Chicago Bulls: Javonte Green, Caruso to play critical defensive roles

The results we got from three games through the preseason slate thus far for the Chicago Bulls are nothing short of amazing. But we also have to put this into perspective that the Bulls have faced the Cavs twice and a shorthanded New Orleans Pelicans team in the preseason. This might not be too indicative of the results to come in the Eastern Conference standings for second-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Bulls during the regular season.

On the night of Oct. 10, the Bulls kept the unbeaten preseason streak alive with a win over the Cavs for the second time in three games. Following a close 102-101 win over the Cavs on the road to round out the weekend, the Bulls are one win away from clearing out this four-game preseason slate unscathed.

While that won’t do anything to make a mark on the actual record for this season to go through the preseason slate undefeated, it would help the Bulls gain some confidence and figure out the rotation heading into the regular season. One part of this team that we have learned in the preseason thus far is just how active they can be on defense.

The Bulls have very active hands on the defensive end of the floor so far during the preseason slate. In fact, through three games thus far, the Bulls have an impressive 37 steals as a team. And it’s not all the likes of point guard Lonzo Ball, guard Alex Caruso, etc. coming up with the solid plays defensively to rack up all of these steals.

There are six players for the Bulls that are averaging at least one steal per game in the preseason. And the likes of Lonzo and star center Nikola Vucevic are averaging an impressive 2.7 steals per game a piece.

Chicago Bulls placing great defensive reliance on the duo of Alex Caruso and Javonte Green

Moreover, what is also clear for the Bulls through three games of the four-game preseason slate is how important two particular guards will be to this team defensively. The aforementioned Caruso and former Boston Celtics shooting guard Javonte Green were both key cogs to the Bulls defensive efforts throughout the three preseason games.

Green has started in all three games for Donovan and the Bulls in the preseason. And he’s averaged 1.7 steals per game and 2.0 blocks. He’s second on the team in blocks and third in steals so far during the preseason.

In the absence of second-year forward Patrick Williams, Donovan used Green as another switchable defender that can cover a lot of ground for the Bulls on that end of the floor. Green can really defend any position between the one and the three. Smaller forwards playing at the four are also players that Green is capable of matching up with defensively.

Meanwhile, Caruso plays a similar role for Donovan in terms of his defensive ability and versatile fit coming off the bench. Caruso has defended essentially every single position in his first three games in this preseason slate with the Bulls.

Caruso was always a lockdown defender and a key disruptor during his four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s going to be another switchable defender that is solid on and off-ball. Caruso is very pesky and can be one of the best perimeter defenders in the Central Division, if not the entire Eastern Conference, this season.

Once the likes of P-Will and third-year point guard Coby White return to the lineup for the Bulls in the upcoming regular season, Green and Caruso could see a slight dip in their minutes. Williams’ return to the rotation will likely slide Green out of the starting unit. But he can still play a significant role coming off the bench in the second or third unit this season.

Meanwhile, Caruso will be of the upmost importance for the Bulls to use situationally when a solid defensive guard is needed on the floor. White is not a good defender. And the same could be said for young point guards like Devon Dotson and Ayo Dosunmu this season.

There are more good defenders that Donovan and the Bulls have in the mix this season than most in the media will give this team credit for. That is a huge reason why the front office went out to get pieces like Caruso, Green, and wings Troy Brown Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr. since the trade deadline last season.

So many switchable defenders that can cover so much ground on this end of the floor for the Bulls will be very valuable during the regular season. The Bulls have some less than stellar defenders that highlight the first and second string units in this rotation. Star shooting guard Zach LaVine, shooting guard/forward DeMar DeRozan, Vucevic, and White, among others, fit into that bucket.

This is why it is so important for the Bulls to have standout defenders like Caruso and Green ready to contribute off the bench in situations when the matchups call for them. If P-Will is able to return for the Bulls in the preseason finale on Oct. 15 against the Memphis Grizzlies at home at the United Center, it will be interesting to see the role that Donovan slots Green in.

Caruso should continue to get significant minutes off the bench, regardless of whether Williams returns to the lineup.