Carter still working on that foul problem
MILWAUKEE — It’s pretty simple for second-year center Wendell Carter Jr.: Moving his feet on defense, he’s good. But when he starts reaching or playing with his hands too much, he’ll spend a lot of time on the bench near Bulls head trainer Jeff Tanaka. That’s where foul trouble usually gets you seated.
It’s the latest obstacle Carter is looking to overcome in his development.
“With me being an overly aggressive player, it’s just something I had to learn,” Carter said, pointing back to his college days. “I struggled with that my first couple of games at Duke. I knew it was going to kind of be a struggle for me, knowing that the [NBA] game was going to be a lot faster with a lot stronger players. I feel like, once again, I’ve got another year under my belt, so I know exactly how to play players and how to stay away from fouls.”
Well, he’s getting there. Sort of.
In the Bulls’ win over the Hawks on Nov. 6, Carter was in foul trouble most of the night, playing just 13 minutes and finishing with two points. Earlier in the season at Memphis, same thing: foul trouble throughout the game that limited him to seven points and seven rebounds.
And in the Bulls’ 124-115 loss to the Bucks on Thursday night, he fouled out again. He finished with 14 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes.
If Carter is to help the team, he has to make sure he stays available — and coach Jim Boylen has been constantly reminding him of that. He can’t blitz every pick-androll like a linebacker, and he doesn’t have to challenge every shot at the rim. While his aggressiveness is appreciated, it needs to be focused at the right times.
“That’s something I would put in my scouting report: ‘Very aggressive player,’ ” Carter said. “I had to [tone it down]. One thing about me, I don’t like people to score, whether it’s my man or someone else’s man. I had to learn that everybody is in this league because they know how to put the ball in the basket. They’re going to score sometimes. I’ve just got to move on.”
In last Saturday’s loss to the Rockets, Carter managed to stay out of foul trouble and scored 13 points with 16 rebounds. In the win over the Knicks on Tuesday, he did it again, finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds — not bad for a guy who seldom has plays called for him on offense.
“I know exactly what to expect when I’m playing,” he said. “I just find ways to affect the game, whether it’s scoring, rebounding or playing good defense. I found my niche for the game, and I’m just going to try to build off of that.”
Friendly foe
Former Bulls center Robin Lopez, who joined the Bucks as free agent in the offseason, had six points and three rebounds in 11 minutes Thursday. Boylen again praised Lopez for what he brought to the locker room over the years.
“You always love a vet that practices every day,” Boylen said. “He loved practice. He came in and worked every day. I thought that helped our culture — it helped our young guys understand you can play in the league 10, 12 years. You can practice every day.
“He was very supportive of me in the [coaching] transition, which you all know can be very difficult, a midseason transition. I’m thankful I had a chance to coach him, and I wish him the best.”