Following endless reports of a downward-spiraling Chicago Bulls team, they blocked out the noise and silenced a Miami Heat team that had won four straight games and five of their last six. This comes after a four-game skid for the Bulls, who had lost eight of their previous ten before dismantling the Heat on their home floor. Something comes alive for DeMar DeRozan, Zach Lavine, and crew when facing the tops in the Eastern Conference. They’re now 6-1 against the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, and Boston Celtics on the year after the infamously terrible record against those opponents a season ago.
Emergence Of Nikola Vucevic
The two-time all-star center Nikola Vucevic has declined since his Magic days but, as of late, has displayed a stretch of excellence that’s been missing since he first arrived in Chicago a few years ago. In five of his last seven, he’s shot over 55% from the field and 50% or higher from three-point territory, including his current two-game streak of three or more three-point shots made. Entering December, he was shooting less than 35% from deep, his 10% increase in that department has made a significant difference on the court for a team who is last in the NBA in threes attempted per game. Head coach Billy Donovan also noted Vucevic as one of the hardest workers on defense, with one of the most challenging roles.
“Vuc has got a really hard job, i think last year he defended more pick and rolls than any other center in the league, that’s a hard job.”
Billy Donovan via NBC Chicago
Against Miami, Vucevic was 13-of-17 with a game-high 29 points and 12 rebounds in the victory. He also knocked down two clutch threes inside five minutes to go in the game, effectively burying the Heat for good. Last night he became the only player in the NBA this year with 50 or more threes made and over 300 rebounds to his name. Given the recent locker room drama, and Zach Lavine possibly having one foot out of the door already, if the 6’10” center can continue his hot streak offensively and stabilize the defensive side of the floor he could emerge as one of the most critical pieces to turning around Chicago’s season.
Season-Defining Week Ahead
Tonight’s game against Atlanta and Friday’s showdown with the New York Knicks may start the most pivotal stretch of games this season. Two familiar opponents that both slipped away in overtime just last week, the Bulls badly need to win at least one of the two and show serious signs of life during the road trip. These two teams are similarly talented as Chicago, and with the lack of production from the Bulls this season, these games could be the dagger of the 2022-23′ season if they result in two more losses. Rumors swirling about Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan trade talks, the team’s morale dropping by the day, and reports of ‘finger-pointing’ in the locker room are all cause for concern in the Windy City.
If the Bulls can pull off one or both of these upcoming matchups with Eastern Conference playoff teams, the bottom-dwelling Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons are soon after and could make for a season-changing streak headed into the new year. Having shot 40% or better in their last three games while scoring over 110 in six of the previous seven, the difference will be made on the defensive side of the ball. That’s been the Achilles heel the entire season for Chicago, allowing north of 120 points in three of their last five, including a franchise-record 150 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Amid the behind-the-scenes rising tempers, if Chicago can prevail on the backs of an energetic Nikola Vucevic, the steady excellent play from DeMar DeRozan, and a defensively resurged Zach Lavine, they can still make a push for the postseason in a weak tail-end of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Is there still time for this group to re-route a season destined for disappointment, or will they be headed for a firesale at the deadline?
