Head to Chicago with the results of the Bulls’ 2022-2023 season. The ambitions were high and the workforce was up to the task of aiming even higher… but the season ended much too early in Chi-Town. What’s wrong with the cattle? Attempt to explain.
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What TrashTalk had announced
A little over 45 wins and a qualification for the Playoffs. Directly according to Alex, after the play-in according to Bastien. The workforce is simply too extensive to evoke anything other than a presence on the courts from mid-April. Scorers, additional players and a collective that showed how far it could go the previous season, the Bulls must therefore continue with the same ambition.
What really happened
40 wins, 42 losses, participation in the play-in but elimination by the Heat, NBA finalist (and incidentally 8th seed).
What a disappointment… The Bulls had everything in store to be a hell of a dickhead team to play in the East, even being able to spoil the party in the spring. In the end, they were mostly dickheads to… see them play.
Obviously, one thing that comes to mind to explain this messed up season is the absence of Lonzo Ball since January 2022. In his presence last season, the Bulls pranced at the top of the standings in the East, and his injury has coincided with the Bulls plummeting to sixth place in their conference. LaVar’s son was like the binder of this squad, the final piece of a puzzle just waiting to be completed. Except that since then, Lonzo has not repressed an NBA floor, making a white 2022-2023 season, and the position of point guard is still under construction in Illinois, and it is not called “Teuse”. Without their metronome, the cattle struggled despite the return to business of the watchdog Patrick Williams, and the Alex Caruso, Coby White, Goran Dragic, Patrick Beverley, even Ayo Dosunmu… no leader has ever been able to make people forget the contribution by Lonzo. Note all the same the great defensive season of Alex Caruso, who knew how to breathe (but a little late?) a big dynamic in Chicago in his part of the field.
The talent was there though. DeMar DeRozan confirmed that he was living a second youth in Chi-Town and chained basket clutches and high-flying performances, Zach LaVine always does good in scoring and his complementarity with DMDR is sympathetic, and Nikola Vucevic seemed, finally, find your bearings in the workforce. But we were still unsatisfied with these Bulls, sometimes encouraging, sometimes ultra frustrating. In defense, with only Patrick Williams and Alex Caruso as true specialists in the field, it was complicated, at least until February. With Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan on the perimeter it was often an open house in Windy City, and it was not Nikola Vucevic who closed the gaps. Young players like Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu or Patrick Williams? Let’s say they have their roles to play on the court and are essential… but don’t seem destined to take over the reins of the team when needed either…
The Bulls season in a few articles
picture of the season
Benny The Bull who lives his best life in Paris, because as you may remember, the Bulls were in the city of light in January to face the Pistons of Killian Hayes. Final victory for Chi-Town 126 to 108 in a match where the entertainment was mainly in the stands. This is about all that we will remember from the Chicago season, the shrill cries of Diar DeRozan having succeeded against the Raptors but a little less against the Heat.
He was a hit: DeMar DeRozan
If there’s one Bulls player it’s hard to blame for anything this season, it’s DeMar DeRozan. The former Raptors and Spurs was considered a losing player, borderline has-been because of his “old-fashioned” style of play? It is clear that the native of Compton should still be present for some time. The winger is in his second ultra successful season (at least on an individual level) with the Bulls, with whom he spent 20,000 career points. He literally stole the Bulls’ franchise-player costume from Zach LaVine, although the latter also did a hell of a job scoring. However, it is DMDR who seems to have the keys to the team and the locker room now, thanks to his experience and his experience which the former Wolves outfielder can sometimes miss. DeRozan has released clutch shots, from mid-range to not knowing what to do with them, and you get part of the recipe that made him successful in Illinois. It’s even a family affair in this franchise, since even his daughter has had a role to play for the bovids this season. Yeah, ask the Raptors what they thought of his screaming with every free throw shot for the play-in.
We were waiting for it and we are still waiting for it: Lonzo Ball
What sadness for Lonzo Ball, who definitely does not come out of it with this damn knee injury. Arrived in Chicago in 2021 after signing an 80 million contract over 4 years, he embodies the leader manager that this team needs. In his presence, the Bulls occupied first place in the East for the entire first part of the 2021-22 season. Except on Jan. 14, 2022, LaMelo’s big bro’s meniscus gives out and the Bulls are in freefall in his absence. This season, the leader has not spent a single minute on the floor, and the Bulls have missed the Playoffs. A white first season which could well be followed by a second following a new passage on the billiards (the 3rd in 14 months) to undergo a knee cartilage transplant, an operation never seen before in the NBA which could already end its 2023-24 season. It’s terrible for Lonzo who has shown how important he is for the Bulls, but also that his physique may never be strong again. It is even rumored that the point guard may never play basketball again… We obviously hope that all this is just gossip, and that the native of Anaheim will return to put some order in the baton of this team. But that is inevitably scary when you know that he has already missed more than 200 games in his career and that his troubles have been following him for a long time…
Individual statistics
…and what’s next?
At least the Bulls can console themselves with a good Draft pick… Nope, not even, since their 2023 first-round pick was included in the trade that brought Nikola Vucevic to Chicago. It is therefore the Magic who will have plenty of time to select in 11th position. No Draft pick to relaunch, no Playoffs to gain experience, not a lot of money due to the big contracts of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic or even… Lonzo Ball, and therefore little margin of manoeuvre, brave young players who do not seem to have the makings of All-Stars. A real question will arise at the Bulls for next season: what do we do? Should we capitalize on the forces present, and only make a few alterations? Should we try a big blow during the Free Agency? Should we try to recover a Draft choice? Should we blow it all up? Many questions that must already be spinning in the heads of leaders, who certainly want (and must) do better.
Chicago has disappointed this year despite having a very sexy roster on paper. Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic scored their points every night, but there weren’t many people to defend. Also, the Bulls are sorely lacking in a conductor. The site is big for this summer, to redo this ranch of Bulls a stronghold in the NBA, but the room for maneuver is limited.
Source : ESPN
2023-06-03 11:39:00
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