Chicago Bulls at Dallas Mavericks: Three Takeaways
After an impressive win against the Cavaliers, the Bulls follow up with a horrendous showing in Dallas, losing to the Mavericks by 25 points.
Sigh. You know, the Bulls got us. They really did. They had some of us thinking that maybe, just maybe, they do belong where they currently rank in the Eastern Conference standings. Rajon Rondo had us thinking that he can be a productive member for an NBA team in 2016.
Maybe this is all an overreaction. After all, they did beat Cleveland last night, and they were playing Dallas on the second night of a back-to-back.
Jimmy Butler continues to play as well as he needs to for the Bulls to complete. In a game where his shots weren’t falling, Butler kept on fighting his way to the free throw line to get his 26 points, adding nine rebounds to the effort. Robin Lopez contributed 15 efficient points and seven boards.
It was the kind of game where Paul Zipser and R.J. Hunter managed to get on the court. On the positive side of things, it was great that Bulls Nation finally got a taste of the #FreeFelicio that we all want.
Anyway, here are three takeaways from whatever just transpired at the American Airlines Center.
Dec 3, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Deron Williams (8) guards Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Dwayne Wade’s absence was evident offensively
This probably goes without saying, but when Dwyane Wade doesn’t play, Jimmy Butler is nearly left to fend for himself on offense. Of course, it would definitely help if other players who are supposed to score would do so. Nikola Mirotic shot 0-for-4 from the floor. Ideally, Robin Lopez and Taj Gibson aren’t your second and third-leading scorers, respectively.
Wade’s presence has a much greater effect than just the production he provides. Obviously, he scores well, but when he’s on the floor, defenses have to be mindful of him. When he isn’t, Jimmy Butler attracts much of the opponent’s attention, as Rondo, Gibson and Mirotic aren’t exactly threats. In an example of the butterfly effect, Jimmy’s efficiency suffers.
This could also turn into a bigger issue because the season is only about a quarter of the way through and Wade is going to sit out quite a few more games as his veteran legs feel the attrition of a full schedule. If Mirotic doesn’t break out of this slump in a permanent way, someone else is going to have to step up. That’s going to be on the bench and Fred Hoiberg to figure out. No matter how they coach it or who plays, someone on this team is going to have to start being a reliable offensive option when Wade sits.
Dec 3, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo (9) brings the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Rajon Rondo and Bobby Portis are hurting the Bulls
After Rajon played his best game of the season against the Cavs on Friday night, there was hope. Unfortunately, that hope took an 180-degree turn for the worse, kind of like Rondo after the guard he’s defending dribbles right around him.
— Daniel Coughlin (@xvanwilderx) December 4, 2016
I don’t mean to harp on this point. I truly don’t. I was a big fan of Rondo’s in his early-Celtics days, but he’s nearly unplayable now. And that’s fine! There are other options.
Jerian Grant played 25 minutes against the Mavs on Saturday night, the third most he’s received all year. He was getting into the lane in the pick-and-roll and looking to score. While Grant isn’t the perfect solution to the Bulls’ point guard issues, he’s a solution nonetheless.
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As for Bobby Portis and the hypothetical void he’d leave be playing less, the answer is simple and comes in the form of a very large man, Cristiano Felicio.
Time after time again, Portis just looks lost on the floor. Whether it’s failing to box out or scrambling to make a decision when he gets the ball, it doesn’t seem like he’s ready to play in the NBA, which is fine! Portis is only in his second year, and time with the Windy City Bulls doesn’t seem like a bad idea at this point.
Cristiano, on the other hand, isn’t necessarily flashy or anything, but he provides steady minutes whenever he’s in. He defends the pick and roll well, rebounds and rolls to the rim.
We’ll see if Hoiberg makes any major rotation or lineup changes eventually in the season, as most think it would be for the better, but for now, I’d imagine he’ll stick with what he has been using.
Dec 3, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Chicago Bulls center Robin Lopez (8) warms up as Dallas Mavericks super fan Don Knobler looks on before the game at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bulls are still a puzzling basketball team
The theme from the last several years, going back to the 2014-2015 season remains: sometimes, the Bulls just don’t make any sense literally and in a more existential sense. Obviously there are and have been questions about how this roster was constructed for this season in particular, but it goes beyond that.
There have been nights like these quite often over the last three seasons. Like, way too often. The Bulls will play an awesome game, beat an elite team, and then not show up to their next matchup, decidedly or not.
It happened in the last season under Thibs, when they were considered title contenders. It happened last season when Fred Hoiberg was hired, they were expected to be in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs entirely. And once again, it happened this season, when there was major roster overhaul and strange additions. The Bulls were thought to be a bad basketball team this year, but they’ve mostly disproved that notion by surprising everyone with how they’ve played both stylistically and qualitatively.
And once again, maybe this is an overreaction. They did just come off a game in Chicago last night before flying down to Texas for their game today. But the counter-argument to that point is the result of Wednesday’s game against the Lakers, where after five days rest, they came out and played awfully.
It’s a theme that’s transcended coaches and players. The common factor, discounting Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson, is the front office. Not to say that John Paxson and Gar Forman can be blamed for Rondo’s five turnovers tonight technically. Well, they could’ve have not signed him at all but … sorry, where was I?
One can begin to wonder if there is some credibility to the idea that the culture in Chicago has been built in a way that lends itself to inconsistency. In no way does anyone truly believe that the Bulls are an elite NBA team, but it’s difficult even to pinpoint them generally, because of the constant highs and lows. They are consistently inconsistent.
Basketball is weird.
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