Even with shooting guard DeMar DeRozan averaging over 25 points and dropping a season-high 46 points on Nov 5th against the Celtics, the Bulls are still not yet at it. Because after playing 17 games in the regular season, Donovan and his boys stand at position 11 in the Eastern Conference.
Their starting point guard Lonzo Ball is out indefinitely as he continues nursing and waiting to recover from his knee injury. But honestly, with the names on their roster, the Chicago Bulls should be playoff contenders. Unfortunately, they’re struggling and are yet to find a perfect landing spot.
They entered Monday night’s game against the Boston Celtics looking desperate before snapping their four-game losing streak with a 121-107 victory.
They have a long way to go
The red-hot Boston Celtics were on a nine-game winning streak and maybe were overconfident that they’ll triumph over the Chicago Bulls, who before yesterday had lost all their four previous consecutive games.
But after a few minutes into the game, it was clear they wouldn’t threaten the Bulls’ chances of winning. Celtic’s Jayson Tatum led the team with 28 points, and they tried to bring the Bulls’ Lead to under ten points at some points in the game, but they gave in at last, and the Bulls carried the day.
But if you thought their win against the Celtics is anything to smile about, then you might want to take a look at their schedule.
The next six games will be back-breaking for DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls. They’re paired with a series of playoff and surprise teams that could do anything to frustrate them.
On Thursday, they take on Giannis Antetokounmo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Followed by the unpredictable up-and-coming Oklahoma City Thunder, the Utah Jazz follows, then the murderous and desperate Phoenix Suns.
They will then meet two Pacific division squads, one of them being the reigning champions, The Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings, coming next in line. The Bulls’ are struggling to stay afloat, and if they can survive this upcoming stretch, there’s going to be some hope for them. But how’s that possible?
Thankful for you, #BullsNation @ATT | @nba_paint pic.twitter.com/ds2PBXukXC
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) November 24, 2022
Everyone must play their part
Bulls’ coach Billy Donovan has clarified that for the Bulls to come out as a team that was on a steady roller coaster last season, everybody must be held accountable. Donovan adds that the burden is not only on the coaches and staff but also on the players.
It’s up to each player on the Bulls roster to up their game if they really want to bounce back from the early season struggles. From stars to the third-stringers, everyone must now find a way to end this embarrassment.
And when asked if the same standard applies to everyone, Donovan replied on Sunday;
“I think if you want to have a good team, they have to be.”
Accountability became a hot topic after Donovan replaced All-Star Zach LaVine in their painful 107-108 loss to the Orlando magic that saw them drop to 6-10 for the season. LaVin was visibly upset after the game and showed displeasure at his coach’s decision to rest him.
Donovan later claimed it was the right decision since everyone has a job to do, and none should be exempt from accountability.
“There’s a lot he can do to get into the game. If the scoring isn’t there for whatever reason, we’ve gotta have a group standard. And it wasn’t all about him,” Donovan said.
Some good news
The NBA is still unaware when the Bulls’ starting point guard Lonzo Ball will be back on the court. But based on the latest revelations by their head coach, Ball is making significant progress, and he could be back any time. However, there’s no timetable for his return up to this point.
The Bulls have decided to give Ball maximum time for the healing process, so he’s completely fit to withstand the pressure. They don’t want to give detailed information about his health, but Ball can likely make a return in the next few weeks.
Ball had an exemplary performance last season and averaged 13 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.8 steals in 34.6 minutes over 35 games.
With this kind of performance, it’s clear that the Bulls needs Ball. The Chicago Bulls went 22-13 with Ball in their midst last season and 24-23 without him.
Remember, this is Ball’s third injury on his knee and the second since January this year. It’s believed that loose cartilage caused damage to his nerves which resulted in much pain hindering him from playing basketball.
But even as Ball continues to recover, the Chicago Bulls should rise. They dominated the game against the Celtics, but there are still concerns about whether they will keep improving or if it was just a one-time thing. But the future is still on the line, and what they do now will determine their fate.
HBD Lonzo Ball (@ZO2_)
One of the most unique players in the NBA.— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 27, 2022
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