The Chicago Bulls moved to 2-1 in preseason play with a highly-entertaining 115-98 comeback win over the Raptors on Sunday.
Here are 10 observations from the competition:
1. After getting a have a look at Javonte Green with the primary unit in opposition to the Nuggets, Billy Donovan spun the beginning energy ahead wheel as soon as once more and landed on Derrick Jones Jr., who had now not cracked the Bulls’ 10-man first half rotation in both in their prior preseason video games.
The transfer didn’t yield the instant certain effects placing Green did in opposition to the Nuggets. Jones Jr. posted 2 issues and a couple of rebounds in 12 first-half mins, Williams shot 1-for-8 off the bench, and Green didn’t test in till the beginning of the second half.
Donovan insisted after the Nuggets sport that sliding Williams to a reserve function in want of Green was once carried out with the aim of comparing other staff groupings — and now not a demotion. But Green has regarded by way of some distance essentially the most spectacular of the crowd.
2. In the backcourt, Ayo Dosunmu made his 3rd consecutive preseason get started at level guard. He once more carried out neatly, tallying 14 issues, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and a couple of blocks in 29 mins. The Bulls’ start line guard spot appeared like an open pageant coming into coaching camp and the preseason, however it’s truthful to mention Dosunmu’s persistently secure play has constructed up momentum to take the sidelined Lonzo Ball’s position.
3. As they did in the preseason opener, the Bulls were given off to a coarse defensive get started, ceding 38 issues — 18 in the paint — on 59.1 p.c taking pictures in the primary quarter. The excellent information this time is that they tightened up in the halfcourt in the second, permitting 19 issues on 6-for-24 taking pictures. And 10 of the ones issues got here from fastbreak alternatives because the Bulls dedicated 11 turnovers in the duration.
4. Ball safety, certainly, was once a subject. The Bulls coughed up 16 first-half turnovers, which led to twelve Raptors issues. Zach LaVine was once the class chief with 5 and had two leap pictures blocked in a down efficiency (3-for-9 taking pictures) that ended early in the 3rd quarter.
For essentially the most phase, sloppy passing was once the offender of the Bulls’ turnover hassle, but it surely’s now not extraordinarily alarming for a couple of causes; one, the Bulls took care of the ball neatly closing season, completing with a 13 p.c turnover price that ranked 6th in the league; two and 3, they persevered to experiment with made over offensive ideas in opposition to a protracted, athletic and energetic defensive crew in Toronto.
5. In the 3rd quarter, the Bulls carried over that tight protection and persevered to push tempo, however did so in a lot cleaner style. They received the primary 10 mins of the quarter 30-14 to vault from down 10 on the half to forward 77-71 sooner than a 9-0 Toronto run to near the duration. After working away and hiding in the fourth quarter, the Bulls received the second half by way of a 68-41 margin.
6. Green, particularly, performed seven mins in the 3rd after now not enjoying in the primary half and collected a +10 plus-minus. He were given out in transition for one in all his most often thunderous slams and transformed a four-point play by way of nailing a nook triple via touch by way of Pascal Siakam. Then, in the fourth quarter, he added any other 11 issues, together with this gravity-defier of a dunk:
With 17 issues (in simply quarter-hour) on 7-for-8 taking pictures in this one, Green is now averaging 16.7 issues in preseason play, taking pictures a mixed 17-for-22 and 6-for-8 for 3-point vary. As we realized closing season all through his prolonged stretch as a starter, Green’s off-ball motion and explosive athleticism make for a compelling supplement to the Bulls’ number one shot-creators. Could we see him in that function once more this season? He is making somewhat the case.
7. Nikola Vučević persevered to seem at ease on the offensive finish, notching 13 issues on 6-for-10 taking pictures. Again, he discovered luck enjoying inside-out, a theme of coaching camp. Five of Vučević’s buckets got here in the paint and he facilitated a couple of high quality shot alternatives enjoying from the block and elbow spaces.
8. Another evening, any other 20-plus level time out for DeRozan. He scored 21 issues to guide the Bulls in this one, and has now scored no less than 20 in every of the crew’s preseason video games. DeRozan is a cumulative 10-for-18 (55.6 p.c) from the midrange and averaging 7.7 free-throw makes an attempt in exhibition play; plus, on Sunday, he even swiped 3 steals and took a fee. No rust to file for the reigning second-team All-NBA ahead.
9. Goran Dragić took a wholesome leisure day and was once inactive for the competition, which squares with Donovan time and again pronouncing all through coaching camp the crew will organize the 36-year-old’s mins sparsely. Jones Jr. took his spot in the nine-man first-half rotation.
That cleared paths for others to grasp the reserve reins. Alex Caruso left his standard imprint, sprinting out for 2 fastbreak layups and wreaking defensive havoc in his first stint. And once more taking fourth-quarter responsibility, Dalen Terry’s do-it-all ability set was once once more on show to the track of five issues 3 assists and a couple of rebounds. Donovan saved the rotation to 11 avid gamers as an alternative of emptying the bench to near, as he did in the primary two video games.
10. Andre Drummond is a profession 13.2 p.c 3-point shooter, having made 15 of 114 makes an attempt from that vary in his 10-year NBA profession.
Also Andre Drummond:
In the waning mins of practices and shootarounds, Drummond can regularly be discovered getting up nook triples. At least in a preseason context, that paintings got here to fruition. On an evening the Bulls 13-for-32 (40.6 p.c) from lengthy vary, Drummond was once the one participant to make greater than two 3s.
Next up for the Bulls: Back house to near their preseason slate in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
Click right here to practice the Bulls Talk Podcast.
Download
Download MyTeams Today!
