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jrueships · 3 years ago

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I don’t want to judge…. but are you trying to tell us that your newest ship is…. Rolo??? …. and…. KRIS DUNN????

LiSTEN- LIStEN. OKAY-

aLSO WHY DO U SOUND MORE SURPRISED ABOUT DUN THAN KRIS HeLP??????? IM KIDDIN OF COURSE BUT LIKE- OKAY- listEN. it's not like- FINAL final (none of my insane rarepairs are of course like if marcus gets a fr on same team bf I won't be upset LOL all my rarepairs are just basically 'i like this player and this player so... what if.. boyfriends??') But LIKE... im still... CONSIDERING... CLOSELY- ... tho kris and lauri sounds cute too ngl their finnish speaking video (that had Greek music in the bg...) was funny!!

But i just think that

THIS is VERY interesting to me... and im always a sucker for more height difference relationships .... the way Kris doesn't even try stepping AWAY from Robin to smack trae??? He smacks him like he's hiding behind rolo???? Almost like a little kid cowering behind a teacher and only feeling confident enough to hold up a middle finger to his bully because he's got the teacher on his side now??? And the way rolo instantly wraps an arm around kris???????? ITS CUTE LISTEN.LISTEN-

But like??? Personality-wise (the main reason behind my rarepair madness) .. i just REALLY like two stubborn people in a relationship constantly trying to prove the other soft and then inadvertently falling in love with each other because of it.

I'm no astrology ho but APPARENTLY rolo's zodiac is Aries sun LIBRA moon like WOW. So he's like.. I DUNNO... baby... He's a team player but he also wants independence??? So he WANTS to be Different and stand out but hes just so Kind and complementary that he can't help But just fall in the flow??? Which he doesn't really want???? Which makes sense! He wants to be this big scary weird.. caveman and some THINK he is on the surface but really he's just a Disney loving NERD who LOVES superheroes!!!

And Kris is like.. Basically he's kinda eccentric and self-absorbed not in a prideful sense but he's just in his head alot ??? His personality can go from rigid and prickly to charming and open in like. A second. He's just weird like in the picture??? He'll high-five lopez and then remember that trae kinda elbowed him and just go attack mode without thinking twice ??? and it's surprising and that one action makes people think he's just some hot-tempered aggravator but two seconds later he's chill again???

IDK they're both so INTERESTING to me .. I feel like they both can help each other a lot ??? With their personalities ????? but in a fun to write way LOL. Dunn probably challenges rolo's tough guyness a lot; consequently, helping to bring out more of Rolo's soft side. And Rolo can understand Dunn's shifting nature, but also help keep him grounded a bit and out of trouble ?? BUT THEY DO IT THRU LIKE.. arguing and teasing and butting heads a bit because they both kinda pride themselves on being 'fierce'... and then later they resolve things and talk about them.... IDK IDK THIS MAKES SENSE TO ME IN MY HEAD- i KNOW rolo is... kinda ugly and Dunn is essentially 'dunn' (done) in the nba BUT LIKE. LISTEN- THEY THEM... GAY IDIOTS WHO CALL EACH OTHER IDIOTS BUT KNOW THE OTHER IS ACTUALLY REALLY SMART AND IS WILLING TO VOUCH TO THAT FACT ????? LISTENLISTEN.... there is just something ABOUT unexpected relationships ..... that goes BEYOND 'this one is nice and this once is not' like their relationship is COMPLICATED and WEIRD and they don't really know HOW or WHEN it started but it started and they just can't get off it !!!!!!

AND JUST IMAGINE THEM GOING ON A DISNEYLAND DATE ???? THEM B O T H TRYING TO SPIN THE HINGES OFF THE TEACUP RIDE ????? rolo convincing kris to lightsaber fight with him?? Dunn originally being like 'ugh this is so dorky dude' but it's only a short sigh to keep his dignity and he can't help But be charmed by rolo's infectious excitement AND by his OWN excitement ?? so they DUEL and it starts playful until dunn smacks rolo a little Too hard on the arm and then it gets SERIOUS. Idk they probably end up getting kicked out for scaring the children lol. Dunn has bruises and rolo has bloodied scratches. No more lightsaber fighting today :(

Rolo wants to buy a life sized stupid.. expensive soemthin idk like thanos cardboard cut out which Dunn says no to. Then Dunn goes and buys a ton of expensive ass weird candy so rolo rebels and buys the cardboard cut out anyways lol. When they get to the tram train whatever way home, rolo sleeps on dunn's lap using the thanos cutout as a blanket. Dunn keeps waking him up and giving him a concussion because he won't stop bouncing his leg tho from the sugar high. OVERALL... the date is went. It went. Yeah

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niccongo0-blog · 5 years ago

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Bulls vs. Nets recap: Chicago wins big with another big-scoring Lauri Markkannen game and Otto Porter’s fine debut

Well that was a fun game of Chicago Bulls basketball! And the type of performance we haven’t seen much from them this year: the offense was clicking, they looked like they were enjoying themselves, and in the end they notched a big win on the road. All five starters scored in double figures, and team had 30 or more points in 3 of the 4 quarters in the 125-109 win over the Brooklyn Nets. This was their highest point total of the season, and it was accumulated efficiently on a TS% of 65.4%.

Everyone looked locked in, but two performances were stood out the most: Lauri Markkanen and new guy Otto Porter Jr.. Both kept the Nets defense on their toes with their ability to be threats from the three-point line and being able to shoot off the dribble.

Markkanen has been fire in this most recent stretch and it continued against Brooklyn. 31 points and 18 rebounds, knocking down 4 of his 7 three-point attempts in the process. Averaging 20.8 points and 10.7 rebounds on 44.2% shooting in his last 10 games, Markkanen continued to be aggressive in finding his shot and took what the Brooklyn defense gave him.

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Like many plays for the Bulls, this one sees Robin Lopez at the top of the key after receiving a pass from OPJ. After the catch he immediately spins around and heads for the far corner where Markkanen is. Kris Dunn is also near that side and as soon as Lopez turns he runs towards Rodions Kurucs, who is guarding Markkanen, and sets a screen on him. A few seconds after, Lopez appears and hands the ball off to Markkanen and gets in Kurucs way just enough to force him to react. Maintaining a steady left hand dribble, Markkanen is able to get into the body of Kurucs and cause a bit of separation with his arm as he gets into the lane. As soon as he gets near the dotted line, he takes a step back and pulls up for a shot. Even with his defender in his face, Markkanen’s quick release is able to aid him in getting the shot up quick enough before Kurucs arms can get to it.

We have seen flashes of plays like this from Markkanen before in the ability to score off the dribble. Not many guys at his age and size can do that and it’s a good weapon to have in his offensive arsenal.

Now to Porter, who had all eyes on him in his debut with the team. It was a pretty nice first impression as he knocked down his first five shots in an 18-point and 4 rebound performance. Porter displayed a lot of positives when he had the ball on offense, including his much talked-about shooting ability.

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Like Markkanen, shooting off the dribble is what Porter Jr. is going to show here. The play starts with him near the bottom corner and Zach LaVine running towards him. LaVine flips him the ball and Porter Jr. catches but not before losing the ball for a quick second. After steading himself, Porter Jr. is now facing up against Joe Harris as Lopez comes up to set a screen on OPJ’s left. Jarrett Allen, who is defending RoLo, is situated really deep in the paint instead of stepping up or switching. With an ample amount of space in front of him, Porter Jr. has numerous options to choose from. He decides to pull up the instant he gets around the Lopez screen and despite Harris’s best efforts, he splashes his first bucket as a Bull.

Porter Jr. also showed he’s a threat to knock down shots even in semi-transition when the defense isn’t set.

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Here, Kris Dunn grabs the ball and pushes the ball up the court despite the Bulls not having the numbers advantage. Or that’s how it seems initially. Three Nets don’t get past half court as Dunn fires the ball over to Porter Jr. near the scorers table. With LaVine all the way on the other side and half of his team still running up the court, he doesn’t have many options. So OPJ takes one dribble and decides that Treveon Graham is far enough to where he has enough space to shoot. Graham’s contest doesn’t seem to bother Porter Jr. as he rises up and splashes a three to add on to the lead for Chicago.

This was one of the better games we have seen from the Bulls all year. They were great as a team, and all the young guys - now including Otto Porter Jr. - showed encouraging signs. Even in these “tanking” seasons, playing well and developing the talent matters too.

Source: https://www.blogabull.com/2019/2/9/18217960/bulls-vs-nets-recap-highlights-lauri-markkanen-otto-porter

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altobrandy31-blog · 5 years ago

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a couple Bulls players got some likes, but a certain coach got a lot of dislikes

The Bulls played a game over the weekend against the 76ers. They lost by 20 points, but JaKarr Sampson scored a career-high 29 points, so they had that going for them. There are two games left, and that’s all I have to say about that.

More interestingly, The Athletic published results from an NBA player poll they conducted over the course of the season. Their beat writers talked to 127 players in all, and while not every player answered every question, they still got an impressive set of answers.

Most glaring was “which coach would you not want to play for”, and even with players not being able to vote for their own coach, Jim Boylen got 21.1% of the vote (11 out of 52) for this question.

The near-mutiny was of course referenced when discussing Boylen in Sam Amick’s blurb, but Boylen did get some credit because he “recalibrated” with the young core and Zach LaVine offered to pay his fine.

Boylen has taken a lot of heat this season, and for good reason, but management has been consistently singing his praises and indicating he’s going to be back next season. This poll certainly isn’t a good look, but the Bulls likely just believe you have to be in their building to truly appreciate Jimbo’s ways.

(Hilariously enough, Tom Thibodeau led the way with 34.6% of the vote, and Fred Hoiberg actually got two votes for coach you’d want to play for.)

The Bulls did get a few other mentions in the survey:

Kris Dunn got 2.6% of the vote for best defender (three votes out of 114).

Shaquille Harrison somehow got a vote for player you’d sign first when building a roster from scratch, but I’m assuming that was either a troll vote or a drop-down voting error that was meant for James Harden.

Wayne Selden Jr. got a vote for who talks the most trash. I had no idea.

Zach LaVine got 1.7% of the vote for most underrated (two votes out of 116), while Robin Lopez also picked up a vote in this category.

More RoLo love

Speaking of Robin Lopez, it’s hard not to appreciate his performance as this year has gone on. After struggling out of the gate and looking like he was on his way out midseason, Lopez turned into a low-post scoring machine starting in February and has been a valuable veteran presence in the middle.

Lopez’s funky post game got some much-deserved love in Zach Lowe’s weekly column at ESPN last week:

The Bulls have averaged 1.1 points since the trade deadline when Lopez shoots from the block, or dishes to a teammate who finishes the possession, per Second Spectrum. That is comfortably above average, and legit impressive considering the surrounding, umm, talent.

Lopez is tossing in patented floor-scraping ice cream scoop shots, where he palms the ball almost at knee level, extends his arm, and flips a weirdo hook over his head.

When he enters pivot mode, it sometimes looks as if he’s the only player standing on a very slow-moving turntable ... Lopez is one of the league’s beloved teammates. He revels in grunt work. He stayed upbeat even as fellow Bulls contemplated a full-scale mutiny, and good players around him kept disappearing. It has been nice to see him show off his scoring ability.

Watching the RoLo offense can be difficult, but it certainly keeps Stacey King on his toes.

Shaquille Harrison has been grinding

Every year, Zach Lowe comes up with his “Luke Walton All-Stars.” These players are, in his words, “an ode to bit players who bounce around the fringes of the NBA before landing in new roles where things click.”

While former Bull Joakim Noah got the prime real estate on this list thanks to his renaissance in Memphis, Shaquille Harrison also got a spot thanks to his relentless defense and improving offensive game.

Naturally, Jimbo loves him some Shaq Harrison, and Shaq Harrison loves him some Jimbo:

Perhaps it won’t surprise you, then, that Harrison doesn’t mind the hard-charging style of Jim Boylen, the Bulls’ new head coach -- including the hours-long practices that nearly fomented rebellion in Boylen’s first week in the top job. “It wasn’t new to me,” Harrison says. “I’ve had coaches who had practices like that. A lot of guys were hurting, but it was another day in the office for me. I think I’m kind of a Jim prototype.”

He’s right. “He’s my kind of guy,” Boylen says. “I have never seen anyone embrace constructive criticism like Shaq. I’ve coached him hard, and he’s taken it in the chest.”

Harrison has been a pleasant surprise this season, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Bulls make an effort to keep him as he continues to work on his busted jumper. He has a $1.59 million non-guaranteed deal until Aug. 15, and then it’s partially guaranteed for $175,000 until becoming fully guaranteed on Jan. 10, 2020.

“Bright futures”

Last week, The Athletic’s Jordan Brenner did a piece on the futures of the non-playoff teams. A dozen sources (executives, coaches and scouts) were polled, and the Bulls came in fourth place behind the Mavericks, Kings and Hawks. The Bulls did get one first-place vote.

One Western Conference executive highlighted the young core, the impending high draft pick and cap space. A former exec likes a few of the pieces, but he doesn’t think the Bulls have a core “inspiring fear in opponents,” and there are too many unproven pieces.

Here’s the longest response, courtesy of “an East exec”:

“They have drafted too many good players for categorical failure. Look at the pieces they have and they’re probably going to get one more this year. I think Wendell Carter is going to be really good — a potential Defensive Player of the Year. Lauri Markkanen is really good. Maybe they’re not seven-time All-Stars, but maybe they’re really good players that add to a winning team. And that Otto Porter trade is one of the most underreported great moves of the past 5-to-10 years. He has two-way ability and he was just scratching the surface of what he could be in Washington. Porter significantly helped Zach LaVine when he got there, because he was able to take pressure off LaVine and allow him to be athletic and score, since Porter can be the guy who takes the best wing player defensively.”

This seems pretty fair. Next season is going to be huge, and thank heavens this season is almost over. Two more games.

Source: https://www.blogabull.com/2019/4/9/18301377/nba-players-dont-like-jim-boylen-robin-lopez-gets-love-and-more

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gardenpeony71-blog · 5 years ago

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Five Bulls players score in double figures to beat Cavs, 104-88

The Bulls just might next be doing testimonials for the Chamber of Commerce. After all, no one was happier than the Bulls to be in Cleveland in January.

That's because the Bulls declared 10 was enough, and enough finally was enough, with a 104-88 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. No matter that almost half the Cavs roster and most of the presumed starters were injured or dismissed. The Bulls and bad have walked together this calendar year, so the Bulls badly needed this one after 10 consecutive losses, rookie Wendell Carter Jr. undergoing thumb surgery Monday and likely out the rest of the season, and much of the young roster looking more like they were suffering from osteoporosis.

But the Bulls snapped back in the Martin Luther King Jr. games with 25 points from Zach LaVine, 15 points off the bench from Bobby Portis and 13 points each from Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn, the latter also with nine assists and a team high plus/minus rating.

It wasn't quite a breakout game for the rangy 6-4 point guard from Providence. But it was providential and perhaps did help save Dunn from a breakdown—or spending even more time breaking down film of his latest flaws—following four of his last five games scoring six points with 29 percent shooting in that stretch of games.

"I think we had good energy," said Dunn. "I think both sides played well, the first unit and the second unit. I just kept grinding through the slump. Just kept coming in, being positive, staying consistent through my work; it's part of the NBA. I got the same looks I've been getting previous games and today I knocked them down. Gets the monkey off our backs. It sucks to lose 10 in a row. It's frustrating. Now, we can breathe a little bit and try to build from it, try to get a win Wednesday at home."

The Bulls went to 11-36 and now have the third poorest record in the NBA with the Knicks losing. The Cavs are at the bottom at 9-39. Many are looking at those records in consideration of the next NBA draft. But for the Bulls, it's more about production, pace and some pizazz from their core of young players.

There was a pulse Monday, though Markkanen still wasn't involved quite enough. But Chandler Hutchison did have a spirited (new favorite team adjective) game with eight points and nine rebounds. Hutchison didn't shoot much, but in flashes he shows flashes of a Scottie Pippen style of play with long strides and sensational finishes at the basket. Hutchison may also be the best on the team—which is actually how Pippen grew into the championship team point forward—on accelerating the pace of play on offense. He's just not particularly adept yet at passing and finding teammates on the run.

"When he starts galloping up the floor, I love it," said Bulls coach Jim Boylen. "He just has a feel for the ball; he's a multiple ballhandler for us, which we needed. He gives us the pace in transition. What we have to do better is when he handles it, we have to run better with him. That's something we we are talking about. We are learning how to play with him and he is learning how to play with us."

That's the sort of thing this season is supposed to be about now after the plethora of early season injuries and coaching change. It's just that a double digit losing streak distracts from that and changes the priorities, at least for a win.

"I think we had good energy. I think both sides played well, the first unit and the second unit. I just kept grinding through the slump. Just kept coming in, being positive, staying consistent through my work; it's part of the NBA." - Kris Dunn

It's been a difficult stretch for a young Bulls team playing in the Western Conference. But there's a little break now with Atlanta Wednesday and then Cleveland again Sunday. Five of the Bulls 11 wins were against Cleveland, Atlanta, New York and Phoenix. Not so great for draft lottery position, but at least it demonstrates the Bulls have more young talent than those teams. That's generally considered a positive.

Getting that young talent to show its talent has been the goal, and the issue at times. The Cavaliers were without Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson, John Henson, Larry Nance and David Nwaba. So it wasn't exactly a final exam. But the Bulls got some good grades from this one

"We talked about first quarter starts," said Boylen. "I thought our energy and our spirit in that first quarter was good; kind of gave us momentum into the rest of the game. I thought we got a lot from a lot of guys and the flow, the tempo was good for us. Rolo (Lopez) had a couple of key buckets we needed. I thought Kris Dunn was very good. He was in rhythm. His pace was good. He made good decisions and I thought Zach was real efficient, which we need him to be. Jabari (Parker) made two big plays for us to start the (fourth) that I thought were huge buckets to try to maintain the lead. I thought the ball was moving pretty well, I thought we were finding the open guys. I really thought our defense set the tone."

The Bulls were good defensively, though not so good that they forced the Cavs into that zero for nine start. By then it was 7-0 Bulls, and the Bulls never would trail. They led 31-18 after the first quarter and the Cavs were never much closer than the Bulls 48-42 half-time lead.

The Bulls took control again to start the third quarter with a 16-6 run, and it was the often neglected Parker with all of his 10 points in a 14-2 run to start the fourth quarter that broke open the game, this time the opposition giving in late amidst a 21-point Bulls lead.

Which despite the victory also served to emphasize the Parker conundrum.

Perhaps no one on the team is more efficient offensively than Parker. He had 10 points in 12 minutes, and in the last five game since his last banishment, he has an amazing 65 points in just 83 minutes. He's not exactly sprinting back on defense or always engaged, but the Bulls also are trying to practice winning with improvement. Lopez is back at starting center with Carter's injury, and Lopez always competes seriously on both ends. Juts not that expeditiously. He's added a nifty drop step move and is at least attempting some threes. He had eight points and nine rebounds to match Hutchison for team high. The Bulls had a 50-38 rebounding advantage, which enhances pace.

But the Bulls opened the game with the first play for Lopez. It made sense from a basketball standpoint of attempting to establish inside play, which Phil Jackson did in the 1990s through Bill Cartwright and Luc Longley. They didn't get many shots; but they did get early shots.

Some of the disconnect with Parker is the notion he probably isn't part of the future. But then neither is Lopez supposed to be. Parker ranks with only LaVine and Markkanen on the team in a combination of being able to get your own shot, which is LaVine's strength, and an ability to make tough threes, which both LaVine and Markkanen do. Yet Parker barely played until the fourth quarter, and then he carried the offense.

LaVine bounced back, but his interruption in scoring seemed more institutional. He just wasn't getting shots. LaVine is too good to defer, which he seemed to be doing. He's too talented to be harnessed no matter his flaws. The Bulls were 15 of 30 on threes for the game and LaVine was three of six. He's averaged barely more than four threes attempted per game with the return of players from injury after averaging about six previously. He's too good a shooter to defer too much, especially when the Bulls are last in the league in attempting threes.

Similarly with Markkanen, who was three of five on threes against the Cavs. He should attempt 10 per game as good as he shoots. But the Bulls still have trouble getting him enough good shots. Though the Bulls pace up court was better.

"I told my guys, and I did it last game, too; I'm going to push the pace even more," Dunn said. "I feel like we have some good athletes out there. Zach, Hutch; especially when Hutch is running the floor, he opens up a lot of things. I'm going to push the pace now."

It's a departure from the slow down tempo pursued when Boylen took over from Fred Hoiberg. The Bulls still walk into numerous possessions, though there were more Dunn attempts to speed up. But there's a difference between playing faster and moving the ball. The ball still tends to become glued to Bulls players as they watch a dribble hand off or screen/roll. It still results in too many late clock shots, though to be fair it's difficult to develop that kind of chemistry and continuing on offense and defense given the current circumstances of post-injury without a training camp.

The Bulls had more moments Monday with Portis breaking out his three ball with three in consecutive possessions spanning the first and second quarters and Dunn throwing a perfectly timed lob pass to LaVine for a slam dunk. The Bulls rarely make those plays. Markkanen had a pair of third quarter threes and a tough, hanging jumper in the lane, Dunn got into the lane for a pair of steals and a run out score, and LaVine had a late spurt of scoring after steals.

LaVine's been running ahead, which the staff has asked him to do, though the Bulls under Jackson solved that problem with Pippen. Could the Bulls eventually do so with Hutchison?

Michael Jordan, as many recall, was an excellent scorer. Jordan agreed, and wasn't always confident in his teammates' similar abilities. So Jordan would hang back to get the ball inbounded after a basket or the handoff after a miss. That slowed the offense. It wasn't until Pippen developed into a capable distributor, which took a few seasons, before Jordan developed that trust and confidence and the Bulls offense expanded for others—my supporting cast, as Jordan liked to say—with Pippen running and the Bulls offense flowing. Can Hutchison be that guy?

"He just has a feel for the ball; he's a multiple ballhandler for us, which we needed. He gives us the pace in transition. What we have to do better is when he handles it, we have to run better with him." - Coach Boylen on Chandler Hutchison

He's been hesitant thus far, but even Pippen never started as a rookie until the playoffs. Though Pippen never was as hesitant as Hutchison to shoot. Pippen as a 22-year-old rookie after four years of college had plenty of poor games when he was invisible on offense. He had a dozen games with one score or none. Hutchison often draws physical comparisons to Pippen. Is he just now starting to bloom? Or did he just start moving more quickly to get a running start out of Cleveland?

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/five-bulls-players-score-double-figures-beat-cavs-104-88

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priestfibre23-blog · 5 years ago

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Robin Lopez is the hub in the Bulls' offensive wheel

It's not mystical and somewhat mysterious like the triangle. It lacks the showmanship of Magic and Kareem's Showtime or the alacrity of Mike D'Antoni's Seven Seconds or Less. There's not quite the precision of Stockton to Malone. But Robin Lopez with the hard, wide screen and roll into the post and Zach LaVine with a slash, dash and often a splash into the basket is becoming one of the most effective offenses in the NBA.

With the acquisition of Otto Porter Jr. in early February, the Bulls as they prepare for Detroit Friday have turned into not only a winning team at 7-5, but one of the league's top 10 offenses.

The Bulls are averaging 117.7 points per game in those last 12 games, fourth in the NBA with a net offensive rating ranking seventh in the league. Even their net offense against defense is a reasonable 12th in the NBA, all marks that would suggest a moderately high level playoff team over a season. And that's even before some more expected additions from the NBA draft and free agency.

And yet it's all so simple, if also surprising.

Because it revolves around the almost forgotten Lopez and the sometimes doubted LaVine.

"The chemistry with Robin is off the charts. He's the best screener I've ever had. He's a vet, does everything right, tries hard on defense, makes up for our mistakes." - Zach LaVine on Robin Lopez

But it's become the go-to play for the Bulls, a set used perhaps 50 or 60 times every game. So easy to identify; equally difficult to combat.

Lopez squares up about a foot or two above the left elbow to set a screen for LaVine, often coming up from the baseline. LaVine might dribble past, get a pass from the opposite guard or a handoff from Lopez. Which is where the play develops and because the 11th year veteran center is so adept at placing his body just in the correct position.

Often when setting a screen, a player will merely stand in place (moving when screening is a violation) and allow the guard to drive past. Often big men perform what is considered a brush screen, which is getting in place for a screen and sort of brushing the defender and rolling. Big men like Dwight Howard would often perform almost that fake screen to roll in order to get the basketball. What makes Lopez' screens so special and unusual is the way he will square up facing into the defender chasing and contesting the guard.

Lopez sets the screen that chalks up the game-winner over Philly

So as LaVine comes around, there is the seven-foot 280-pound Lopez with his shoulders back essentially stretching several feet across. It makes it virtually impossible to get by him. Even a top defender like Jimmy Butler Wednesday frequently disappeared into Lopez' body trying to defend LaVine in the Bulls win over the 76ers.

The alternatives are for the defender to go under the screen, which means dropping off and leaving a wide open jumper for the guard. But if the player defending Lopez moves to cut off LaVine, Lopez simply slips deep into the lane and is virtually unstoppable against a smaller guard even like Butler. And LaVine with his amazing quickness has a huge advantage against a slower big man who was defending Lopez. Teams tend to switch screen/roll plays in this era. Which also gives LaVine a big advantage. It's almost impossible for a guard to get over the screen in and remain in front of LaVine the way Lopez positions himself.

Especially with the series of post spin moves and his hook shot that Lopez has modernized from the 60s, Lopez is averaging 16.9 points since the trade. It is almost double his career scoring average and about triple what he was averaging earlier in the season.

The Bulls seemingly had been phasing out Lopez in the belief that he was too slow for the modern game, which often requires the center to come out or switch to defend shooting big men. But it has worked to the Bulls benefit as teams often don't have big centers. Thus Lopez has been able to dominate physically inside to get off his shot.

And especially to screen so effectively that often several sections of fans complain because the court gets blocked out.

"Great screener," agreed LaVine. "I know if I get downhill (going toward the basket) and they are doubling me I have a reliable guy who can catch it and score, a seven footer, fake someone four or five times and put it in the cup. The chemistry with Robin is off the charts. He's the best screener I've ever had. He's a vet, does everything right, tries hard on defense, makes up for our mistakes."

That Lopez would become the hub in the team's offensive wheel is perhaps the most unexpected development of this topsy turvy Bulls season.

Though perhaps it is a harbinger for the team as it begins to form the outlines of a contending team.

"You've got me on one side and got Lauri Markkanen on the other side, two great shooters," Porter pointed out after the victory. "KD (Kris Dunn) also is a capable shooter. So you have the floor spaced. Zach is really, really good on coming off screens and one-on-one basketball with the big man. And Rolo is good setting it and rolling in the pocket. So you really have a two-on-two game. That's what we want. Teams are going to have a hard time guarding us like that because we space the floor well and the middle is pretty much open for Zach to attack and be aggressive and you saw tonight that's what he did."

LaVine's 39 points and 13 in the last five minutes was the difference along with Lopez' team high fourth quarter plus-11 in the plus/minus statistics. Dunn finished the game this time, though it has been a revolving backcourt partner for LaVine because of that shooting element.

The way the Bulls spread the floor for that two-man game with Lopez and LaVine is with Porter in the right corner, Markkanen on the left, or strong (ball) side wing, and the point guard in the left corner.

So when LaVine turns past the Lopez screen coming right into the middle, he'll be able to pick from Lopez if he's deep enough in the paint, shoot or drive. He can pass to Porter in the right corner in front of him or perhaps a pass and pass back to Markkanen and perhaps swung to Dunn.

Though Dunn has been a reluctant shooter and hesitant with threes.

Which is why the formation at times features Ryan Arcidiacono with Lopez, LaVine, Porter and Markkanen. Arcidiacono isn't a prolific three-point shooter, but he has a higher percentage than Dunn and attempts more. Thus he becomes more of a threat, limiting his defender from coming into the lane to help against LaVine or Lopez.

It's a small sample since the acquisition of Porter.

But since then with the starting lineup with Dunn, the Bulls are plus-1 per 100 possessions in offensive rating in the 148 minutes those five played together. Though in just 48 minutes with Arcidiacono, Lopez, LaVine, Porter and Markkanen, the Bulls are plus 50.9 per 100 possessions and have outscored opponents 129-77.

Those lineups and combinations will be a crucial ingredient of analysis for the rest of the season, which is a big reason why the Bulls are not experimenting with losses for draft position.

"It's my job. It's rewarding. I like contributing to the team, contributing to the game however I can." - Robin Lopez

When Lopez came to the Bulls in the Derrick Rose trade in 2016, his primary offense was a mid range jump shot. It was remarkably accurate and he averaged in double figures his first two seasons. But he began to abandon that shot last season as his scoring average fell to 8.4 in limited play with rotation alterations.

He wasn't a part of the offense early this season as the Bulls were committed to rookie Wendell Carter Jr. at center. But with injuries and the ineffectiveness of Cristiano Felicio, Lopez moved back into the rotation. He played little after Jim Boylen replaced Fred Hoiberg as head coach in early December. But with the acquisition of Porter, Lopez not only cemented a role in the lineup, but he became something of the fulcrum of the offense as the pick and roll has become the offense of choice all around the NBA.

Lopez isn't a big rebounder because he doesn't always react quickly. But he's smart about position, snatches rebounds with ferocity and keeps his hands high. He has a low dribble to protect the ball effectively. But it has been his relentless movement setting screens which has enhanced the offense.

The Bulls occasionally post up Markkanen, though he's not strong enough yet to be consistent. They will run in transition, but there now are fewer of those stagnant isolations. It's Lopez above the left elbow to free LaVine or shifting to the right when the ball moves and back. Once Lopez sets the screen and LaVine uses it, Lopez with long strides will make a loping move into the lane. His position then often is so deep he needs just a spin or two, a clever move that avoids a travel, before almost always shaking his defender. As long as he is about three or four feet away, his hook shot is unusually accurate.

Robin puts 'em through the spin cycle

Lopez doesn't pop out much anymore for shots, though he has made six of 23 threes this season. He has made all 10 of his career threes the last two seasons. His three-point shot seems fundamentally sound, so it likely can improve even was he's been primarily a defensive player throughout his career. Though he has been most effective with that interior play that now opens up the perimeter even more for shooting.

Lopez even credited former Bulls center Bill Cartwright for his improvement as a screener when Cartwright was his coach as an assistant in Phoenix.

"There's been a lot of coaches, a lot of guys at Stanford, a lot of guys at my high school," Lopez said Wednesday night. "A lot of guys in the NBA. Bill Cartwright comes to mind, a lot of people I've learned from. I'm just playing off a really talented player. He's (LaVine) been a very intelligent player for us. I'm just playing off of that. I'm fortuitous to be doing that. It's Zach's basketball IQ at making plays for guys coming out of that pick and roll. He's been so smart at that. When Zach lures the guy into going one way, I gotta find the angle and nail him.

"It's my job," said Lopez. "It's rewarding. I like contributing to the team, contributing to the game however I can."

Lopez and LaVine, Inc. They've been sealing the deal.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/features/robin-lopez-hub-bulls-offensive-wheel

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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dillhome69-blog · 5 years ago

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Robin Lopez is the hub in the Bulls' offensive wheel

With the acquisition of Otto Porter Jr. in early February, the Bulls as they prepare for Detroit Friday have turned into not only a winning team at 7-5, but one of the league's top 10 offenses.

And yet it's all so simple, if also surprising.

Because it revolves around the almost forgotten Lopez and the sometimes doubted LaVine.

"The chemistry with Robin is off the charts. He's the best screener I've ever had. He's a vet, does everything right, tries hard on defense, makes up for our mistakes." - Zach LaVine on Robin Lopez

But it's become the go-to play for the Bulls, a set used perhaps 50 or 60 times every game. So easy to identify; equally difficult to combat.

Lopez sets the screen that chalks up the game-winner over Philly

And especially to screen so effectively that often several sections of fans complain because the court gets blocked out.

That Lopez would become the hub in the team's offensive wheel is perhaps the most unexpected development of this topsy turvy Bulls season.

Though perhaps it is a harbinger for the team as it begins to form the outlines of a contending team.

Though Dunn has been a reluctant shooter and hesitant with threes.

It's a small sample since the acquisition of Porter.

Those lineups and combinations will be a crucial ingredient of analysis for the rest of the season, which is a big reason why the Bulls are not experimenting with losses for draft position.

"It's my job. It's rewarding. I like contributing to the team, contributing to the game however I can." - Robin Lopez

Robin puts 'em through the spin cycle

Lopez even credited former Bulls center Bill Cartwright for his improvement as a screener when Cartwright was his coach as an assistant in Phoenix.

"It's my job," said Lopez. "It's rewarding. I like contributing to the team, contributing to the game however I can."

Lopez and LaVine, Inc. They've been sealing the deal.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/features/robin-lopez-hub-bulls-offensive-wheel

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bacondriver55-blog · 6 years ago

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Ask Sam Mailbag: 04.19.19

What can I look forward to trade wise and free agent wise in the offseason and is Derrick coming home?

Devin Antus

Sam: It all depends. Oh, right, on May 14. Though John Paxson last week accurately said wishing and hoping isn’t a plan, much can change if the Bulls move up in the draft lottery drawing and have the rights to the first or second selections in this draft. Despite what some scouts suggest, there seem to be several good players who’ll do well in the NBA after the top two. Inevitably, someone always rises up to surprise after all the teams are sure he’s not there. But this year it’s pretty fixed that Zion Williamson and Temetrius “Ja” Morant are the primarily two team fixes for most teams, especially the Bulls. I’m personally not fully convinced of Zion’s impact without much shooting and at that size, but his marketing possibilities are enormous. And it as, as we often are told, a business. And he should be a very good player. Great, franchising changing? To be determined.

Morant for the Bulls would also be very good because he answers the biggest starting lineup question. There are, of course, smaller ones at every other position, but there are players there the Bulls believe will make the team a better team. They’re still not fully sure at point guard, though Kris Dunn’s journey hasn’t been a straight one thus far. So maybe there’s more there. If the Bulls fall outside the top two, they’ve indicated they’ll try to become more creative and daring than usual regarding exploring trading the pick along with perhaps even one of their core players and even throwing in future No. 1s, which they generally don’t do. And then as far as some $20 million can take you in the summer free agency bidding, which isn’t a top star, but a very good player or two. So there could be substantial change, which really cannot be known or planned for until that lottery drawing. For a lot of teams, actually, since I have heard a few already talking about trading Zion for an established star if they get him.

As for Rose, I expect there will be discussions and some interest from both sides.

I was reading in playoff previews how part of what is good about the Bucks is their clear pecking order. It made me think back to those Bulls teams after Rose came back from injury. I always wondered if part of their problem was they had The Guy Who Used to be The Man (Rose), The Guy Who Thought He Should be The Man (Butler), and The Guy Who Became The Man (Noah). I’m an outsider, but I always thought that made for an interesting dynamic, that there was the possibility of competing centers of power. Any validity to that thought?

Craig Berry

Sam: There is validity, though Noah never was quite “the Man,” as the definition goes for his lack of scoring. But more so at the time his deteriorating body. They did scratch out 42 wins then, which doesn’t look too bad in retrospect. That is one thing about rebuilding. It may be time, but it can be very long and painful and cost a lot of jobs as you try to get back where you were. I understand the concept; it’s not unlike financial investment. You want to do much, much better. But there’s risk, which means it may not work. Still, this is the rhythm of sports. Most everyone seems to accept the notion that being around .500 is the worst spot to be and you have to DO SOMETHING! Though sometimes being patient long enough to get lucky works. Though that, too, is really not a plan. And people want a plan! And now!

Oh, yeah, your question. Actually, this is a subject that was brought up a lot at Bulls media day before this season when everyone looked like they would play. The Bulls didn’t seem to have any great, but a lot of good. So what happens? Who’s “the Man?” There is something to that in having a primary scorer and player identified, which we saw was necessary when LeBron went to Miami and Wade eventually had to back off some for the good of the team. And it worked. It’s generally an organic process in which someone emerges. For now, it seems it’s Zach LaVine with the Bulls because he’s the only one who can produce a big shot at a big time. I believe the Bulls would like Markkanen to be that, but he has physical issues against pressure, which we saw after his good February when teams began attacking him. He needs a better go to move and more strength. Dunn was working toward that for awhile in the 2017-18 season, but hasn’t been able to regain much with all the injuries and changes to his role.

But, yes, at the time Derrick’s physical decline and Jimmy’s physical incline brought them to similar planes, where they butted heads over their roles, and as a rookie NBA coach Fred Hoiberg wasn’t able to mediate well enough. Noah couldn’t because he got hurt, and the Bulls at that point had to change directions. Though it looks bad in retrospect, what they did made sense, at least in theory, in trying to be patient afterward around Butler and accommodate him. They did want to give him a chance to be the guy and move forward with him. But Wade and Rondo—and Jimmy was the one who lobbied and pleaded for Wade—were the two wrong guys with the right idea, sort of the Curry/Chandler version of the 2001 rebuilding project. Wade still believed he was a star without the ability to be one and was that lit fuse in the middle of a fireworks factory. I believe you need some sort of talent hierarchy, and the Bulls still are working on that.

How do you think Jay Williams career would have turned out based on his progression during first year and talent?

Jeff Liechtenstein

Sam: Not as good as he did. I’ll admit I was leery about Yao, in part because I’ve never seen bodies that size hold up very long in the NBA, and I was glad the Bulls got Williams. Yao did better than I expected. And while he was an All-Star and cultural game changer, he wasn’t a serious impact player. He was hurt a lot and I think only played out of the first round once. I believed as I still do in the power of the point, or playmaker, in the NBA. It’s even more pronounced now. Williams looked like he might be that guy. He scored in college, shot well and seemed strong and was winning. It’s terrible he wasn’t able to realize a career with a stupid stunt that most everyone would walk away from with a scratch. Williams did have a high scoring triple double early that season playing against Jason Kidd. But he mostly was overwhelmed by more athletic players. He still was a kid, so he might have developed. But I never was around a player still so caught up in his college experience. Everything was always Duke did this and Coach K did that and it always seemed he wished every day he was back at Duke. It was a horribly, dysfunctional team, which didn’t help, and numerous players competing for the same position who didn’t like one another. He was really about six foot and not that explosive. I believe he would have had a good NBA career as a reserve or spot starter. But it was one of the worst drafts ever with Amar’e Stoudemire the rare exception at No. 9 and second rounder Carlos Boozer the next best player. Jay—formerly Jason, which was an unpopular Williams name then because of the Nets’ Jayson—seemed lost in Chicago and I still feel badly for his accident.

Any chance we keep Robin Lopez? Every time I have a favorite player he gets traded or signs somewhere else, am I cursed? lol Brand, Mercer, Gordon, Rose, Noah, Niko n now RoLo.

Adam Garcia

Sam: Ron Mercer? I suggest you get a Markkanen jersey. I believe he’ll be here quite awhile.

I'm a huge fan of team building and unlike most of our fans, actually have patience and see potential in our roster. My biggest fear in free agency this year is acquiring players that may push our young players already on the roster, further down the rotation. There's something to be said for on-job training. Hutch and Valentine specifically. The drop off from the starters to the bench is too dramatic. So I've compromised a list of pieces that I think will fit and compete.

-Pursue Dinwiddie or Dragic as starter -If Dragic is starter, still attempt 2 sign Dinwiddie as backup -Keep Arci as 3rd pg -Niko or Taj (backup PF) -Re-sign Robin -Pursue Hood/Justin Holiday/Glen Robinson III -Trade Dunn. For picks/cash if necessary (if not, waive) -Maybe waive Blakeney, Felicio, if no one bites in trade talks -Still have Hutch & Valentine -Valentine has to show and prove -Keep Selden? Maybe G-League prospects Lemon & Sampson?

Brandon Evans

Sam: Well, it’s a plan, I guess. Dinwiddie did sign earlier this season and Dragic is 33 next month, been hurt a lot and never much more than an individual scorer. Good player; not the future. Though your point makes the point that it’s not easy and requires your best players to get a lot better. The Bulls bench is a major issue and weakness, and yes it might get some help with the return of injured players like Valentine and Hutchison, the latter though still young and inexperienced. The larger issue is the starters being better, being more reliable and being supported and joined by real veteran players.

Thanks for mentioning Walt Lemon Jr. and Jakarr Sampson in your recap. Also, the diminished use of Antonio Blakeney. Management and the coaches miss dynamic players even when it is in front of their face. There is a ying and yang in basketball. When you have a distributing ball handling shooting guard like Denzel Valentine, he should be paired with a scoring point guard

Same is true at small forward. If you have a long range shooting power forward like Lauri Markkanan, you need a crafty banging small forward. Jordan Bell was misidentified as a "big" two years ago. He stand 6 foot 8 inches. I would have moved him to small forward and called an old Notre Dame alumni Adrian Dantley in to coach Mr. Jordan Bell how to be a prolific small forward near the basket. This is what visionaries do. They see talent and utilize it in creative ways.

I love the Bulls. They are to structured and tight on how they evaluate players. Get outside the box and stay outside the box. If I would have coached Shaquille O'Neal on shooting free throws...I would have had him hit the box on the backboard and bank it in. He couldn't have done worse and a guy with no shooting touch needs to focus on something different...even if no one has ever banked free throws. Ask Sam Sneed in golf putting about putting croquet style before it was outlawed and then putted sidesaddle. Just be creative and put each individual talent in a winning situation.

Glenn Smith

Sam: I like that sort of thinking even if I don’t agree with all the points. I do often see a universal sort of thought in sports, to see what works and then try to duplicate instead of seeing what you have and taking a chance trying it another way. That’s often how Don Nelson thought, though he often was criticized for never winning a title. He became viewed as doing something different for the attention rather than the effect, which was part jealousy and always some truth to it. What I see from too many teams is the way they fall in and out of love with players based on how they do where they are. Maybe the Bulls don’t need a point guard. Jordan was basically their point guard when they were coming along with Paxson (and a host of potential replacements) off the ball and then Pippen while Paxson the point guard was basically the spot up shooter. Of course, having the talent of Jordan and Pippen helped.

The Bell debate was askew because they weren’t taking him even if they kept the pick. What I see mostly with teams is they are afraid of innovation because it’s then too easy to be criticized and questioned. You have to be very strong and very committed to your philosophy, and if it doesn’t work right away, you may lose your job because it was so out of the box. It’s that business thing, and investment and results often don’t live comfortably with patience. Maybe if I’m the Bulls LaVine is the point guard and I have a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Doug McDermott, Nik Stauskas, Eric Gordon or Jodie Meeks type shooter with him? Antonio Blakeney, as you suggest? Fit and talent are a delicate marriage and not always easy to manage, especially if the guy who is paid more and is more talented perhaps isn’t the best fit. I remember talking to Phoenix Suns scouts when Mike D’Antoni was coach. They said they had to recommend drafting lesser talented players at times because they fit with the way D’Antoni was coaching. That management/coaching connection is more essential than often understood. I do believe the Bulls are adding the kind of players with versatile talents. But are they the right ones? And then is it better to subtract someone of more talent for someone who fits better? Those are the things that make up a team, an often elusive concept.

What do you think about the Embiid Flagrant foul? Not sure if I’d call that a 1 or 2, but I do not think it was an ‘accident’. Shaq argued that he didn’t haul off and elbow him. But looking at the replay, his elbow is higher & pointed out further from his body than is natural. In a spin move, you want to keep your arms and the ball inside the span of your shoulders. Outside of your shoulders, you have less strength and the ball is vulnerable to being snatched or tipped away. They showed several clips of Shaq doing spin moves to -ahem – illustrate that it’s normal. Yeah, it was normal for Shaq to clock guys like that… on purpose.

And how about them Clippers? That really was a shock… probably even more so for Steve Kerr. I was recoding the game, but flipped to another channel when they were down 30.

When I looked back, there were only a few minutes… but the lead was down to 3. So I backed it up to watch the 2nd half to see how the Clips came back, but I still expected Curry to hit a 3 or something to squeak out the W. Either this will focus the Warriors, or it’s a portent of doom in later rounds. IMHO, they thought it was over and stopped playing about 20 minutes too early. It may be just the kick in the pants they need to take the playoffs seriously. I’m still picking GS to win.

Art Alenik

Sam: Yes, playoff talk. People sometimes forget they are series and not NCAA elimination games. It’s OK to lose some games. It’s part of the test. First, I’m glad they didn’t eject Embiid. It seemed intentional, but enough with throwing guys out of playoff games. After all, the NBA’s foul out rule probably is obsolete as well. Pretty much no sport regularly ejects players for routine rules violations during a game. I think the officials dealt with it the right way: No harm, no ejection. If Allen were forced to leave the game as a result, then I’m OK with the reciprocal ejection. Basketball is a physical game, the playoffs are physical, and that’s why you want to get there. Because your players have no idea until they play in that environment. It does matter as carry over to the regular season because they don’t have that gene to finish games, which you get from the playoffs. I did see Embiid and Simmons laughing about Embiid’s alleged apology after the game, which struck me more about the insincerity of the apology. It’s an unusual group of 76ers players with attitude. It’s mostly a good trait, though it’s unclear if you have too many. They have a lot. As for the Clippers, this kind of season is what’s making them an appealing team for free agency. They have tough minded players and so don’t look that far away. It’s the benefit of having a .500 season and getting to the playoffs. I don’t expect them to win, either, but it’s not difficult to project a next step for them. Which is more bad news for LeBron and the Lakers. That should make a lot of people happy.

Who do you see coming out of the east??

Gorav Raheja

Sam: Thanks for giving me the extra week, and I still don’t know. I’ve had the 76ers all along with the additions of Butler and Harris, and I’ve still had problems figuring out why the Bucks have done so well. I know, Giannis is great, but I really don’t see another All-Star despite what the last All-Star game suggested. If Khris Middletion were on the Bulls he’d be the third or maybe fourth best player. That Bucks coach is a good one. There’s obviously some internal issues with the 76ers that you heard about even before they started texting on the bench. It’s perhaps inevitable when a coach goes through what Brett Brown did and then you bring in this group of incredibly strong willed people with Embiid, Simmons and Butler. Toronto seems still haunted by their fragility and Boston by their personal competitions. Which makes for a good first round and likely a very appealing second round to come.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/news/ask-sam-mailbag-041919

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spiderbird7-blog · 6 years ago

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Bulls Beaten By Cavs As Late Shots Don't Fall

How’s that old saying go about it being difficult to beat a division rival four straight in a season, especially when they’re 9-41?

Or something like that.

The Bulls Sunday failed to sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers for the season, losing for the first time 104-101 when Alec Burks caught a Robin Lopez block and pushed in a 10 footer with 17 seconds left in the game. Kris Dunn then failed with a driving layup, and after an intentional foul, Zach LaVine got a good look on a 25 footer to tie.

“I got the last shot to send it to overtime and I missed it,” said LaVine, who had 17 points to support Lauri Markkanen with 21. “I pride myself on making tough shots. I’ve made shots to send us to overtime before, won games before. You’re not going to make them all; you always want to have those shots back.”

But at least for the second straight game, the Bulls had a shot in the last seconds after LaVine missed a three to tie Friday against the Clippers with 27 seconds left. It’s progress of a sort as the Bulls dropped to 11-39 with their 13th loss in the last 14. Cleveland is 10-41 in what’s become a race to the draft lottery as well. The Cavaliers benched their leading scorer for the game, Jordan Clarkson, with 5:42 left after he’d made all his fourth quarter attempts. These are ambivalent times for those out of the playoff race.

“This is a process; I don’t mean that cavalierly,” Bulls coach Jim Boylen said, puns aside. “Learning how to win, learning how to grow, learning how to play together. We missed a play at the rim to win the game. We’ll focus on, hopefully, next time making that play at the rim.”

But, again, seeing it at least half full.

“I’m positive about Lauri Markkanen having 21 and 15 (rebounds),” said Boylen when asked about optimism losing at home again to a sub-.500 team. "I’m positive about Zach LaVine having (a career high) 12 rebounds. I’m positive about the fact we were down and fought back. I’m positive about Wayne Selden, filled in well for (injured) Chandler Hutchison (with 15 points on six of eight shooting. So you’re always disappointed when you don’t win, but I am not discouraged about how these guys played. Do we need to play better? Do we need to make more plays? Of course, that’s what you say when you lose a game.”

Obviously, the Bulls have had plenty of opportunities this season to say things like that as they lurch toward the end of a disappointing season.

“Still a work in progress,” said Dunn. "We had a coaching change, the lineup has been changing. We’re just trying to stick with it, figure out what works for us. We’re working on it each and every day. Still trying to improve, still trying to work on our pace. Still trying to work on our spacing and executing our plays.”

It’s too late to change much of substance with two more starters out, rookies Wendell Carter Jr. for the season and Hutchison until after the All-Star break following his best game of the season. The Bulls aren’t getting many breaks this season other than bones.

“I thought we did a lot of good things the last eight minutes,” Boylen said about the comeback from a 91-83 deficit. “I thought we played with poise, I thought we made some big plays. Rolo makes the block, blocks it to them and they made a tough two. Tips it to the wrong guy and he knocks it in. Battled through and had a chance to win the game at the end.”

A play to win the game in the last 17 seconds? The Bulls would sign up for that, especially this season.

But who gets the shot?

Mostly it’s been LaVine, who did miss that equalizer Friday. He’s the best among the (hope they will become the) Big Three at creating a last second shot. But he was six for 16 at that point. Credit LaVine for extending himself the way he was on the boards. Markkanen was the lead scorer, but just six of 15 and not particularly adept at isolation plays. The problem, and it was that way much of the game again, is the Bulls movement on offense has been lacking. Too often Dunn holds the ball too long, resulting in time for just a quick screen and one pass and shot. So Markkanen wasn’t getting many late opportunities. He didn’t get a shot in the last 5:42.

“I always try to make the right plays,” said Markkanen. “If we are running plays for someone else who has a better look, the right basketball play, that’s what I try to do.”

So again, as has often been discussed this season, Markkanen needs to be a little more selfish, and the offense needs to be a little more creative to get him opportunities in the open court and with movement. Markkanen’s a seven footer who is as quick as many guards. There aren’t a lot of matchups for that.

“I feel I am pretty good in the open court and that’s what teams are not that used to,” said Markkanen. “Bringing it up and when Bobby (Portis) is in we have five guys bringing it up, which is a different look we can show the other team. I think I have so many options on that. I can attack and they have to respect my shot.”

Perhaps Selden should have been the choice since he was the only Bull not to miss a shot in the fourth quarter and put the Bulls ahead 101-100 with a three on a nice Dunn pass with 1:07 left.

“KD drove the lane and found me; just made the shot,” said surprise starting small forward Selden. “I felt we were just one stop away.”

Unable to get lucky after that Lopez block, the Bulls opted to go full court after a timeout with 17 seconds. Dunn dribbled out of the backcourt toward the right side with Markkanen in the right corner and LaVine in the left corner. Selden was setting a screen for LaVine and Markkanen began to move toward the ball. Dunn didn’t seem to have it in his mind to pass. He was being defended by forward Rodney Hood, who isn’t quick.

Hood angled toward Markkanen. There was still 12 seconds left and Markkanen was just making his move out of the corner when Dunn did a crossover drive and went left toward the middle of the lane. He went up and got a little bump from Hood. Bulls players seemed surprised Dunn was taking the shot so quickly as no one was even near the lane.

Dunn switched hands and went up off balance with his left hand, a somewhat awkward shot with his back facing the basket as he spun. The ball hit high off the backboard above the rim and came down to the Cavs with 9.2 seconds left. There was no foul call. Cleveland went to the free throw line with 4.7 seconds left and made both as the Bulls had to foul. The Cavs then curiously didn’t foul despite leading by three as LaVine made four dribbles. His shot bounced off the left side of the rim.

“There were multiple options,” explained Dunn. “Lauri in the corner handoff or Zach coming off the stagger screen. Wanted to go look for Lauri. I did an in and up. Rodney Hood dipped that way; so I took it to the hole. They didn’t call nothing, so live with it.

“For sure,” Dunn said when asked about the quality of the play. “Good shot.”

The Bulls got off to a good start this time, a 29-27 first quarter lead with Lopez scoring three straight early and then Selden late with back to back threes. Jabari Parker went back to barely playing, scoring eight points in 11 minutes on four of six shooting. Boylen took out the second unit group Parker was with three minutes into the fourth quarter after Cleveland opened the fourth with an 11-4 run. All five starters came back into the game.

“I didn’t like the defense in that second group, so they all came out,” said Boylen.

The Bulls led 53-51 at halftime and were tied at 79 through three quarters, but it was a mostly sluggish effort until those last nine minutes.

“Start of the third quarter I didn’t like our energy; we didn’t play with enough force,” said Boylen.

But that starting group was more forceful and quickly got the Bulls back into the game as both Lopez and LaVine scored on the offensive boards. Markkanen tied the score at 94 with a three-point play after Dunn knocked the ball away from Collin Sexton and Selden fired to Markkanen running the left side. Markkanen is lethal on those outlets, few of which he gets.

Markkenen took the hit on the run and Finnished, as we also like to say.

The Bulls got a 98-96 lead with 3:52 left on Dunn and Lopez scores, Lopez with 16 points. The Cavs took back the lead in a game with 23 lead changes before Selden’s three, and then it came down to Dunn having to make that play.

“It was Kris’ choice,” said Markkanen. “He can go toss it for me or go to the other side for Zach coming off the stagger or he can make the play for himself. I trust him, he’s a good player. He made what he thought was the right play. That’s his shot; tonight it didn’t go in.”

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/gameday/bulls-beaten-cavs-late-shots-dont-fall

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creamronald71-blog · 6 years ago

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Bulls Beaten By Cavs As Late Shots Don't Fall

How’s that old saying go about it being difficult to beat a division rival four straight in a season, especially when they’re 9-41?

Or something like that.

But, again, seeing it at least half full.

Obviously, the Bulls have had plenty of opportunities this season to say things like that as they lurch toward the end of a disappointing season.

A play to win the game in the last 17 seconds? The Bulls would sign up for that, especially this season.

But who gets the shot?

“I always try to make the right plays,” said Markkanen. “If we are running plays for someone else who has a better look, the right basketball play, that’s what I try to do.”

Perhaps Selden should have been the choice since he was the only Bull not to miss a shot in the fourth quarter and put the Bulls ahead 101-100 with a three on a nice Dunn pass with 1:07 left.

“KD drove the lane and found me; just made the shot,” said surprise starting small forward Selden. “I felt we were just one stop away.”

“For sure,” Dunn said when asked about the quality of the play. “Good shot.”

“I didn’t like the defense in that second group, so they all came out,” said Boylen.

The Bulls led 53-51 at halftime and were tied at 79 through three quarters, but it was a mostly sluggish effort until those last nine minutes.

“Start of the third quarter I didn’t like our energy; we didn’t play with enough force,” said Boylen.

Markkenen took the hit on the run and Finnished, as we also like to say.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/gameday/bulls-beaten-cavs-late-shots-dont-fall

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bulbsanta06-blog · 6 years ago

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Bulls vs. Bucks final score: Milwaukee uses balanced scoring without Giannis Antetokounmpo to end Chicago’s 3-game winning streak

The Bulls were riding high coming into Monday’s game against the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Bucks, and they rode that wave through a dominant 38-point first quarter that saw them go up by as many as 14 points. But with the Bulls playing without Otto Porter Jr. (leg) and Kris Dunn (migraine), their lack of depth showed up in a big way against a ridiculously deep and talented Bucks squad. The end result was a 117-106 Milwaukee win and the end of the Bulls’ three-game winning streak. The Bucks also finished off a 4-0 season sweep.

The Bulls jumped out to their big lead thanks to, who else, Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine. After their monster performances against the Celtics, Markkanen poured in 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting in the first quarter, while LaVine did it all with 10 points, four assists and four rebounds. The Bucks’ starters really struggled without their outside shooting, and they didn’t have Giannis to bail them out with dunks.

The Bucks’ bench completely flipped the script, though. Milwaukee used a 16-2 run to start the second quarter to take the lead, and those minutes featured some truly appalling Cristiano Felicio minutes. Behold:

All of the Bulls’ momentum was gone, and Khris Middleton took things from there to give the Bucks a 63-54 lead heading into halftime. The Bulls hung around in the third quarter thanks to Robin Lopez and spot starter Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who combined for 21 of the 26 Bulls points scored in the frame.

But the Bucks were just too much, pulling away in the fourth quarter and going up by 20 points with just over three minutes left when Jim Boylen pulled the plug. Milwaukee had six players score in double figures, with Middleton and Malcolm Brogdon scoring 22 points apiece. The Bucks were a bit streaky with their 3-point shooting, but they poured in 17 triples on 49 attempts and won the bench scoring battle 42-24. Old friend Nikola Mirotic had 13 points off the bench and hit several key treys in the fourth quarter as Milwaukee pulled away.

While the Bulls were outgunned in this one, Markkanen showing out yet again was great to see. It has been really fun watching his development this month, especially his off-the-dribble work, finishing and playmaking. The big man notched another double-double with 26 points (11-of-22 shooting) and 12 rebounds, and he added three dimes for good measure. He made some really nasty passes in this game:

Markkanen had several wraparound passes like this on the night, and I was also really impressed with a few of his floater finishes:

Markkanen has been showing really nice touch around the basket as he continues to build out his complete game.

While Markkanen had a terrific night, LaVine’s wound up being a bit strange. The guard nearly finished with a triple-double (nine assists, eight rebounds), but he only scored one point after the first quarter to finish with 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting. He was clearly hunting assists in the fourth quarter and not really looking to score, to the detriment of the team.

Then there was Lopez, who continues to play as well as he ever has in his career. He matched Markkanen with a season-high 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting, even knocking down his lone 3-point attempt to hit that season high. RoLo soundly outplayed his brother, Brook Lopez, who missed all seven of his 3-pointers and seemed pretty miffed about it. After Robin hit his triple, Brook took his anger out on the rim with a monster and-1 dunk. To his credit, Brook did block five shots, but Robin won the individual battle on this night as he hit 17-plus points for his career-high sixth consecutive game.

The only other notable performance was TLC, who had 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and he was somehow a plus-15 (garbage time helped). TLC is athletic and active and could be interesting, but he plays so out of control that it hurts him. It was a wild ride watching him try to do a lot in that third quarter.

The Bulls are now 16-45 and have a day off before playing Joakim Noah and the Grizzlies on Wednesday. The Grizzlies have been struggling, but they did just beat the Lakers ... though that’s not much of a feat these days.

Source: https://www.blogabull.com/2019/2/25/18240795/bulls-bucks-final-score-milwaukee-balanced-scoring-no-giannis-antetokounmpo-end-chicago-streak

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spearsilk0-blog · 6 years ago

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Bulls Beaten By Cavs As Late Shots Don't Fall

How’s that old saying go about it being difficult to beat a division rival four straight in a season, especially when they’re 9-41?

Or something like that.

But, again, seeing it at least half full.

Obviously, the Bulls have had plenty of opportunities this season to say things like that as they lurch toward the end of a disappointing season.

A play to win the game in the last 17 seconds? The Bulls would sign up for that, especially this season.

But who gets the shot?

“I always try to make the right plays,” said Markkanen. “If we are running plays for someone else who has a better look, the right basketball play, that’s what I try to do.”

Perhaps Selden should have been the choice since he was the only Bull not to miss a shot in the fourth quarter and put the Bulls ahead 101-100 with a three on a nice Dunn pass with 1:07 left.

“KD drove the lane and found me; just made the shot,” said surprise starting small forward Selden. “I felt we were just one stop away.”

“For sure,” Dunn said when asked about the quality of the play. “Good shot.”

“I didn’t like the defense in that second group, so they all came out,” said Boylen.

The Bulls led 53-51 at halftime and were tied at 79 through three quarters, but it was a mostly sluggish effort until those last nine minutes.

“Start of the third quarter I didn’t like our energy; we didn’t play with enough force,” said Boylen.

Markkenen took the hit on the run and Finnished, as we also like to say.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/gameday/bulls-beaten-cavs-late-shots-dont-fall

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jrueships · 3 years ago

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Well FINE if you want a sexy ship how aboooout 🤔🤔…. Rolo and Kris Dunn :))))??

EXCUSE ME ?????? ARE YOU CALLING. HUH ??? IS THIS YOUR . HE LLO?????? R o LO AND. HUH ???@?@?!?!?!?!? E X CUSE ME !!!!!

You're INSANE .... and i am Listening . This is so funny... like u could've asked anything else.. anyone else sexy like uhhh idk insert sexy x sexy ship here (which I have very little of).. but NO.. you chose.... ROLO and DUNN ... ITS REALLY FUNNY 2 ME I LOVE IT LMAO 😭 OKAY! HANG ON!!

OKAY i know i keep coming back to when they had their little screaming match at practice with each other but how should i NOT huh ??? The PASSION the MOTIVE ?? Robin going a little Too hard on kris and kris yelling at him ???? Presidential alert: the girls are fiighting !!!! And then rolo having to leave practice and cool off before coming back to apologize like ??? I feel like that really does define their surface level relationship. They're definitely the kinda couple who argue very little but when they do it gets Rough, and ROLO is the one who has to pull himself away so he doesn't say anything out of pocket. Rolo can be very intense and kris can magnify that energy tenfold by replying with his own intensity, so Someone has to be the bigger man and step away before the kettle shatters. And that Someone always has to be rolo. I think if rolo wasn't so kindhearted and Just intense, their relationship Definitely wouldn't work out. Someone would end up getting up and they'd never talk again, but that's Not the case. Rolo came back and apologized and they made up. Probably had sorry s*x idk LOL..

The sorry s*x is Very important tho!!! Not JUST a horny act I PROMISE!! Because it kinda Hints to Dunn Also apologizing ? in his own actions? Like he's better at gift giving and touch to show his love rather than words like rolo. So when they kiss and kris leaves fluttery trails up and down Robin's neck, kisses his scratchy knuckles when robin holds his wrists, and purrs at the rough sensation of Robin's stubble against cheek, robin understands how much he Means to kris. Originally though, he takes it as a 'i only like you for your body' type deal and never iniates anything with kris again for a while .. because he feels used rather than valued, and that hurts. One time lovers to enemies to awkward friends to lovers again mixed type of deal. There's a Lot of confusion... mainly due to misunderstandings

Okay, so this part kinda gets into my whole 'soulbound fic with Zach and Dunn' so <3 yanno. BASICALLY .. lemme explain it... Zach is. Really against the whole idea of soulbonding and soulmates because sometimes being soulbonded isn't always pretty. In This world, your soulmate doesn't always mean they're the one who's Perfect for you. It's just a foretelling of fate. A mark that tells you who you're gonna be stuck with later. Of course Zach believes in fighting against fate because he thinks his mark deludes his value to others, but he's seen too many people just remain complacent with being stuck with some shitty s/o all because some stupid splotch on their body told them so. So he's Really against soul marks and being 'bonded' to someone. He hides his mark, which is on his hand. Then kris dunn enters his life covering His hand too. Weird. And during a late night session just between them, zach's bandages fall and his mark is seen. Kris has a Suspiciously shocked reaction and his hand goes to his Own covered hand and starts pulling off the bandages and - oh god. Zach ends the session.

Short summary: things get Awkward. Zach Likes dunn, really. As a Friend ... although Sometimes .. weird Thoughts enter his mind and - anyways, yeah. Kris just isn't his Type. He seems too Obnoxious, too Pushy, too Petty, too Egotistical. He keeps trying to hang out no matter how many times Zach has subtly hinted how he's against the whole soulmark quirk and that they're just Good Friends.

So Zach gets a little Rude. A little Blunt. He just wants kris to get the message. But he can't bring himself to outright Tell kris how his Soulmate, someone who's supposed to be The One for you, doesn't even Want you. So he gets distant. Leaves Dunn on read a lot more. Tells him he can't hang out as much anymore. Invites Coby over whenever Kris wants to hang out so Kris has to thirdwheel. After the trades, Zach uses it as a grateful excuse to distance himself even further. Eventually Zach's birthday rolls around and he's talking about going out to celebrate with demar when Dunn shows up at the locker. And it's really. Awkward. Deebo leaves after wishing Dunn a happy early birthday. Dunn smiles shy and mutters a thank you, face lighting up a little. Zach made sure to kill that light when he brushed over the fact without care. 'What are you Doing here.' Dunn's face falls and he messes with his bandaged covered hand, his Mark ? he jokes about Zach trying to get with demar who's Clearly been soulmarked with lowry for a Long while. Zach thinks he's getting jealous now, doesn't find the remark funny Whatsoever. They talk and it's just Zach getting tenser and Dunn getting awkwarder. Eventually Dunn hands Zach his birthday gift and asks him if he wants to hit up a restaurant later. Zach takes the gift, feeling a pang of sympathy. So he walks Dunn against a locker and puts a hand to his hip. And his other hand, the one soulmarked hand, to his throat. Tilts his chin up and Leans closer. Maybe he's been too mean. Maybe kris deserves Something. But kris shivers at every touch, keens, whimpers: excited. Was he planning this? Reentering zach's life without warning and Making him love him? Making Zach feel bad because he's just Such a desperate, love-sucking, self-absorbed Asshole. Zach stops himself before their lips touch, notices how wide Kris's eyes are and feels Disgusted. Was it all Orchestrated. It felt like the mark made him Nothing all over again. And he leaves Dunn at that, forgetting the gift. Tells him he's got Plans with someone Else.

and Dunn is left sitting with his back to his old Locker, anxiously rubbing a hand over the old bandaged hand , a nervous habit he's developed ever since a bad encounter with a knife left a permanent Scar there.

Dunn's flight home ends up getting canceled, the only available one open is to Orlando. He calls Rolo if he can crash and rolo says yes. When he gets there, rolo's room is full of Romantic and nerdy decor. Apparently he was expecting a hookup that night but canceled for kris. Kris laughs at all the nerdy star wars and marvel action figures aligning neatly on the shelves. Pretends like he doesn't Actually find them cool. Criticizes rolo for his odd flirting techniques, AKA having a moonlight dinner to the star wars anthem. Laughs at his anakin bedspread. 'Who wants to have sex covered under some fictional character man ?' (A Lot of people, actually). They banter and catch up, pretending like finally talking to each other again Isn't making them smile and laugh the loudest they Ever had in a Long while. Rolo convinces Dunn to act as his Date for the night because they shouldn't let good food and romantic atmosphere go to waste ! They reeanct that cheesy spaghetti sharing scene from Lady and the tramp, which they're both a little Too competitive in and get a little Too close in. Over the night, rolo slowly begins to see how utterly Soft Dunn really is. How he snorts at all his jokes and how Careful he is with all his things , no matter how Goofy he thinks they may be. How he smiles so shy sometimes. How he leans in close and whispers. How Pretty he is. As walls fall, so do their previous anxiety. Kris ends up spending the night.

Rolo takes off his shirt, chest full of curly brunette hairs (he Deserves to be a lumberjack OKAY) so he doesn't have to worry about the soulmark over his heart being seen. Dunn is a little more Shy about it, self-conscious over his body. He hasn't played basketball as much anymore. Kinda hard to when you're not in the nba anymore. Rolo makes him comfortable, let's him dim the lights until only the faint glow of his red light saber nightlight remained on. Let Kris lie down on his stomach.

He thinks Kris would be loud in bed. And he was right. Sort of. Kris makes Noise, but not really Loud. He's vocal, but in a sweeter sense. He doesn't Scream, but his voice quivers and whines pour out bitten lip. Every movement Rolo makes, he Shakes. He presses his face against Robin's stupid deathstar pillow and whimpers. He's Soft, supple, and Nervous. Wants to make robin feel good. Makes an effort to try and kiss Robin's planted hand next to him. Robin whispers in his ear how Pretty he is. Holds him close. Moves Close. Everything is so Close, and so is Kris. His tears start to fall, slow, smooth, and robin turns him around Gently. Caresses the side of his face, smiles at how kris nudges into the touch, wipes his tears away for him. Helps him release with a cracked hand.

Notices an Oddly Familiar mark on Dunn's chest ...

Dunn collapses into his arms: spent. He's still shivering in the aftercare, only settles once he's fully wrapped around Rolo's long arms and tight to his chest. Only settles once that stupid anakin blanket is covering the two of them. Robin watches him drift off to bed, with himself following suite, but Not before thinking about their weird Mark over Dunn's heart and how Strange it is .

#YEAH SO..... THERES SOME OF MY THOUGHTS #its not like.. straightforward 'this is how they s*x' BUT i hope it helps ANYHOW #SO BASICALLY... its... rolo discovers kris is a pillowprincess lol #BUT I DIDNT TELL Y O U T hAT-#and then i might even add somethin later about Kris's POV on the whole situation and how he really Does just wanna be friends with zach #but zach doesnt know kris and him arent soulbonded and kris doesnt know that zach DOESNT know that #and kris ALSO doesnt know him and rolo are ACTUALLY bonded #he just.. really needs a friend and he needs to apologize to a friend and YEAH #its a whole big teary mess and yaddayadda kris and him have slow s*x #a lot of people Think kris would be more of a Dennis in bed aka likes it rough and in control but ... no lol #misunderstandings misunderstandings smh smh !!#and then theres issues of the whole rolo and kris sharing a mark thing but ANYHOW!!! YEAH !! GAY PEOPLE LOL #i really do love exploring ships dynamics like its just a big explanation of deeper personalities in like. a fun method or whatever idk uhh #p*rn with feelings really DO hit different idk LOL !!#THANK U for asking this SORRY it took so long i was thinking about the kinks in the fic plot #by kinks i mean little problems i needed to solve btw NOT the other thing #but to Talk about the other thing. ..... rolo eats a** lol ANYWAYS #dunn #rolo #dunn/rolo #ted asks #man i hate always making ships but not starting off with the ship name from the bat like wtf was wrong wit me #now i gotta tag SO many bitches bruh #ted drabbles #redacted #ted sus

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hatkarate2-blog · 6 years ago

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Bulls beat Wizards 101-92 after strong second half

The Bulls Friday got a win, 101-92 over the Washington Wizards, though perhaps more importantly a chance to dream. And you never are too young to dream big.

Like Tupac said, Dreams are for real.

“We can all get hot and be the No. 1 option,” Zach LaVine, who led six Bulls in double figures with 24 points, was saying about he, Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn starting together for the first time this season. “You have to understand that as a player. This is basketball. You have to recognize the hot man, and when something is going right keep riding that. We're all learning how to play with one another and learning our spots, and we are going to get this thing going.”

If it’s going like in the second half Friday, it could well be compelling as LaVine had 19 of his points and the Bulls shot 61 percent and pulled away from the shorthanded Wizards after a dreary first half. Washington was missing injured John Wall, Otto Porter and Markieff Morris. But the reality was a Bulls team activated by LaVine once again, but complemented well by Markkanen, Dunn, Wendell Carter Jr. and a fourth quarter close from Robin Lopez.

“We are trying to figure out our spots and when to attack and to be aggressive because there is one ball out there and we all are very talented scorers... You have to sacrifice things here and there, but I think we played it really good, and we got the win." - Zach LaVine

“Just the fact they are all great offensive players not a lot of people are able to help off of them,” Carter noted about the Bulls promised Big Three. “It definitely was a lot more room (for me); definitely excited. When everyone gets completely healthy, Zach doing what he does, once every one gets 100 percent and Bobby (Portis) with the energy he brings, I think we are going to be a very, very good young team.”

Carter, in one of his best games of the season, had 17 points — 11 in the first quarter with his higher profile teammates starting slowly — 13 rebounds and three blocks. Markkanen had 14 points and 14 rebounds, Dunn had 13 points and eight assists and Lopez had 10 points and the second best plus/minus rating to LaVine.

“I try to do whatever, plug and play,” said Lopez, who had three late fourth-quarter baskets and even drew a double team from frustrated Wizards defenders. “Whatever my team needs from me, that’s what I’m going to try to generate.”

Lopez had vital back-to-back low post scores with his unerring hook shot midway through the fourth quarter to maintain a nine-point Bulls lead that Washington could never much shake the rest of the game. But the Bulls broke open a tight game with nine lead changes and 10 ties early in the fourth quarter with LaVine scoring, Lopez backing down for a short hook and an unexpected three from Shaquille Harrison after a nice ball swing from Lopez out of the double team to Chandler Hutchison and onto Harrison in the corner.

It didn’t as much define the game, but was an indication of the growing versatility and defense the Bulls have exhibited. They’re now 10-26. Washington dropped to 13-23.

“So we come in at halftime and Zach has three shots (for five points),” noted Bulls coach Jim Boylen. “He didn't panic. He wasn't flustered and the game turned for him. He gave it to us the second half. I thought we got a lot from a lot of guys. I thought Rolo was dominant there for a couple of minutes. Kris Dunn had his moments. Lauri had his moments. I thought our defense was our constant.

“The defense has to honor Lauri, they have to be careful of Dunn,” said Boylen. “They’ve got to bring two to him sometimes. When you have three good players like that, people know and are prepared. It’s hard to stop three guys. You can maybe stop two and maybe they felt Zach didn’t get off in the first half, but it’s hard to hold a guy down when you play the right way.”

The talk in Washington was about the government being shut down, and that was nothing compared to the inactivity in the combined offenses to start the game. The Bulls were kept afloat primarily by Carter in pick and roll with Dunn and being more certain with his shot.

“I’m not hesitating,” said Carter. “That’s when I miss most of the time, when I hesitate. Just being free, catch and with an open shot take it. When I am rolling, if open go all the way and if not (pass).”

Markkanen, after a slow shooting start, had a couple of driving slam dunks that woke up the fans while Washington’s Bradley Beal tried to match the Bulls. Beal finished with 34 points.

But then it was the expansive and entertaining LaVine who supplied the energy with an inside and outside array of third quarter drives and jump shots. It got the Bulls a 74-72 lead after three in an NBA-like 12 minutes, and then LaVine and, of all guys, Lopez stole the magic from the Wizards.

“Rolo, he can score pretty much on any big,” said LaVine. “He’s a down low presence. Coach calls him meat grinder or something like that; coach got that old 80s terminology.

“We are trying to figure out our spots and when to attack and to be aggressive because there is one ball out there and we all are very talented scorers,” said LaVine. “You have to sacrifice things here and there, but I think we played it really good, and we got the win. That is all that matters. The main thing is that we are learning how to win. I knew I was going to be more aggressive in the second half. Just knowing me.”

LaVine had a 30-minute playing limit coming back from an ankle injury. He glanced at the box score while speaking to reporters to find out he played a bit less than 29 minutes, 66 seconds fewer than promised.

“Could have gotten another six points,” LaVine said with a laugh.

There’s a brighter day.

Source: https://www.nba.com/bulls/gameday/bulls-beat-wizards-101-92-after-strong-second-half

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