MINNEAPOLIS — Much of Billy Donovan’s postgame press conference will be held next Sunday night. Chicago Bulls’ A modern defensive disaster centered around the most basic elements.
competing.
“If you want to get any better, you have to face the fact that you’re not out of the competition,” Donovan said. “We need to compete better on the defensive side of the floor, and that’s five guys in a row.
“You can switch to zones. You can switch to different pick and roll coverage. But if the level of competition there as a group as a whole isn’t high enough, it doesn’t make a difference… stand in line, You have to physically put your nose, body, mind and soul in front of people.”
Most memorable is when the Bulls went to Milwaukee on the night of November 23rd to confront the Bucks’ phenomenal physics. It is neither easy nor easy.
So in just over three weeks, how can the Bulls go from defensive effort and performance to Sunday night? He became the fourth player since 1982 to score 150 or more points against the Bulls in a game.
The Timberwolves also set opponents’ season-highs in points, field goals (57), three-point field goals (23) and field goal percentage (65.5%).
Donovan said he would basically ask the player. He talked about the concept of sacrifice, how the Bulls need to get in the spirit of “feeling like I’m doing it for him and I’m not letting the guy down there.”
Players then asked questions like: How did the Bulls transition from the night of Nov. 23 in Milwaukee to this night?
“We are not playing for each other,” said Goran Dragic. “It’s as easy as that.”
It’s currently as bad as it is accurate.
DeMar DeRozan asked the same question.
“I think[in Milwaukee]when there are games and moments like that, we all need to understand that we have to create them. We have to do it against the lower level teams as well it’s not who you’re playing against it’s what we have to carry around with us every night. I think that many times lose sight of it and build up a negative kind of steam that leads us to play a game like this. is needed.
“Just like you grew up playing in parks where you wanted to take the ball home. You want to fight and you play with the ball and make sure you take the ball home. You have to have an attitude, you just sit back and keep doing the same thing until you realize you’re leaving this park with the ball anyway.
Zach LaVine next gave his take.
“Until we stick together and help each other, we won’t see different results. We can’t ask our teams to work every night. I think that’s the first thing we have to bring from top to bottom,” he said. “The guys here are talking. We’re trying to be leaders in our own way, but we’ve got to find a way to make it happen.”
“I mean, shoot, it’s not that we haven’t tried. We go out here and talk a lot. We just have to stop talking and get out there and do it. Consistency.” No or I play consistently once or twice and then I don’t do it so it’s frustrating It’s frustrating for all of us I know it’s frustrating for the fans it’s embarrassing we We’re all a little embarrassed about it, after all we have to look at ourselves in the mirror and be real about it and find a way to come back and fight back.”
The fact that the Bulls have 29 games left in a season that began with high expectations, and post-game questions about basic concepts like competition and connectivity, is certainly troubling. , agreed it was time to stop talking about it and start backing up what was said.
That is, do it while bringing in the required effort.
“You have to get out of the mentality of worrying about scoring and attacking,” Donovan said.
In fact, 126 points and a 52.3% shooting percentage are more than enough to win. The Bulls sank her 16 of his 3-pointers.
But even allowing journeyman Nathan Knight to dunk unhindered at the rim or D’Angelo Russell to nucleate with seven 3-pointers, they defensively didn’t have the answer.
“We have to play for each other,” Dragic said. “If you’re going to put two players on the ball, the weaknesses have to be there. So basically everyone has to be in the right position to help each other.
“And it’s the same thing on offense. Everyone needs to be on the same page when they take action. And they do it with purpose. Set a good screen. Your friends, your teammates.” Let them have an open mind, and once they have the ball they have to handle it wisely to make the right play, both in defense and in attack.”
On Donovan’s concept of sacrifice, Dragic agreed.
“Someone told me – and he was right – it’s easy to talk about sacrifice. , is a different story.You have to accept it.But it’s hard.” “And we’re in the same boat, so everyone has to. Everyone’s playing the same color, the same team, the same city.”
“That’s why we have to make sacrifices for each other. To play better, to make defensive stops, to screen someone, to make a swing-swing pass. You’re good.” If you hit a shot, swing it and someone will hit a better shot.It’s the details, the little details.”
Speaking of details, Donovan shared an interesting story about an offseason conversation he once had with Seattle Seahawks All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman.
“I was talking to him about the Seattle defense, and what he was talking about was that I know every single one of their wives, their parents, their brothers. We are connected. He talked a lot about that connectivity,” Donovan says. “I believe it 1,000 percent. It’s hard to be great as a group unless you’re really trying to do it for the person next to you. That’s why. We have to do it for each other.” I have to.”
A win in Milwaukee, not to mention two famous wins against the Celtics, shows the Bulls’ ability to make plays like this. Playing selflessly and sacrificing for each other.
But not now. That’s why DeRozan questioned whether the Bulls need to work on building relationships off the court.
“Huh? No? Because after all, we got a great group. We don’t have big egos. We don’t have a lot of superstars fighting for attention. It doesn’t matter.” he said. “Whether we try harder or not, we just have to figure out what we need to do and get out there and compete.
“When we compete, we all have to be on the same level and not have to think individually like, ‘Okay, I just do my job. It’s about a collective team that doesn’t work.”
Lavigne agreed, citing the general unselfish mindset that he, DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic consistently play.
“We’re all trying to play the right way,” LaVine said. “I’m trying to stay away from the pick and roll instead of trying to shoot on the first face. I hit the other side and hit the pocket and then swing even if I think I can get the guy. Vooch in the post disagrees.” There is, and sometimes they know he’s asking for space (floor). Same with DeMar.
“But for all three of us to be united, we have to do a better job of helping foment the attack to the point where everyone feels involved.”
The Bulls have lost four in a row, seven in a nine-game losing streak. They are now defensively confused. There are 3 games left on this trip.
Will they stay connected and start playing for their teammate next door?
“In high-level competition, you have to deal with adversity, accept adversity, and lean into adversity,” he said. “Adversity does one of two things. It either brings you really close together or divides you. The harder things get, the harder it is to rely on each other.”
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