‘D’ SHOW MUST GO ON FOR BULLS
Caruso and his cohorts have to keep up good work they displayed vs. Pacers
The Bulls’ defensive effort Wednesday shouldn’t be a mere accident.
It can’t be a one-off against the Pacers’ familiar offense after taking off a month, which included losses to the lowly Pistons and Wizards.
The Bulls don’t have that luxury.
If they don’t play to a standard on a nightly basis, forget reaching the postseason. The Bulls won’t even make it out of the play-in games.
The Bulls’ best — and sometimes it feels like their only — defender knows this all too well.
Guard Alex Caruso learned that in his championship run with the Lakers, and he has seen what it looks like with the Bulls when they’re on the same page.
“Being consistent with our effort and discipline, knowing the assignments, keeping guys off the free-throw line,” Caruso said when asked how the Bulls can get back to being a top-five defensive team like they were last season. “If we can do that consistently, we are a good defensive team. We’ve had some slippage in that area, but we know we can do it right.”
The Pacers came into the showdown at the United Center to wrap up a five-game trip that started in Detroit and took them to the West Coast for three games, but they were still the NBA’s highest-scoring team.
Tired legs, a rough night at the office for the visitors? Maybe, but everyone gets hit with schedule uppercuts at some point in the season.
The Bulls becoming the first team to hold them under 100 points this season shouldn’t be minimized, no matter the circumstances.
Can the Bulls maintain that defensive urgency over the last nine games? Caruso hopes so and knows they must.
This was basically the same core that finished with the fifth-best defensive efficiency last season, and they were a top-10 defense in December.
Injuries played a part in the slippage this season, but so did a lack of effort and communication. Enter Javonte Green.
Green’s introduction off the bench and first appearance with his old team since they re-signed him to a 10-day contract was a great story.
“I had butterflies,” Green said. “Then I knew I had to go in there and do what they came to see. It means a lot. This city gave me an opportunity. I know the type of city Chicago is and the type of players that they like. The love they showed was a great feeling.”
And Green responded appropriately.
In 19 minutes, he scored five points, grabbed four rebounds, blocked a shot and was an impressive plus-26.
Not bad for a guy who had knee surgery last year and couldn’t find a job afterward.
“I’m happy for him because to go through what he went through with the knee injury and having to go to the G League, that was probably pretty humbling, especially after his time here when he performed so well,” coach Billy Donovan said. “He moved into the starting lineup; he was a guy who really complemented the starters. And then for him to go down like he did and almost start over again, the journey he has had to go through, I’m really happy for him.”
Could Green be a running mate with Caruso and help fix the defense? It’s still too early to tell. But the Bulls need something to help them stay at this level.
If the defense falls, so will the team.