The Chicago Bulls fell to 2-2 in the preseason with a 124–117 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Despite shooting over 50 percent from the field, Chicago committed 18 turnovers and allowed Denver 41 free-throw attempts. Nearly a third of the Nuggets’ points came from the charity stripe.
Limiting turnovers, avoiding slow starts, and tightening interior defense remain key points of emphasis for the Bulls moving forward. Individually, Ayo Dosunmu has continued his torrid start, Matas Buzelis is showcasing his All-Star potential, and Josh Giddey’s play is beginning to mirror his post–All-Star break form from last season.
Giddey scored 25 points, adding nine rebounds and six assists against the Nuggets. The 23-year-old floor general shot 7-of-14 from the field and 3-of-7 from three-point range. His confidence in his outside shot has clearly carried over from last season, as he stepped into several triples without the slightest hesitation.
Josh Giddey's preseason hasn't inspired a ton of confidence
Yet don’t be dissuaded by Giddey’s strong performance—there are still some flaws in his game that are too glaring to ignore. As Chicago’s own Kenny Beechum put it on Kevin O’Connor’s podcast, "The things that [Giddey] does well, he does very well. The things that he does poorly, he does very poorly."
Before offering his blunt assessment of Giddey’s game, Beechum pointed out the Bulls’ tendency to start slow and noted that the team has often regained momentum when Giddey heads to the bench.
Let’s test Beechum’s theory. In Chicago’s preseason opener, the Bulls were outscored 20–9 before Giddey was subbed out. When the Aussie re-entered, the deficit had actually grown to 38–26.
In Chicago’s second preseason game, the Bulls trailed 12–8 when Giddey went to the bench, and were still down by four when he checked back in. In the following contest, Chicago was behind 19–13 before Giddey subbed out and, coincidentally, trailed by six upon his return.
Most recently, in the loss to Denver, the Bulls fell behind by 13 with Giddey on the floor. When he checked out, Chicago’s second unit trimmed the deficit to 11. Beechum's statement doesn't necessarily hold true, but watching the game tells a different story.
There appears to be a disconnect from the opening tip, one that consistently puts the Bulls in an early hole. Whether it’s Giddey, Coby White’s absence, or something else, it’s hard to say. But a glance at Giddey’s plus/minus backs up Beechum’s claim.
Giddey posted a minus-7 in Game 1, minus-4 in Game 2, minus-9 in Game 3, and a team-worst minus-22 in Game 4. Only Buzelis and Zach Collins have recorded a lower plus/minus this preseason. While Giddey’s numbers aren’t necessarily predictive of his success in Year 5, they do highlight a clear pattern: Chicago tends to be outplayed whenever the 6-foot-8 guard is on the floor, largely stemming from his current deficiencies.
Like many players, Giddey needs the right supporting cast to thrive
As Beechum put it, “The things that he does poorly, he does very poorly.” For Giddey, that primarily shows up on the defensive end, though he’s also a bit loose with the ball at times and remains an inconsistent shooter, hitting just 28.6 percent of his three-point attempts in the preseason.
Therefore, it’s imperative that Giddey is flanked by quality spot-up shooters and strong point-of-attack defenders. The 23-year-old is such a special passer that he thrives when the ball is in his hands. He’s also improved as a driver, adding floaters and push shots to his arsenal when he doesn’t make it all the way to the rim. Still, pairing him with another decisive ball-handler—like White—is highly beneficial.
That said, it’s not impossible to build around a player with glaring deficiencies. Take Luka Doncic, for example—a tall, methodical point guard who struggles defensively. Surrounding the All-NBA talent with 3-and-D players and an athletic big has proven effective. Applying a similar approach to Giddey could similarly mask his weaknesses.
The Bulls and the fanbase have already accepted that Giddey may never be a strong defender or a high-volume outside shooter. But that shouldn’t stop the team from giving the floor general more than 30 minutes per game—he’s a unique talent. The key is surrounding Giddey with the right supporting cast, which can help minimize the impact of his glaring weaknesses.