It's been a wild ride for Chicago Bulls fans. From trading Zach LaVine at the trade deadline which set off a six-game losing streak to a post-All-Star break resurgence, the Bulls entered the Play-In Tournament with a heightened sense of optimism. After defeating the Miami Heat three times this season, and most recently a week ago, a victory almost felt foregone.
Nonetheless, the Bulls came out incredibly flat in their most important game of the season against a team they had dominated all season. Miami scored 15 of the first 20 points without breaking a sweat. All-Star guard Tyler Herro routinely cruised to the rim, free of deterrence.
Herro breezed by his perimeter defender, whether it be Josh Giddey, Coby White, or Kevin Huerter, and arrived at the basket without altering his shot. Chicago's last line of defense, Nikola Vucevic, is incapable of stepping up to defend the basket while also playing help defender. Hence Miami's outrageous first-half assist total. Whenever the Heat navigated into the paint, Bam Adebayo or a spot-up shooter would be left open.
The Bulls are in dire need of a defensive anchor
Chicago's defense has struggled throughout the season. However, a post-All-Star break improvement hinted that this team was becoming a more well-rounded squad—capable of reaching the postseason and potentially stealing a game or two against a top-seeded team.
Through 24 minutes, it's become clear that the Bulls' defensive improvements are borderline fraudulent. The Play-In Tournament is a much different setting than the regular season. The stakes are at an all-time high. The Bulls' deficiencies are magnified.
Thus, Chicago's offseason strategy is evident on the brink of elimination. The Bulls must get a rim protector. The Bulls have invested in White, and will more than likely invest heavily in Giddey. No matter how much the two guards help the Bulls on offense, they're defensive liabilities.
There's no reason to cut ties with either player, the remedy is evident. Think the 2024 NBA Finals Dallas Mavericks squad. Dallas added staunch interior defenders (Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford) and physical wing defenders (P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr.) to supplement its backcourt's defensive shortcomings. The recipe is there—it's time for the Bulls to accept reality and invest in a defensive anchor.