3 Bulls lineup changes Billy Donovan needs to make right now

2. Start the Second and Fourth Quarter Without Vucevic

Late-game situations have hurt the Bulls, and their big man is always in the middle of it. Teams are able to get second- and third-chance opportunities at the worst moments because Vucevic’s legs are often shot at the end of the fourth quarter. His jump shot has been flat and opposing bigs are beating him down the court. While most players have nagging injuries causing them to look more tired at the end of the season, the Bulls have an extremely small margin for error.

The Bulls currently begin each quarter with their starters: Caruso, LaVine, Green, DeRozan, and Vucevic. While the initial returns are good, this group doesn’t end each quarter well, which puts the team in a hole.

Vucevic’s legs can be saved by tweaking his rotation and starting Tristan Thompson in his place during these times. The lineup would feature Caruso, DeRozan, LaVine, Green/Patrick Williams and Thompson.

Thompson won’t be in there to boost their offense, but he can extend their possessions because he’s known for his activity on the glass. More than anything, he brings constant intensity. There shouldn’t be a huge dip in production starting Thompson for the first 2-3 minutes of the second and fourth quarters, let’s be real.