Vucevic vs. Bradley, DeRozan's Homecoming, Double Teams, Bench Scoring and More!
The 8-4 Bulls faced off against the 8-4 Clippers today. Both teams came into the game third in their conference. Like the Warriors and Suns, the Clippers started the night as winners of their last 7. It marks the second straight game that the Bulls faced a team with the longest active win streak in the NBA. Only tonight the result was much different. The Bulls were looking for a bounce back game after a pummeling at the hands of Steph Curry and the league-best Warriors, and the team responded the way Chicago fans had hoped, winning 100-90.
They came out with energy and playing the kind of disruptive defense for which they are becoming known, forcing lots of early turnovers similar to the Golden State game. Unlike that Golden State game, however, this time they were able to gain separation, finishing the 1st quarter up 30-17. That separation proved vital as the Clippers made it close in the 4th quarter. But on the whole, the Bulls controlled the game from the early moments of the first quarter, and held on thanks to tenacious defense and the star power of DeRozan and Lavine.
The Bulls played small ball. Really small ball. They ran out the following lineups:
1st Quarter: Javonte Green at center, DJJ at the 4, along with Ayo, Lavine, and Ball
2nd Quarter: DJJ at center, with DeRozan at 4, along with Caruso, Lavine, and Ball.
And in the smallest lineup (ever?) considering mass as well as height...
3rd Quarter: DJJ at center, Troy Brown Jr. at 4, Ayo, Zach, and Ball. When your two biggest guys are named Junior, that says it all!
Alize Johnson did not enter the game. Nor did Cook nor Simonovic. Coach Donovan said he would consider going really small ahead of this game so it was not a total shock... and they made it work pretty well. It won't work against certain teams with quality inside presence, though. Take Anthony Davis and the Lakers for example.
But it worked tonight, even if it wasn't always pretty, And a win is a win, as they say, and this one came against one of the hottest teams in the league. So what went right and what went wrong?
Three Thoughts From Today's Game
1. The Difference Between Nikola Vucevic and Tony Bradley
One thing that went wrong was that Vucevic didn't magically get all better and return to the lineup. Because (Hot Take Warning!) Tony Bradley is NOT Nikola Vucevic.
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, 'Yeah, right! Prove it!' Well, okay. Let's roll the tape!
In the footage below, observe the lack of respect that Tony Bradley commands, and then watch him make them pay for it!
Okay, okay. So instead of making them pay, he neglects to even look at the basket -- not once, but twice in one play -- while holding the ball near the free throw line with no one guarding him. This allows the defense to clog the paint or double the ball without fear of retribution. This possession actually ends with a decent look, though most plays where this happens do not.
Exhibit B. Tony Bradley fails to fight hard enough to clear Zubac out, and his brick-like hands cannot grasp the ball, leading to an extra possession that will result in a Paul George basket. Very reminiscent of the Warriors game.
Perhaps this mishap doesn't look unforgivable taken on its own, but this is a board that Vucevic comes up with, and it happened several times throughout the game from Bradley alone.
Like in Exhibit C.
You get the sense that the announcers were noticing the same shortcomings I highlighted in the first two clips. I let the video run so you can listen to the commentary.
And then there's Exhibit D.
This further proves my theory that Tony Bradley is, in fact, NOT Nikola Vucevic, contrary to popular belief amongst some fans in the area of my brain that controls imagination.
Again, Bradley fails to look at the basket while standing wide open at the elbow - twice - in one play. Now I know, he isn't supposed to be Vucevic. Vooch wouldn't be Vooch if everyone could be Vooch, if you follow me. But a quality NBA player can't be THAT passive, and one hopes that his play will grow less timid as he adjusts to his massively increased role on his new team.
That said, I have just one more clip that needs to be shown, and then I promise I'll move on!
Exhibit E.
This is a play where Vucevic flips it in on the catch, or, if he takes that dribble, he drives the defender back with his shoulder and THEN flips it in. Here, Bradley is indecisive, dribbles UP to the defender (not into) and winds up putting the ball right into the smaller defender's reach.
So this isn't all to just rag on Tony Bradley for being a low-end backup who is simply answering the call to play a larger role due to health issues. It's to illustrate what Vucevic does well, and to help explain WHY things are going to come with much more difficulty on the offensive end until he returns.
Now, as promised, onto other things.
2. More Reasons Tony Bradley is NOT Nikola Vucevic Double Teams
As I just mentioned, things will not come so easily on offense, especially for DeRozan and Lavine who have been facing double- and triple-teams the past two games. It is especially difficult when one of the two are on the bench resting. The entire defense is able to focus on one player. For their part, DeRozan and Lavine MUST be better at working out of the double-team if Chicago is to win against playoff teams with consistency. Here is how we improve:
1. Pass the ball out faster. Too much dribbling.
2. Pass the ball more crisply. There were so many soft, floater-type passes out of the double-teams. It allows the defense to recover under control. Crisp passes (like the ones Vucevic throws from the middle all the time) will open up lanes and shooters.
3. The guy who receives the first pass out of the double-team needs to penetrate or swing it faster. The ball has a tendency to get stuck, especially when Lavine is out there with DeRozan. The defense is not forced to shift or scramble, and the offense does not gain an advantage so it ends up with either a lesser player trying to create, or else the ball comes back to our star for a rerun of the same iso situation.
4. The role players need to step up and be more aggressive.
5. Come back, Coby!
And this leads us into tonight's final thought...
3. Role Players
The Bulls are 2nd in the league in percentage of points scored by starters, with over 81% coming from the starting unit. This is the result of a combination of factors. Yes, the Bulls have great scoring starters. But yes, they also lack scoring ability from the bench. This stat is just the latest in a series of observations that has me coming around on the importance of Coby White. We could really use his scoring punch off the bench.
Tonight was Ayo's worst game of the season. There were badly missed shots and bobbled balls; the two good defensive plays he made he turned right back over moments later, and he didn't provide much in the way of offense either, aside from two nice drives, as he was often relegated to standing in the corner, acting as a poor man's 3 and D wing. While I still liked his approach to the game for the most part, he did almost nothing positive tonight and it showed in the box score -- specifically, the +/- column where he was a team worst -8.
The best +/- line came from Caruso, who started and played the most minutes with 38:40. He finished a +16, but it certainly wasn't owed to his offensive contributions as he netted just 7 points off a 2-11 performance from the field. He had plenty of good looks that he just didn't convert. I expected him to be a better long distance shooter coming into the season but he has struggled so far, now 33% on the season from 3. Still, he more than made up for it on the defensive end. He made it tough on guys all night long, and not just the guys he was matched up with. He played excellent team defense, far beyond what the 3 steals and 1 block show in his stat line. And at least he was aggressive on the offensive end, even if he didn't convert tonight. That aggression is critical so that defenses must respect someone besides DeRozan and Lavine.
The other role players failed to step up on offense and, as mentioned, DeRozan and Lavine did not show trust in their teammates, often refusing to pass out of double-teams. The pick-and-roll was rendered useless - perhaps even worse than useless - when for a second straight night it led directly into double-teams since the opponent did not have to respect the big man or even the guys set up in the corners. I wonder if Matt Thomas is worth a look just to spread the court in situations like this. He is no Redick as he lacks any skills besides hitting 3s off screens (Redick was much more than that), and he is a liability on defense as well.. but when the offense goes stagnant.... I guess I'm just curious.
But the real answer is that DeRozan and Lavine need to move the ball around faster.
Well now, that was a lot of negativity, especially for a Bulls win over a top team. So what went right? The defense was excellent for almost 48 minutes. DeRozan and Lavine did their thing. Lavine found his groove from distance, finishing 6-13 from 3-point range with 29 points, and DeRozan was fabulous in his first homecoming game without his father, shooting 12-16 for 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. His midrange game was off the charts good. Which makes me wonder... do we have the best AND worst mid-range shooters in the NBA on the same team?
You decide.
Stat of the Game: 3
The number of Bulls players who lost a shoe tonight. Seriously. Does Elias Sports keep track of this? It HAS to be a record for one team in a single game. I know I've never seen it before.
And Finally
Gotta love this camaraderie from DeRozan and Lavine near the end of the game.
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