How Chicago Bulls bench players are setting a pace — and identity — for the entire team: ‘Play fast, play for each other’

The Chicago Bulls starters are expected to carry the weight of season expectations. But one week into the season, the bench mob is setting a pace that is defining the identity for the entire team.

That identity, as All-Star Zach LaVine describes it: “Play fast, play for each other.”

“Whatever rotation is in, whoever’s out there, I just think that we need to play hard to keep that identity,” LaVine said.

Last year, the Bulls experienced a major drop-off in experience when the secondary unit took the court, bringing in players like Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White in their first years of league play. But this year’s secondary unit is more seasoned, led by veteran additions Goran Dragić and Andre Drummond.

While Dragić and Drummond still push the ball, their experience has visibly calmed the ball movement and protection for the bench. The Bulls hope this balance will bring a more cohesive style of play — a key area of improvement for a team that finished second-to-last in bench points (26.7) last season.

“Everybody is committed to it,” LaVine said. “It’s really good at some points and at some points, it was a little stagnant. We’ve got to figure out where to find those shots, me included. As long as we’re all playing for each other, it’s gonna work itself out. We’re too gifted offensively with some of the talent that we have to not figure it out.”

Coach Billy Donovan is still experimenting with rotations between the primary and secondary units. The bridge between the first and second quarter is an especially important for the rotations. The starters typically leave in the second quarter, leaving a six- to eight-minute gap on the shoulders of the secondary unit.

The opening weekend loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers demonstrated how devastating a poor rotation in that bridge can be — the Cavaliers went on a 31-2 run without any Bulls starters on the court in the first half, cementing the lead they held for the rest of the game.

Donovan adjusted his approach against the Celtics, keeping LaVine or DeMar DeRozan on the court to marshal the secondary unit until the game was in hand.

“The rotation piece, it’s just gonna keep evolving,” Donovan said. “A lot of times you can go into a plan in the game and it may or may not happen that way. There’s maybe not enough information just to pass judgment on things at this point.”

Monday’s comeback against the Celtics illustrated the importance of this bridge unit — led by LaVine, the Bulls’ secondary unit went on a 23-7 run between the first and second quarter to retake the lead after falling behind by 19 points.

LaVine said slotting in with this secondary unit can be galvanizing for himself and DeRozan, who can play with more flexibility without another All-Star on the court.

“In practice, you know, that was the white team that was kicking our ass a little bit,” LaVine said. “It’s fun to be on their side with them.”

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