NEW YORK — A few years and a few croissants ago, new Bulls addition Guerschon Yabu-sele was nicknamed “The Dancing Bear.” Now the 6-7 French forward/center goes by just “Le Bear” — a better fit, given the change in how he moves on defense.
Then there’s 6-11 center Nick Richards, who has shot-blocking in his DNA, as evidenced by two five-block games in 2023 with the Hornets. Unfortunately, he’s a role player and a limited scoring threat. And yet he’s currently the best option for coach Billy Donovan to close with in crunch time.
To call the Bulls’ late-game issues on defense a concern since their huge roster exchange at the trade deadline last week doesn’t cut it. It has been a growing catastrophe, with center Nikola Vucevic no longer around to point a finger toward.
In the fourth quarter of a 123-107 loss last Thursday in Toronto, the Bulls were outscored 23-19 (and 12-10 in the paint) while the Raptors had a 41% field-goal percentage to the Bulls’ 33%. That wasn’t too awful, considering it was the night of final trade pieces being moved and the Bulls were undermanned in the fourth.
Saturday night’s 136-120 loss at the United Center was a much bigger issue. The Nuggets outscored the Bulls 39-16 in the fourth quarter but owned the paint 22-8 and shot 69% from the field in the final 12 minutes, compared to the Bulls’ 29%.
And closing time on defense was a problem again Monday in Brooklyn as the lowly Nets outscored the Bulls 34-26 in the fourth quarter and 22-12 in the paint, shooting 60% to the Bulls’ 40% as they won 123-115. Richards had some success protecting the rim in the third quarter, leading to some fast-break baskets as the Bulls got back into the game, but the defensive breakdowns and communication issues later were glaring.
“It’s an unprecedented situation we’re in right now, and I told [the players] we’ll have choices to make,” Donovan said. “If we just think we’re going to have guys come together without a training camp and just win basketball games, it doesn’t work that way. We’re going to have to show a level of resiliency and toughness to expedite some of this stuff.”
Donovan didn’t point to Richards and Yabu-sele as the reasons for opponents turning the rim into a turnstile, but those two are the only size he has with bigs Jalen Smith (calf) and Zach Collins (toe) still sidelined. He’s asking his guards to help out by involving themselves more physically.
“I do think with Jaden [Ivey], Anfernee [Simons], Collin [Sexton], Rob [Dillingham] . . . we’re going to have to be more disruptive,” Donovan said. “Our guards have to be better on the ball defensively. They’ve just got to be more physical on the ball. That would help with the size and the rolls at the rim.”
Tre Jones (hamstring) is one of the Bulls’ better ball deflectors but likely won’t be back until after the All-Star break. It will fall on the new guards to step up in the meantime.
“We’re just not getting into the ball,” Ivey admitted. “I think that’s where we can be more effective. We play small-ball lineups. It will be better if we can kind of dictate the ball, where we want it to go, not let them get where they need to go on the court. That alone will cover up on some mistakes, as far as the big men, if we can get into the ball, make more reads defensively, just use our hands.”
NOTE: The NBA fined Bulls guard Collin Sexton $35,000 “for making an inappropriate gesture on the court” Monday against the Nets. He flipped off the rim after missing a free throw.
Buzelis will be playing in his third NBA Rising Stars game — he played in one as a G Leaguer — and while he’s excited about the honor, he also has his sights on playing in the All-Star Game.
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It was a tale of two franchises Wednesday as new Bull Anfernee Simons and old Bull Nikola Vucevic explained the differences between the Bulls and Celtics. It was not a good look for the Bulls.
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Williams will compete against Internet personality Druski, streamer PlaqueBoy Max, BMX rider Nigel Sylvester, former NBA star Richard Jefferson … and Thunder guard Jared McCain, who figures to be the favorite.
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