A lethargic offense has doomed the Bulls in a 4-9 start, but Zach LaVine doesn’t believe they need to change their approach, relays Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. The Bulls were 27th in offensive efficiency heading into Saturday, and although they are placing a new emphasis on 3-pointers, ranking eighth in the league in attempts at 35.5 per game, they are shooting just 32.5% from beyond the arc, which ranks 24th.
“We get stagnant a lot out there,’’ LaVine said after Saturday’s loss to the Nets. “We’ll run one action and then everybody is staring at the person with the ball. We gotta get more fluid. I don’t feel a lot of people are in rhythm. When that happens, obviously everybody starts trying to do it themselves. It’s tough. I blame myself. I try to do that as well. I’m in the gym late. I’m putting up shots. I’m making sure I’m prepared so I can do everything I can to help. We gotta do a better job as a team.’’
Coach Jim Boylen told reporters he plans to “stay the course” with the current approach and doesn’t expect any major changes in personnel or strategy.
There’s more Bulls news to pass along:
- LaVine is vowing to help Lauri Markkanen rediscover his scoring touch, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. After averaging 18.7 points per game last season, Markkanen’s average has fallen to 14.5 PPG while shooting 38% from the field. “He just doesn’t seem in rhythm right now man. It’s a new offense. And I think it has a part to do with it,” LaVine said. “We just gotta help him find it. We’ve all gone through some struggles. I feel like everybody has been off rhythm in the beginning part of the year. I think everybody is shooting a lower field goal percentage than their (career) average. His spirits are still high. I know he’s worried about it but he’s not pressing yet. And I think that’s good to see. He hasn’t done anything out of character. He hasn’t lashed out or blamed anybody. He just wants to win. And that’s the type of player he is.”
- Foul trouble continues to be an issue for second-year center Wendell Carter Jr., Cowley observes in a separate story. Coaches like Carter’s aggressiveness on defense, but he admits he needs to channel it to stay on the floor.
- After taking Coby White in the first round this year, the Bulls could focus on another Tar Heel if they continue to flounder, Cowley suggests in another piece. Cole Anthony, who has drawn comparisons to Derrick Rose, comes highly recommended by White. “He’s everything that was advertised,’’ White said. “Good, athletic, strong, can knock it down, gets it done defensively, rebounds the ball.’’
There isn’t a single player on this roster that would start on a championship level team.
As bulls fan, im agree with u except wcj.he is a better player than lakers center.lavine is suck.overated.can scored 20+ but allowing opponent player who supposed guard by him to scored more than him.mark,coby,opj,sato so inconsistent.this team suck.
Markkanen is by far the most important piece on this team. The fact he’s taken a step back this yr so far is very troubling. Whatever they do, they to rebuild his confidence and value. Going into the yr he had tremendous value with the Bulls or in a trade. I like LaVine but he’ll never be on of the better players on a playoff caliber team. Just a volume scorer, nothing else.
Sorry Front Office Sorry Coach Which makes this Team sorry|This Team can be Elite offensively they need a coach like Alvin Getry that actually knows offense|They picked Boylen because he was a Easy cheap pick what has he ever done t warrant a Head coaching
Job Until things Change At the Top Expect More is the Same
Garpax their lemmings of a gm tandem have been choking on their yearly failures to assemble a team . Boylan is cheap salary wise and the KEY to his hire is he’s the ultimate YES MAN. Thibs was a decent coach but be clashed with garpax pointing out their failures in personnel decisions and they showed him the door thinking he was the problem. Now the common denominator to this losing franchise is garpax and the fact they are not held accountable. Owner JR is laughing all the way to bank since the lemming fans keep selling out their games. Keep the remote handy and change the channel to anything but a bulls game