Once again, the Chicago Bulls failed to put together two straight wins. Here are some things I loved and some things I hated from the loss in Minnesota.
When the Chicago Bulls trotted into the Target Center, they had their sights set on stringing two straight wins together for the first time since January. Unfortunately, thanks to a lack of composure in the third quarter and some poor execution down the stretch, the Wolves were able to pull out the 115-108 victory.
Here’s my love/hate list from the loss.
Love – Lauri Markkanen on the court
Lauri Markkanen got his first on-court action since January 22, and he didn’t disappoint. He played 21 minutes and scored 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 1-of-4 shooting from 3-point land to go along with four rebounds and one turnover.
Obviously, those numbers aren’t super special, but the most important part of Markkanen’s night was the eye test, which he passed easily. He looked good moving around the court and he was actively looking for his own shot.
It was nice to see The Finnisher back on the floor.
Hate – The offense
The Bulls’ offense has been bad all season, so this is nothing new. But still, every time I watch Chicago operate on the most important end of the floor, it just reminds me of how brutal it is to watch.
The Wolves aren’t exactly a defensive juggernaut. Over the last 15 games, they have the second-worst defensive rating in the NBA (the Bulls are the only team with a worse defensive rating over that span). Despite Minnesota’s porous defense, the Bulls still struggled to put the ball in the basket.
There was little to no creativity on offense and a whole lot of needing to get bailed out by Coby White.
Love – Coby White, Coby White and more Coby White
Speaking of Coby White, he was sensational in Minnesota, scoring 26 points on 11-of-22 shooting from the field to go along with six assists and zero turnovers in 35 minutes.
For a few games, I wasn’t sure if White had actually taken a step forward or if he was just on a nifty hot streak. But now it’s clear: He’s definitely taken a big step forward.
White didn’t just score the ball against the Wolves. He operated as a solid playmaker and a really strong defender. I couldn’t be happier about the direction White is trending in.
Hate – Denzel Valentine’s minutes
Look, I know Denzel Valentine is a flawed player, but he’s one of the best offensive weapons the Bulls have. He needs to be on the court for extended stretches of time, especially with Zach LaVine out of the lineup.
Against the Wolves, he only played 18 minutes. Shaquille Harrison played 29 minutes and Ryan Arcidiacono played 23 minutes. That’s not a good breakdown for the Bulls’ perimeter players. Valentine needs more time on the court.
Love – Active Thaddeus Young
For most of this season, it seemed like Thaddeus Young had lost a step. He wasn’t good with the ball in his hands and he was constantly making weird decisions on offense. He simply looked disengaged. Ever since Markkanen went down with an injury, though, Young has looked better.
I was worried that Young would regress back to his old ways with Markkanen returning against the Wolves, but that wasn’t the case. He looked really good all night, scoring an efficient 13 points off the bench to go along with six rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.
More of that, please!