers.  We knew coming into the game that that would be an area of concern as the Heat - with Butler and Lowry two of the best in the league at steals over their careers - are known for playing stingy defense.  It's somewhat of an achievement that the Bulls only lost by 3 considering the number of B...

Bulls vs. Magic 11/26/21 Family has been staying with us over the holidays, and since the Bulls play again tonight, I'm keeping my post-game analysis brief today. The Bulls won big, 123-88, with 3 players scoring 20+ points, including DeMar (23), Zach (21) and Coby (20).  Vucevic also played well, tallying 16 points and 8 rebounds on 7-13 shooting over 28 minutes.  Except for Lonzo Ball (31 minutes), no one exceeded 28 minutes of action as Chicago was able to rest in the 4th quarter up by 30+. Three Thoughts From Today's Game 1. Coby White Coby White showed up and had his best game of the season last night with 20 points on 9 of 11 shooting.  He showed everyone what he is able to do for this team when he is playing aggressively and shooting well.  What he is able to do is be a legitimate third threat (or second threat if either DeMar or Lavine is sitting while he is in, which is most often the case).  He can single-handedly flip the script on our scoring becomin...

The Bulls Have A BIG Problem The Bulls have a big problem.  They are too small.  This article takes a thorough look at the power forwards and centers the Bulls could realistically add this season. Why We Need A Big Man The "big" problem is a big problem.  As we have already seen in some of the Bulls' losses, it is difficult to sustain winning when you are so undersized.  While Nikola Vucevic's extended absence hurt, the Bulls have been getting pounded on the boards and inside the paint even when he has been in the lineup.   Currently (as of December 3), the Bulls are dead last in rebounds per game.  They also rank 21st in blocks per game because they lack a true center or power forward who can be impactful on the defensive end. Meanwhile, opposing big men (think Nurkic or Randle, or even LaMarcus Aldridge or Aaron Gordon) have consistently popped off against Chicago.   Vucevic, Tony Bradley (who is out of the rotation), Alize Johnson (ou...

  Bulls vs. Rockets 11/25/21 The Bulls lost to a 1-16 Rockets team that had lost 15 games in a row leading into this one. So what happened? 1. Complacency The Bulls got complacent.  Bad publicity over the summer was probably the best thing to happen to them this year.  Everyone had something to prove.  DeMar was the worst signing of the offseason.  Zach couldn't win.  Vucevic was a bad trade.  The Bulls couldn't play defense. The Bulls were going to finish in the bottom third of the league.  They started the season with an edge because they all had a lot to prove.  Then, they started winning and the media stories began to change.  They proved themselves.  And then they exhaled.  And that's when other teams punched them in the gut. 2. Tired Legs The Bulls have appeared tired mentally and physically for at least the last 3 games.  DeRozan and Lavine are both in the top 20 in the league in minutes per game and rank even high...

Bulls vs. Pacers 11/22/21 So after putting my kids to bed I accidentally caught the score of the game with only seconds left in the 4th quarter.  So I thought to myself, 'Self, do you really want to spend your free time tonight watching the Bulls get smacked by a subpar opponent?'  The answer was no, no I do not.  But I know some of you had to grit your teeth and grind through it, and I figure if you're here to read about it, you probably just want to feel better about things.  Well I can help with that! Here is a list of good things to come out of the game, sandwiched between other good things.  Please enjoy!  Marko Simonovic got his first NBA action!  He tied for the best +/- among all Bulls at +2!!  DeMar DeRozan shot well, hitting 8-16 shots for 18 points in 27 minutes. The Bulls got outrebounded 59-38, and out-blocked 12-2 as they were dominated inside the paint.  Wait-wait-wait!  Good things!  Good things only.  Okay, let...

  Bulls vs. Knicks 11/21/21 The Bulls knocked off the Knicks in an ugly, foul-ridden contest.  Ultimately, a win is a win and the Bulls prevailed 109-103.  With the victory, Chicago moves to 12-5 on the season and a tie for 1st place in the East with the Brooklyn Nets. The biggest x-factor in this one was Coby White.  In by far his best game yet, he shot 5-11 from the field for 14 points.  His impact was greater than that stat line though, as he hit 3 huge threes and a couple nice drives when the Bulls needed it most.  The Knicks had taken control of the game in the third quarter.  Coby not only stopped the momentum, he swung it the other way.  It was the critical moment in the game, and honestly the Bulls probably don't pull it off without Coby tonight.  And despite how he performed in the first three games back from injury, if Coby can turn the tide in one out of every four games, that will probably work just fine for the team. What else ke...

  Bulls vs. Knicks Preview The 11-5 Bulls, currently a half game back from first in the East, face off against the 9-7 Knicks who sit at the 5th spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The last time these two teams faced off on October 28th, the Knicks nixed a late comeback to hold onto a 104-103 victory, earning the Bulls the first nick in their record.   Puns aside, New York comes into this game on a bit of a slide, going 4-6 over their past 10 games after starting the season 5-1, like the Bulls.  In the first matchup, the Knicks dominated the boards, finishing with a +12 margin and out rebounding the Bulls 11-5 on the offensive glass.  Vucevic had his best game offensively (22 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists on 8-13 shooting) and perhaps defensively (limiting Julius Randle to 13 points on 3-11 shooting with 4 turnovers).  However, Randle did hurt the Bulls by grabbing 16 rebounds and dishing out 9 assists.  DeMar DeRozan and Zach Lavine both s...

  Bulls Deep Analysis Why Bulls Fans Showed Up in Denver The Bulls team felt the love from the "away" crowd at Denver November 19th.  Chants of "Let's go Bulls!" reverberated throughout the arena, loudly enough to be heard clearly through the television broadcasts.  The energy during the Bulls' runs rivaled that of a home crowd at the United Center.  The unexpected charisma appeared to affect the momentum - and outcome - of the game. Now, the team is giving the love back to its fans. Just look at what the guys had to say about the crowd reaction! Zach Lavine Troy Brown, Jr.  Derrick Jones, Jr. It feels really good to see this kind of reciprocal love affair.  And I believe we are going to see a lot more of this in the coming games.  That's because this fan reaction makes sense taken within the context of our Bulls fan history. Michael Jordan's Bulls Sorry, Scottie, but Jordan built the fanbase through his on-court skill, and the massive marketing cam...