One like and dislike from the Chicago Bulls loss vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves
By Khobi Price
The Chicago Bulls lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves 122-104 on Saturday in the Target Center. Here’s my one like and dislike from the game.
The Chicago Bulls lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves 122-104 on Saturday in the Target Center. This was the first game guards Zach LaVine, the player of the game, and Kris Dunn played in the Target Center since they were traded during the 2017 NBA Draft.
Tank-o-meter:
The Chicago Bulls’ record is 20-39 after the loss. They have the eighth-worst record in the league and are three games back of the worst record in the association.
Fun Fact #1:
The Chicago Bulls made a season-low six 3-pointers against the Timberwolves just one game after they tied a franchise record with most 3-pointers game in a game vs. the Philadelphia 76ers. Their six 3-pointers was the least amount of shots they made from beyond the arc since their Feb. 1, 2017 victory vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Fun Fact #2:
Forward Noah Vonleh has made a combined three 3-pointers in his two games as a member of the Chicago Bulls. He made two 3-pointers in his 33 games as a member of the Portland Trailblazers earlier this season.
Dislike: “Big 3” dynamic
I don’t want to make a fuss about small sample sizes. That would be irresponsible as they trio of Dunn, LaVine and forward Lauri Markkanen are going to need a significant amount of time to play together. However, they didn’t show significant signs that they’re closer to figuring out how to excel while playing with each other last night against the Timberwolves.
LaVine had one of his most well-rounded games of the season. He finished the contest with 21 points, six rebounds, and most importantly, seven assists with a 31.8 assist percentage and a 27.3 assist ratio. Those numbers are promising because LaVine has exhibited the tendency to have tunnel vision when the ball is in his hands and only look for a shot for himself. LaVine’s playmaking for others and defense were two areas of his game I mentioned he needed to improve on to make a meaningful impact on the team.
But, the downside of letting LaVine run the offense is it regulates Dunn to an off-ball role he isn’t suited for. Although Dunn has improved as a 3-point shooter, he’s still only shooting 32 percent from beyond the arc. Opposing defenses can sag off Dunn and make it harder for the Bulls to score since he doesn’t pose a significant threat to make a play without the ball in his hands.
It’s on Dunn to become a better shooter. It would help him become a more impactful player. But, there’s consequences to taking the ball out of his hands right now.
Another consequence of allowing LaVine to be the one who initiates the offense is it negatively effects Markkanen’s offensive impact. LaVine and Markkanen haven’t had the time to develop the chemistry Dunn and Markkanen have. Dunn knows the spots Markkanen works best in and makes a greater effort to help him excel.
These three are going to have to figure out how to work together as a trio. It’s one of my three things I want to see in the Chicago Bulls’ last 25 games of the season. Even though I think they’ll eventually figure things out, last night wasn’t a good start
Like: Vonleh showing off his shooting stroke
I liked the Chicago Bulls’ trade for Vonleh. I was high on him as a prospect in the 2014 NBA Draft and gave the Bulls’ deal a B+ in my evaluations of their deals over the trading season. It’s a low risk-medium reward move which gives them a look at another former lottery pick.
An aspect of Vonleh’s game that I’ve been curious about is his 3-point shooting. He came into the league with the reputation of someone with a soft shooting touch. However, his reputation hasn’t turned into substantial success from shooting beyond the arc through his first four season in the NBA. But, he hasn’t lost confidence in himself.
“I’ve always been working on that,” said Vonley, according to a Feb. 15 The Athletic article. “I work on it every summer. I work on it every practice. So I’m real comfortable shooting it. I’ve been shooting it ever since I could remember, since a young kid. Shot it in college, high school, in the NBA. I’ve been in certain situations where I was just trying to play a certain role so that’s not what the teams wanted me to do. But now they’re saying they want me to do it here, so it’s a good opportunity. I just got to be ready to go out there and do it.”
Next: Zach LaVine Flashes in performance vs. Minnesota
I doubt (in fact, I know) he’s going to shoot 75 percent from beyond the arc for the rest of the season. But, he’s willing to shoot the ball from deep and he’s making those shots. That’s what I want to see.
An increased amount of opportunity could make Vonleh an impactful player in the league. Regularly snatching gems like him (and guard David Nwaba) from other teams will help speed up the Bulls’ rebuild.