The latest Chicago Bulls news for Jan. 26, including continued Patrick Williams misery, why the Bulls are playing so poorly right now and a quick look at the team's chances of holding onto its first-round pick.
Patrick Williams fails to show up. Again.
The Bulls dropped what should have been a winnable game last night, a 109-97 home defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers. Philly was playing without Joel Embiid, and star forward Paul George missed them second half with an injury of his own.
But while Tyrese Maxey (31 points, nine assists) picked up the slack for the Sixers and got help from Kelly Oubre Jr. (22 points), Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic were left holding the bag for the Bulls.
LaVine led the team with 25 points and Vucevic finished with another double-double, 22 points and 12 rebounds. Only one other player—Josh Giddey, who had 10 points—scored in double digits for Chicago.
These are the kinds of games in which you should expect to get a boost from a 23-year-old former top-5 pick who just received a shiny $90 million contract. Instead, they're the kinds of games you get from Patrick Williams.
Williams started, played 27 minutes, and finished with two points, four rebounds, three assists and a pair of turnovers. Williams had the following to say after his dismal performance in the Bulls' loss, per Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune:
“I got game. Every time I’ve gone through something and I got through it, I always learned a lot, became a better player, a better person on the other end of it. This is no different. You grow through what you go through.”
Where's all that growth from everything Williams has gone through on the court during his four-plus NBA seasons?
The Bulls last 10 games, explained
It's not the worst thing in the world that Chicago is beginning to lose games at a faster and more furious pace. After all, the Bulls need their 2025 first-round pick to land inside the top 10 to avoid sending it to the San Antonio Spurs.
Billy Donovan's squad is 2-8 in its last 10 games and it's not rocket science as to why.
The Bulls are second in the league this season in 3-point attempts at 42.7 per game and shoot them at a 37.0 percent clip, good for ninth in the NBA. Taking and making a lot of threes has helped Chicago stay in and win games.
In the last 10 contests, the Bulls are 14th in attempts at 38.4 per game and 18th in percentage at 35.9.
Chicago's turnover issues and porous defense are no longer being covered up by the great 3-point equalizer.
A quick look at the latest NBA lottery odds
As mentioned above, the Bulls need their draft selection to end up in the top 10 this summer or risk losing a massive asset. Trading Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic or Lonzo Ball by the Feb. 6 deadline would certainly help Chicago stay on the trajectory it's set for itself over the last 10 games.
Entering play on Jan. 26, the Bulls are still dangerously close to that No. 10 spot. Per Tankthon, Chicago has the ninth-best lottery odds with a record of 19-27.
Last night's loss to Philly was a boost as the 76ers sit one spot ahead of the Bulls with the eighth-best odds. After the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 7, it's a precipitous drop to the Brooklyn Nets, who are five games worse than Chicago and are already in the process of a tanking firesale.