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Chicago Bulls: 3 takeaways from the close win over the Cavaliers

Luke Askew|
CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 10: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls attacks the basket during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 10, 2018 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 10: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls attacks the basket during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 10, 2018 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
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(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

1. The defense is looking much better

All offseason, NBA fans were talking about how bad this Bulls defense was going to be. The beginning of the season only proved those fans right. The Bulls defense (along with a lot of NBA defenses) was atrocious for the first seven or so games. Now, the Bulls’ defense is looking much better.

Over the first seven games, the Bulls were giving up 119.9 points per game to opponents. That’s… uh… really bad.

Over the last six games (including the Cavs game), the Bulls have only given up 105.2 points per game to opponents. Obviously, that figure still isn’t great, but it’s so much better than it was to start the season that Bulls fans should be thrilled.

The Cavaliers are one of the worst teams in the NBA so it’s good to be cautious when looking at the box score of this game and trying to judge what it means for this Bulls team, but anytime you hold an NBA team to under 100 points, that’s a good sign – it doesn’t matter who it’s against.

Not only was the team defense solid for most of the night, but the Bulls won the game on an impressive defensive stand (that’s a sentence I never thought I would type during the 2018-19 season).

Arcidiacono did a nice job of staying with Collin Sexton and forcing him to take a tough floater, but then after Sexton got his own rebound, Jabari Parker made the biggest play of the night, swatting Sexton’s put-back.

The Bulls have a long way to go before being considered even an average defensive team, but the performance against Cleveland was a good start.

Next up for the Bulls is a home game against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, November 12.

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