Chicago Bulls: Takeaway no. 3 – Billy Donovan stuck with the shortened rotation
In the Bulls game before the win over the Raptors, they beat the Indiana Pacers. It was one of the biggest takeaways from that game to see Donovan go with the shortened rotation he used. Bulls fans had grown accustomed to the 10 and sometimes even 11 man rotations he had been using for most of the season.
Now that he chose this route again it’s reasonable to think this may be the new norm. Teams across the league often run a deeper rotation for the majority of the NBA season before tightening it up when the games start to matter.
With the Bulls needing to win games as they chase a playoff spot, it makes sense Donovan would choose to implement a shorter rotation right now. It generally puts the team in the best possible position to win games and that is priority number one for the Bulls organization right now.
Things do get interesting when you consider the impending return of veteran wing Garrett Temple. While that date is not known precisely yet, it’s expected to be in the near future. That will leave Donovan either expanding the rotation and taking minutes away from other players or deciding between Troy Brown Jr. and Temple for who is the ninth man in the rotation.
Temple is a proven player that is respected both around the league and in the Bulls locker room. Brown Jr. is an upside addition to the group that is still young and has potential. Those things have quickly seen him become a favorite among the currently very excited Chicago Bulls fan base.
Whether they both play or only one does on any given night, it’s clear the Bulls will be utilizing a much more organized and shortened rotation. Due to the things we saw all season leading up to this from the coaching staff, the change in approach is something to consider notable.