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Chicago Bulls vs. Milwaukee Bucks: 3 Takeaways from Thursday’s Loss

By Michael Whitlow

Oct 15, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg talks to guard Isaiah Canaan (0) in the third quarter during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg talks to guard Isaiah Canaan (0) in the third quarter during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nikola Mirotic, PF, Chicago Bulls
Nov 22, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (L) and Denver Nuggets center Jusuf Nurkic (R) greet each other before the game at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

3. A DNP-CD for Nikola Mirotic?

The weirdest thing of the night for the Bulls wasn’t getting ran out of the gym by the young Bucks.

Although it was bad, it was the strangest thing.

No, that distinction lies in the fact that Nikola Mirotic racked up his first DNP-CD with Fred Hoiberg at the helm (while healthy) in his career.

Bobby Portis played 23 minutes, Cristiano Felicio played 21 minutes, Robin Lopez started alongside Taj Gibson as usual, but Mirotic saw no action on Thursday night.

When asked about Mirotic’s DNP, here’s what Hoiberg said after the game:

Thanks for clearing that up, Fred. We hadn’t noticed.

Look, Nikola Mirotic has been bad throughout most of this season, but it still doesn’t change the fact that he’s in his third year and logging a Did Not Play is a terrible look for Hoiberg and for Mirotic. The third-year Montenegrin was supposed to be a difference-maker and quite simply hasn’t been this season.

Hoiberg thinking that Bobby Portis is an NBA player still is also a problem. It’s clear that Portis isn’t ready for the NBA level yet, but the Bulls have shown no signs in potentially sending him down to Hoffman Estates with the Windy City Bulls.

The front court rotation is a mess and to be fair to Fred Hoiberg, he doesn’t have much to choose from. There’s not much for him to choose from.

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