The Chicago Bulls were outmatched once again tonight at home. Here are some things I loved and some things I hated from the loss to Milwaukee.
To win games in the NBA, you usually have to play four solid quarters of basketball. Tonight, the Chicago Bulls only played three and subsequently lost a very winnable game at home. It was their performance in the fourth quarter that did them in. Sadly, that’s something fans have grown accustomed to seeing.
Here’s my love/hate list from the Bulls’ discouraging home loss to Giannis and Co.
Love – Daniel Gafford’s breakout night
With Luke Kornet out, Daniel Gafford stepped up and delivered. He was breathtaking tonight, scoring a team-high 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field. He also added five rebounds and two blocks in 20 minutes of play.
Gafford brought the juice tonight and made his case to be the full-time backup center. He was a bright spot in a mostly dim game for Chicago.
Hate – Tomas Satoransky’s minutes
It’s clear that the Bulls need Tomas Satoransky humming in order to win games. Tonight, he was the opposite of humming (sitting still, maybe?), as he finished the game with five points, one rebound and one assist. The worst part? He only played 18 minutes.
Sato looked good right off the bat tonight, connecting on his first three and following that up with a nice, soft floater.
He needs to be more involved going forward. He needs real opportunities.
Love – Everything about Ryan Arcidiacono
I hope I never have to see Ryan Arcidiacono in a different NBA jersey. He needs to be a life-long Bull.
Tonight, he connected on 4-of-5 threes, but that wasn’t the most impressive part of his game. His grit and energy are what stood out to me the most. It seemed like he lived on the floor, constantly sacrificing his body for the team.
He was one of only two Bulls players to have a plus/minus higher than zero (+3).
Hate – The two “stars” playing dreadful basketball
Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen have been underwhelming so far in the 2019-20 NBA season. Tonight, they were worse than underwhelming. They were laughable.
LaVine and Markkanen combined for 20 points on 6-of-28 shooting from the field and 2-of-11 shooting from deep. Zach had a -20 plus/minus, and Lauri had a -17. Plus/minus is a flawed statistic, but those numbers were an accurate representation of their play tonight.
It wasn’t just their scoring that was frustrating. Fans can live with bad shooting nights. The really discouraging thing was their decision-making. They took bad shots all night long.
Hopefully, their play turns around soon. The Bulls sure need them to be on their A-games.
Love – Kris Dunn dishing the rock
Defense has been Kris Dunn’s calling card this season, but tonight, it was his playmaking ability that impressed me.
Dunn finished with nine assists and zero turnovers in 25 minutes of action. Yes, you read that correctly. Nine assists and zero turnovers. Where has that been over the last two years?
The Bulls will look to get back to winning on Wednesday when the Pistons come to town.