The first part of the Chicago Bulls’124 to 109 win over the Indiana PacersEverything the Bulls desire on Wednesday night.
Ball security and ball movement. Shot-making and shut down defense.
The Bulls had a superior opponent, but it was all there. They took a 24-point lead into the second quarter. The margin was 19. at halftime. That’s also how many assists Chicago dished by that juncture, shooting a blistering 59.1 percent.
But how can the Bulls make it so easy?
Led By Buddy Hield’s sharpshooting, the Pacers rallied within four inside the final three minutes of the third quarter. A home game the Bulls couldn’t afford to squander suddenly was in peril. The Bulls rebounded, as they did in four of their five previous games. They showed what could best described as a budding personality. In the following five minutes, they responded with a 17-4 run. The second unit was led by Goran DragićAdded to and strengthened with Zach LaVineThey saved the day. Reliable, the reserves. and they’ve quickly emerged as a team strengthBulls coach Billy Donovan still plays with his rotations, trying to find the right combinations.
Dragić controls the tempo, pushing the paceAnd tossing pinpoint lob passes to Andre Drummond and Javonte Green. Alex CarusoGreen plays passing lanes and turns steals into easy points. LaVine is the shooter. LaVine had his best game in three appearances. He scored 28 points, six rebounds, five assists, and five turnovers. And if it wasn’t clear from his absence in the first two games, or in his lack of lift on a handful of layup and dunk attempts, LaVine removed all doubt he’s not 100 percent. He playfully laughed about it while discussing the team’s high-flyers.
G️O GET IT, WOO.@2Xtremebounce | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/fxSCnOP0dA
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 27, 2022
“He’s going to come down with it, or he’s going to try to dunk it,” LaVine said of Green. “Him, DJ (Derrick Jones Jr.), Dre (Andre Drummond). You know, give me a couple of weeks, me again.”
As the Bulls round into form, they’re searching for consistency. A worry-free win that was until it wasn’t against the Pacers was a prime example. The Bulls should not have been fighting in the second half. Their third-quarter woes only opened the door to another chance at a strong finish.
“Goran had a great line,” Donovan said. “’You’ve got to win games in the mud.’
“Give (the Pacers) credit. They flew back. They made it to four. The game wasn’t going well for us, and we had to do some things to find a way to win the game. I think that’s encouraging that you’re able to win, but there’s still an opportunity to grow. This time of year, every team is not fully what they’re going to be a couple of months from now. But if you can find ways to win and you can get grimy and resilient and tough, you can find ways to win games that maybe you wouldn’t win.”
Five games have been played. Their road is not easy. Lonzo BallLaVine makes a full recovery from his knee surgery. Yet, they’re quickly demonstrating an ability to play through in-game difficulty, something Donovan has sought to instill since he arrived.
In Miami’s season opening, the Bulls held off an initial flurry of 3-pointers and eventually outplayed the Heat. HeatFor much of the third quarter, and taking a road victory. Two nights later at Washington — again, playing without LaVine — the Bulls battled out of a 17-point hole and lost only when DeMar DeRozan’s last-second shot bounced off the rim. They were embarrassed at their home opener. ClevelandThe second night of a back to back was won by. But they responded with another “win in the mud” against reigning Eastern Conference champion BostonMonday. The Bulls turned a 19 point deficit into a 23 point lead in that game.
It would be great to have a complete game. It would be wonderful to have consistency from one contest into the next. There are many seasons to improve. For now, however, the Bulls have to win. And that’s not a bad thing.
(Photo of Bennedict MathurinZach LaVine and Michael Reaves: Getty Images
