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The Chicago Bulls claimed their second resounding pre-season victory on the 2021 roster, beating the Pelicans 121-85 on Friday night.
New Orleans never led, while the Bulls found themselves at one point ahead by up to 46 points. Seriously.
Here are seven notes:
1. The Bulls have followed a familiar formula to succeed.
Much like they did against the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the preseason, the Bulls played a fast, furious style – and at the back they spent most of the night ahead: 30-17 after the first quarter, 63-38 at half-time and 96 -57 after three before the benches end up emptying in the fourth.
By the end of the game, the Bulls also racked up considerable advantages in turnovers (19-11) and quick break points (19-7).
Billy Donovan spoke after the game of embracing an element of “randomness” in offense and empowering his primary ball handlers to organize the team in the flow of play, rather than calling games. from the bench. While that level of breakneck pace may not be achievable in the regular season, the Bulls will certainly be playing faster than they did last season.
2. The Bulls’ level of defensive activity was high again.
After registering 13 interceptions and 11 blocks in Game 1 of the preseason, the Bulls generated 14 interceptions and seven blocks in it, scoring 31 points on 19 turnovers and keeping New Orleans at 33.3% of shots.
The Pelicans played without their top two players Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, and watched the game thanks to lingering defensive pressure from the Bulls. Questions on that side of the pitch continue to linger, especially given the Bulls’ undersized frontcourt, but the sight of a swarm of guards and wings generating enough chaos through deflections and shooting contests for compensate is apparent.
An underrated but important aspect of this philosophy: Javonte Green (six), DeMar DeRozan (six), Lonzo Ball (five), Alex Caruso (five) and Zach LaVine (three) were all over, rounding out Nikola’s game top. Vučević -lier 10 rebounds. Gang rebound will be key for the Bulls to finish their defensive possessions and trigger transition chances, a point reiterated by Donovan, LaVine and Ball after the game.
3. Lonzo Ball’s fingerprints were all over it, at both ends.
Ball was once again the center of that defensive vision, racking up two interceptions, one block and a number of deflections in his 25 minutes. In addition to his presence on the ball, he was a leaping threat on the passing and driving lanes – a shadow looming over every possession of the Pelicans.
Ball’s contributions were also strong on the offensive side, where he racked up 19 points on a 7-on-9 shot. In particular, he felt it at long range, burying five of six 3-point tries. None were taken with a hint of hesitation.
“We must have spotted him last year,” LaVine said of Ball’s outside shooting prowess. “He was shooting over 40 (percent) until he got injured at the end of the year. If you shoot over 40 on eight attempts (per game), you really are a down shooter. This is a part of his game that the teams are really going to have to respect – and if not, they are going to get screwed up like they did tonight. “
Was a revenge game dynamic against his former team? Even if it was, Ball wouldn’t admit it. But it was still a confident performance.
4. Javonte Geen started again and Donovan rotated 10 men in the first three quarters.
That rotation consisted of starters – Ball, LaVine, DeRozan, Green and Vučević – Caruso, Troy Brown Jr., Alize Johnson, and separate stints for Stanley Johnson (first half) and Derrick Jones Jr. (third quarter).
Between his four stars of Ball, LaVine, DeRozan and Vučević, Donovan seemed to shift LaVine with Vučević and Ball with DeRozan. Alize Johnson functioned as the team’s de facto back-up center in a small second unit. And Caruso closed the first half alongside the starters less Green.
Patrick Williams still hasn’t appeared in a game, but it does give some idea of Donovan’s tree of trust at the moment. The Bulls coach also kept his promise to increase his starters’ minutes; DeRozan and LaVine played 28, Vučević played 27, Ball played 25 and Caruso played 22, all in the first three quarters of the match. All four finished with plus-minus between +27 and +32. The alchemy seems to be going well.
5. Balance was the name of the game.
The training camp talk of Bulls stars playing selfless and complimentary styles of basketball certainly pays off in the pre-season action.
Ball had 19 points and four assists while taking just nine shots. Vučević finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds despite another night of vault shooting (0-for-5 on mostly clean 3-point looks). LaVine effortlessly scored 21 points on an 8-for-14 shot. DeRozan committed three turnovers, but woke up in the third to finish with 12 points. Caruso produced 10 points, five assists and made his two attempts at 3 points.
LaVine, in particular, nailed a pair of 3-point pointers while still finding room to operate with the ball in his hands offscreen and rolling. His prolificity on and off the ball should add a dynamic element to the team’s attacking offense.
“You don’t want to have to try to do everything, it’s not fun,” LaVine said of having more opportunities to play against others. “I get easy hits.” (Although he lamented his 2 for 7 mark from the depths.)
6. Vučević led the team with 18 attempted shots and four interceptions.
Vučević was at the center of a ton of two-way action with Ball, LaVine and DeRozan throughout. Although he shot 7 for 18 and missed all five of his 3-point tries, his potential as a pick-and-roll fulcrum associated with one of the Bulls’ many bullet handlers was in full swing. visible.
“I think it opens up a lot of ways for us to score,” Vučević said of his keen sense of screen-and-roll. “If I jump it opens up a lot of room for the guys to drive. If I roll then the guys help me on the weak side of the spin we get a lot of open looks from the weak side.
“A lot of the offense will be a two-player game between myself and different guys, and I think my ability to be able to roll or roll a little – make it into plays – or pop, that’s us. just gives different looks that we can use. “
And no, neither Donovan nor Vučević fear that the jumper will eventually fall. For now, seeing his gravity generate open attempts for himself and others is enough.
The same goes for his four interceptions on the defensive end, which led the team. It will be up to Vučević to maintain a solid presence on the back line and bounce back, and he did in this one, especially with active hands.
7. Highlights abounded once again
Alize Johnson fought back two offensive rebounds and converted an out, letting out a scream in stride. Caruso buried a 3-point pointer at the first quarter buzzer to increase the Bulls’ lead to 13. Lonzo Ball conceded several catch-and-shoot 3s on quick break chances. Jones hit home an alley-oop lob from Ball on an ATO set.
These streaks, and more, rocked the United Center crowd throughout the one-sided preseason affair. Needless to say, the vibrations are good.
Next stop: a road fight with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.
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