Masters of disasters
Bulls know about losing close games, need to learn how to get over the hump
A basket here, a deflection there, and who knows where the Bulls would be?
Winning teams find a way to make a play or two that make the difference between a win and a loss. But the Bulls, perpetually looking to get over the hump and into playoff contention, just plain have a knack for finding themselves on the losing end of tight games that could’ve turned on a play or two. Thursday’s loss to the Jazz, which dropped the Bulls to 13-22, is the latest example.
“I told the team in September we’re going to be in 20 to 25 one-possession games,” coach Jim Boylen said after practice Friday. “I think we’re — maybe not one-possession games — but we’ve been in 24, I think, crunch-time games, five points with five minutes to go.”
Bulls forward Thaddeus Young said coaches such as assistant Roy Rogers have shown recurring problems on film.
“We’re just giving away way too many easy baskets,” Young, a 13-year veteran, said. “It’s kind of putting us in a deficit. Roy counted 84 points of baskets (by the Jazz) that were totally our fault. Miscues on defense. Not getting back. Or an easy transition bucket from no communication. Just small things like that.
“Once we get ourselves over that hump — the type of team that we are, we have to be a little bit more vocal with each other, especially on the court. We just don’t have guys right now in regard to our screen-and-roll coverage that are forceful in their commands. You have to be forceful in your commands.”
After the Jazz loss, Bulls top scorer Zach LaVine reflected on what it will take for his team to cross whatever hurdles have tripped them up at critical moments.
“It’s just a couple of plays to where our record flips, or a couple of decisions or rebounds, made free throws, whatever it may be, because we’re in a lot of one-possession, two-possession games at the end of the game. It means we’re right there,” LaVine said. “We compete.”
Here is a look at four examples of the Bulls’ struggles in close games.
1. Thursday: Lost 102-98 to the Jazz
What happened: The Bulls started well in the first quarter but let the Jazz go on a 24-4 run in the third. They tied the score on Zach LaVine’s 3-pointer with 1 minute, 43 seconds left in the game, but center Rudy Gobert exploited the Bulls’ pick-and-roll defense to put down a crucial dunk for a four-point Jazz lead.
Wendell Carter Jr.’s free throws got the Bulls back within two, and with 21 seconds left, everything rode on LaVine with the ball in the hands. Still down two, he went directly at Gobert hoping to get a basket and a foul, and he got neither.
What they said: “If Zach makes a layup it puts us in a way better position,” Bulls forward Thaddeus Young said Friday. “But he drove and tried to finish over a Defensive Player of the Year. One of the biggest things for is us just continuing to stay the course, continuing to do what we do, which is guys getting in the gym and just grinding it out and working and getting better with time.
“We’re a young team. We’re going to have miscues,” Young said. “We’re going to have bonehead mistakes and stuff like that. But these are the things that are definitely fixable and definitely things that can be worked through teaching and just coming to the gym each and every day.”
2. Dec. 23: Lost 103-95 at the Magic
What happened: The Bulls scored on consecutive drives to the basket to close the gap to four points with about 2½ minutes left in the game. Here was another situation when a Bulls defensive stop, followed by two or three points on the offensive end, really would have put pressure on their opponent and changed the complexion of the final seconds.
But that opportunity went away thanks to another defensive breakdown in which the Bulls seemed to be confused about their responsibilities or late rotating to the open man after a pick-and-roll blitz. In this case, Wendell Carter Jr. helped Kris Dunn trap Evan Fournier, who passed to Nikola Vucevic at the top of the key. Carter ran up to Vucevic, but Tomas Satoransky already had him covered. Zach LaVine moved up to guard Terrence Ross, who had been battering the Bulls from 3-point range. That left Markelle Fultz completely uncovered in the corner, streaking toward the basket.
Carter quickly changed direction, and LaVine altered course, too, but it was too late, and Fultz made an easy layup off a pass from Vucevic.
What they said: “As far as going out there and executing, sometimes we don’t execute and sometimes the defense, it kind of picks us apart or they kind of see what we’re doing,” Thaddeus Young said Friday. “So, we just have to get better in our execution, we have to get better in our decision-making. But like I said, that’s all signs of a young team. That’s all signs of us trying to grow each and every game.”
3, Dec. 16: Lost 109-106 at the Thunder
What happened: The Bulls missed 22 3-pointers, including all seven of their fourthquarter attempts. Still, they led from two minutes into the game — building the lead to as many as 26 points — until the fourth quarter. Thunder forward Danilo Gallinari’s 3 tied it with 5 minutes, 22 seconds remaining. The Bulls gave up 17 points off 11 second-half turnovers.
No giveaway was worse — or more symbolic of the Bulls’ general lack of awareness in pivotal moments — than Wendell Carter Jr. pulling down a rebound only to have Chris Paul sneak behind him and poke out the ball. Paul then hit a 3-pointer — his fifth of the fourth quarter — over 7-footer Lauri Markkanen to put the Thunder up 104-100.
The Bulls were down just a point, however, with four seconds left, but they allowed Steven Adams to rebound his own miss from the free-throw line and were forced to foul Paul, whose two free throws salted away the largest rally to a win in Thunder history.
What they said: “That was the first team that defended us like that on the ball screen,” Paul said via Oklahoman.com. “Denver was up, but most teams every night are in drop (coverage). Once our bigs got adjusted to (it), they were the ones that were going to have to make the plays, we were OK.”
4. Nov. 5: Lost 118-112 to the Lakers
What happened: The Bulls took the lead late in the first quarter, padded it to a 19 points but rapidly lost it early in the fourth quarter.
Right from the outset of the final quarter, when the Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma nailed a 3-pointer, everything seemed to go wrong for the Bulls. Thaddeus Young made a bad pass. Chandler Hutchison traveled. Coby White found himself on the business end of a monster block by Dwight Howard, then missed a 3-point attempt.
The Bulls were down 98-97 with about 6½ minutes left when the Lakers’ Alex Caruso poked away Tomas Satoransky’s attempted handoff to Zach LaVine, and Caruso got a bucket and foul for a three-point play on the other end. The Bulls never recovered.
What they said: “Lakers game irks me. Thunder game irks me. Those could be very, very key and vital to what we’re trying to do,” Young said Friday. “Orlando game irks me. Those were games that were all winnable that we had a chance to really take a grasp and a hold on our fate and future going forward.
“We’ve just got to finish games. We’ve got to put our hard hat on each and every night and be ready.”