It's a hard-knock life for Bulls' defense after Alex Caruso's departure
For a Bulls team that is badly in need of a few hard weeks of practice time, there hasn’t been a lot of relief in sight.
Thanks, NBA schedule.
That’s why Bulls coach Billy Donovan was looking forward to the calendar flipping over to December. As of now, there are just 10 games scheduled for that month, with two in-season tournament games the likely scenario to be added on the week of Dec. 8.
A much different feel than what November offered up, with the Bulls having 16 games, including four back-to-backs.
Since the end of October, the Bulls have actually had less than a handful of real practices, instead getting their work done in morning shootarounds and film sessions.
The Memphis loss on Saturday was a clear reminder that it’s not working.
It was the third game over their last six that the Bulls defense allowed 140 points or more. Donovan has watched his defense go from ranked 9th in overall defensive efficiency on Nov. 2 to now sitting 28th.
It was a group that finished 21st last season, and that was with Andre Drummond and of course All-NBA First-Team defender Alex Caruso.
Drummond left via free agency and Caruso was traded to Oklahoma City for Josh Giddey. Subtraction by addition on that side of the ball.
And oh, by the way, the top team in efficiency as of Sunday? Caruso’s Thunder of course. And while Caruso was only averaging five points a game, he was second in individual defensive efficiency, while also drawing five charges and leading the team with 51 deflections.
The Bulls have drawn two charges total as a team, and Patrick Williams leads them in deflections with 33, despite missing the last three games.
That’s why Donovan is searching for answers and is hoping to find them in the sweat equity that a good, hard practice will provide.
“It’s being addressed every single day,” Donovan said of all the defensive breakdowns.
Even in the win over Atlanta a night earlier, Donovan saw head-scratching moments.
“We had matchups against Jalen Johnson and (De’Andre) Hunter, and we’re actually having to think about going double in the post,” Donovan said. “We have to be able to positionally and technique-wise just not get physically overwhelmed. There are times the ball is in space and we’ve got to be able to sit down and guard the ball.”
And whether all of that is just want-to or a poorly constructed defensive team, Donovan doesn’t have the time to examine that. In his mind what they need is work.
“I don’t necessarily know other than getting back to practice where we can actually start working one-on-one and ball containment,” he said. “I do think we’ve tried harder and executed better in pick-and-roll. More physical there. It’s been more just the space where the guy has the ball and spins, and spins, and spins all the way to the basket. At some point we’ve got to hold our ground.
“We’ve got to work at it, we’ve got to get better. I think we can be better. We have to be one of those teams that cuts out the margin of error completely.”
In other words, be more like Caruso.
“There were times last year where it was like, ‘Oh my God, this is bad,’ and Caruso fixes it,” Donovan said. “We don’t have that. They know it’s something we’ve got to get better at.”