The first few months of the Bulls season haven’t been easy.
They weren’t supposed to be.
That was the concern for coach Billy Donovan out of training camp – the start of the schedule. There was no easing into it, as much as being dropped into it. As Donovan and his players found out, dropped head first on far too many nights.
An Oct. 28 loss in Detroit – one of only two wins for the 2-27 Pistons this season, a 22-point loss at the hands of the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets in early November, and then rock bottom coming on Nov. 28 in Boston, when the Celtics ran up the score so that they could qualify for the knockout round of the In-Season Tournament.
But since that Boston massacre, there has been an awakening with this roster.
An understanding of how they need to play on both ends of the floor for this group to succeed. And the best news when the team reconvenes to host Atlanta on Tuesday night? There is suddenly a bit more light shining through the trees.
The Celtics have the easiest remaining schedule of all the other NBA teams with 54 games left and the opposition sporting a combined .464 winning percentage. Followed by the Magic (.477) and then the Bulls (.478).
If the 8-4 record the last 12 games is sustainable, well, the days where the Bulls fan base was figuring out lottery odds and already diving into mock drafts could come to an end quickly.
Three ways that will continue happening:
1. The Zach attack – At some point in the next few weeks, two-time All-Star Zach LaVine will be ready for a return. Yes, the front office is actively still trying to trade him, but that’s hard to do when a dance partner refuses to show up to the hall, let alone come to the floor. Expect the market to get more serious by mid-January.
Until then, the best thing for LaVine and the Bulls is for him to show he’s healthy, but also show he’s willing to fall in line and play the style of play Donovan has been preaching since October.
2. Avoid the White out – Coby White is putting together something special these days. Not only with his scoring and three-point shooting, but his decision making, defense, and all-around numbers.
In his 12 games with LaVine sidelined with the right foot injury, White was averaging 23.8 points, 6.5 assists and 6.3 rebounds, while shooting 49.3% from the field and 43.8% from three-point range.
To put that in perspective, LaVine’s best season ever was the 2020-21 campaign in which he averaged 27.4 points, five rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, while shooting 50.7% from the field and 41.9% from three. He was currently sitting at 21, 4.9 and 3.4 this season, shooting 44.3% from the field and 33.6% from three.
Forget the numbers, however. The biggest difference between the two? LaVine was making $40 million this season, with a max deal that pays him $43 million next year, $46 million the season after that, and he has the $48.9 million option for the 2026-27 season.
White was extended last summer and pulls in $11.1 million this season, $12 million next season, and $12.9 million in his final year of the deal. He’s also five years younger than LaVine.
Even when LaVine returns, the worst thing that could happen is White’s progress is somehow allowed to stall. He’s earned his place in the pecking order, and it’s good business to keep White ahead of LaVine in that department.
3. Dine on defense – The key over the last 12 games was the improvements and focus on defense. That’s when this roster is at its best. Causing havoc on the defensive end and getting out in transition.
Since that loss in Boston, the Bulls have the seventh-best defensive rating (113.4) in the league. If that continues trending upwards so will the wins.