PRETEND IT’S STILL THE PRESEASON
Porter: Bulls had identity in camp, just need to remember it
CLEVELAND — The offense has to move the ball better. There has to be a tougher commitment on defense. Open shots have to fall.
Veteran forward Otto Porter Jr. knows all the obvious issues hanging over the Bulls, who are off to a 1-3 start.
But where do the repairs really begin? “For us, we’ve just got to get our mojo, get our swag back to the way we were playing in training camp, in the preseason,” Porter said after practice Tuesday.
Sounds simple. Maybe too simple. But Porter believes it’s that basic.
“When the ball is moving, guys are playing defense, flying around, screaming, yelling, you know, getting after it — that’s the Bulls,” he said. “We’ve just got to get back to it, get back to our identity, which is getting out and running, threes and playing Bulls defense.”
Porter and fellow captain Thaddeus Young were vocal as practice was wrapping up on the Cavaliers’ home court, making sure coach Jim Boylen was going to keep a scheduled shootaround Wednesday morning ahead of the Bulls’ game against the Cavs. They also were making sure teammates understood how badly they need every opportunity to get better.
“What we learned last game, we’ve got to apply that to our next game,” Porter said. “That’s how you get better. Closing out games — realizing how we play in the first quarter [is] how we have to play out the rest [of the game].”
Porter knows a lot of that starts with himself. It has only been four games, but this is not the same Porter the Bulls saw last season after they got him in a trade from the Wizards for Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis.
Though he only played in 15 games following the trade because of injuries, Porter still had an instant impact with the Bulls, averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 48.8 percent from three-point range. This year, he has been on a minutes watch, averaging just 7.3 points and three rebounds while shooting 21.1 percent from three-point range. Something has to be wrong, right? “You can’t let — what, four games? — four games determine your season,” Porter said. “It is early. I’m still getting used to the new system, everything, the new team, still getting my legs under me. Keep shooting. Keep being aggressive, be in a position to be aggressive. Hopefully, [Wednesday] night I can start putting this together.”
Porter said the early-season restrictions on his minutes are more about the Bulls being conservative than an indication of his health. He maintains he has always had hip issues “because the way my body is, tight hips, long and lanky. I deal with that on a daily basis. That’s nothing new. . . . My hip is fine.”
A slow start also isn’t new for Porter. He was slow out of the gate last season with the Wizards as well.
Boylen just wants to ensure he isn’t getting lost in the offense, especially with guard Zach LaVine and forward Lauri Markkanen taking on bigger roles and rookie guard Coby White emerging as a force.
“Always a concern for me that he feels value and is involved,” Boylen said of Porter. “It’s tough when you don’t touch it for a couple reps, and then you touch it in a tough situation and have to make a decision. So we will continue to work on that.”
“FOR US, WE’VE JUST GOT TO GET OUR MOJO, GET OUR SWAG BACK TO THE WAY WE WERE PLAYING IN TRAINING CAMP.” OTTO PORTER JR.