RokDeez Bulls Blog

The Holidays are upon us, and what better way for this humble Bulls blogger to celebrate than by eating a heaping plateful of crow.

It seems my last post, in which I traded the entire Bulls team, was a bit premature. The Chicago Bulls, after starting the season a miserable 5-14, have now gone 8-3 over their last 11 games. Is this a fluke? Is it sustainable? Is this because Zach LaVine is sitting on the bench? All valid questions and I have no answers.

Evidently, I am the last person to consult when it comes to Bulls basketball related questions. I’ve been on the “Blow it up” train this entire season. I’ve openly scoffed at the Front Office’s Continuity strategy. I’ve questioned the value of DeMar DeRozan on this team, calling him, as gently as I could, a ball hog and bad for the offense because he doesn’t shoot enough threes. I’ve even suggested that firing Billy Donovan might be the best way to fix the Bulls.

What do I know? Nothing.

Well, maybe not nothing. I know I love this version of the Chicago Bulls that we’ve seen over the last 11 games. I know that the passing and free flowing offense has given a team that was dead in the water new life. I know that the threes have been flying and the players have been making them. I know everything from Continuity, to DeRozan as a facilitator, to Nikola Vucevic as high-post hub, to Billy Donovan’s offensive sets, to trusting the young players to contribute, has been working. And it’s been beautiful.

These 8 wins and 3 losses have been a night and day difference from those first 19 games of the season. The attitude the Bulls are playing with is a brash confidence. The effort they show every game, leaving everything on the court, sacrificing for teammates and winning, this is the basketball that Bulls fans signed up for. This is what we want to watch.

If you haven’t had a chance to catch a Bulls game this season, check them out now, it’s fun.

Coby White has been the catalyst for the resurgence. His infectious, joyous, love of the game has caught on with his teammates. Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams were the first to catch it. Alex Caruso has always played with it, so it was easy for him to join in. Then, timidly, Vucevic and DeRozan joined in, and before you know what’s what, games are being won by the shooting prowess of Torrey Craig and Jevon Carter. Andre Drummond manhandled the San Antonio Spurs yesterday, giving the Bulls a much needed first half lift on the second night of a back-to-back. Each win has had a different hero, and the steady production from White and DeRozan has been the foundation for this streak.

DeRozan is averaging 6.7 assists over the last 11 games. White is averaging 6.5. Vucevic is adding a healthy 4 assists per game over that same stretch. Patrick Williams is averaging over 14 points a game with at least 1 steal and 1 block. The 3 point percentages are ridiculous: Williams and Craig 50%, Caruso and White over 47%, Jevon Carter, Ayo Dosunmu, and DeRozan above 34%. The ball is flying from beyond the arc.

As a team, the Bulls are averaging 33.5 three point attempts per game (over the last 11 games), and hitting 40.7% of them. That’s top tier shooting.

Part of this has been because of the selfless ball movement, particularly on the part of DeRozan. Without Zach in the lineup, DeMar has faced numerous double teams, and his gravity has allowed teammates open looks at threes. But it’s not just beating the double teams, it’s also the baiting of double teams and DeMar’s willingness to pass out of the pressure instead of force a shot and hope for a foul. The deliberate, intentional, playmaking of DeRozan has been indispensable for the success of this Bulls run.

With the emergence of Coby White as a three level scorer/playmaker, the Bulls offense has flourished. If you remember back a few seasons when White was the Bulls primary ball handler, the offense did not work. Coby was not up for the task of leading an NBA offense. A few seasons later, after several summers of hard work, Coby White is the undisputed leader of the Chicago Bulls. He is cooking on the court, he is celebrating his teammates off the court. He has turned an ugly slog of a season into a joyous, competitive romp once again.

White’s love of the game doesn’t just infect his teammates, I find myself eagerly awaiting the Bulls next game, like a kid waiting for Christmas. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is, the way the Bulls are playing, they can beat anybody on any given night.

And that’s why I have to eat some crow.

The Bulls can’t rebuild, not now, not when the team has begun to cook. They can’t afford to trade DeRozan as indispensable as his gravity and passing has been. They can’t trade Caruso for draft picks because there is no way to replace his defense, especially with Craig injured and out for a couple months. It looks like the Bulls will be competing for a guaranteed playoff spot rather than just a measly play-in berth. They’re going to need Caruso for the playoffs.

Am I getting ahead of myself? Probably, but this team dares Bulls fans not just to dream, but believe.

Which leads us Zach LaVine.

I understand anyone who wants to trade Zach, even if it’s just for a bag of balls. But I’m wondering if that trade even exists. Zach signaled that he wanted out of Chicago, but the League has responded with a universal “Nah.” There has been some revival of the rumors that the Lakers are interested in him, but if I’m Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley, I’m not really interested in anything the Lakers have to offer.

Also, I’m not convinced Zach can’t work in this refreshed offense, and make it even better. The key is to keep the Mid Three OFF the court together. Cycle the playing time of DeRozan, Vucevic and LaVine so that the three of them are never on the court at the same time. That’s the only way it works. Maybe this means LaVine comes off the bench, but if he truly wants to win that might be the sacrifice he needs to make.

I have always said that this roster is super talented. The maturation of Coby White and increased production of Patrick Williams is only strengthening my belief. DeMar and Vucevic finding their roles within a Coby White led offense has helped shape this new Bulls team. There can be a place for LaVine on this team if he can find his role in the flow of the offense. Whatever happens from now until the trade deadline, this much I do know: The Bulls are Coby White’s team, and they’re better off for it.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays everyone, thanks for reading, thanks for subscribing, and GO BULLS!