The Chicago Bulls are off to a strong start as the new roster begins to jell, ranking second in opponents points per game with an entertaining style of play.
Here are five observations from the opening week of their season.
1. Three games into the 2021-22 season and we already have an MVP race between Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso, the yin and yang of the new-look Bulls.
Naturally, the MVP chants at the United Center for LaVine were a bit premature, while the MVP chants for Caruso were strictly tongue in cheek. It was all in fun, and Caruso took at as such.
Still, it was an interesting start to the Bulls season, which continues Monday night with a visit to the Toronto Raptors.
Caruso said after Saturday’s win over the Detroit Pistons, “It’s hard to say I’m used to” the MVP chants, and he deferred to LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, who have led the way to a 3-0 start. But Caruso already has supplied some grit and highlight-reel material, including a dunk on a give-and-go from Lonzo Ball in the home opener that left him swinging on the rim before dropping to the floor like a claw machine digging around for a cheap toy.
Caruso is averaging three steals per game off the bench while keeping the second unit flowing when Ball comes out. He also has played alongside Ball in a smaller lineup that’s creating havoc defensively. The two point guards complement each other’s games — and both have become instant fan favorites.
“Lonzo leading the front, I think everybody knows how he plays,” Caruso said. “This is stylistically for him probably his best offense. Just that he played like this in high school, he played like this in college. I think this is how he wants to play in the pros. And me coming off the bench, trying to keep the organization and really just getting out in transition and opening it up for Zach and DeMar and (Nikola Vucevic).
“I think last year they posted up a little bit more, but this year, they’re really trying to space it out to make sure their talents are used in the right way.”
2. The Bulls have been lacking on the offensive boards with only 7.7 offensive rebounds per game.
That’s not totally unexpected because of their lack of size, but it’s something to keep an eye on with more competitive teams in the New York Knicks and Utah Jazz on tap in the coming week.
While much has been made of Billy Donovan’s more up-tempo offense, it’s not like the Bulls are going to run-and-gun for four quarters like a 1970s ABA team.
“No, it’s not necessarily run up and down the court,” Vucevic said. “It all depends on the situation and the opportunities. It will mainly be off the misses, when we do get stops, try to get out and run and use the players that we have that are going to run up the court — Lonzo and Zach, Pat (Willams), all those guys that like to get out there and run and get easy buckets for us.
“And that actually opens up a lot for me, especially with the trailer 3, either shoot it or go into action with other people. It gives us a different look off misses, but obviously half court, if we get scored on or a timeout, the pace will be different, so having the mix of both will be important to us.”
3. While the Bulls were at the bottom of the NBA in 3-point attempts with an average of 25.7 through Saturday, they were third in 3-point accuracy at 41.6 %.
Ball has improved his 3-point accuracy in each of his first four seasons and was at 38.1% after three games with the Bulls.
“It definitely comes with confidence,” he said. “I’m at a point where I think I’m one of the best shooters in the league, so if it’s open I’m going to put it up. I’ve still been missing some good looks, but I’m still going to put it up.”
4. DeMar DeRozan has done everything asked of him since arriving — and doesn’t seem to be slowing down at age 32.
He’s averaging 21.3 points and 6.3 rebounds after he was acquired in a sign-and-trade with the San Antonio Spurs. He also picked up LaVine on an off night Saturday.
“(This is) the best part of my career,” DeRozan said. “With the knowledge that I’ve gained over the years, my perspective on how I approach the game, how I approach preparation, everything to the game. It took me 13 years to get to the point that I’m at mentally, physically, emotionally in approaching the game. So it’s just my best go-round.
“Obviously in my time in San Antonio, I learned so much more about myself as a player that I was able and capable of doing. It grew me more as a leader. And this time around, it’s just putting everything I’ve learned in my career all together.”
5. The Bulls bench was outscored 32-10 in the opening win over the Pistons and 41-25 in Saturday’s game.
It hasn’t hurt the team and the starters are getting heavy minutes, but eventually the Bulls will need more scoring from the reserves.
Caruso (12 points) and Javonte Green (10 points) led the reserves in Saturday’s rematch with the Pistons. Alize Johnson is mostly here for his defense and Troy Brown Jr. is off to a slow start. DeRozan said after the opener that the second unit was “kicking our (butts)” in practices, which Caruso didn’t dispute.
“It’s iron sharpening iron,” Caruso said. “That first squad of black with Zo, DeMar, Zach and Pat and Vooch, that’s a pretty good starting five of high-talent, high-caliber players. For me and the gray group, coming in and competing against them every day is going to make us better and obviously is going to push them to be better.
“That’s where winning comes from, that’s where culture comes from. If you can push each other in practice to be competitive, to try to win, to be better, that’s ultimately what you want.”
