After a start to the season as surprising as it was thunderous sportingly, the Bulls have found their favorite attributes: inconsistency and doubt on the floor. Last night, they were beaten by the Pacers, and there was not much to say about it (105-120).
“Hope is the worst evil, because it prolongs the torments of human beings. » – Friedrich Nietzsche
It seems infinitely far away, this time when the Bulls won games in spades, with an imperial Josh Giddey and a group that showed heart on the floors. These unleashed Bulls have given way to the Lambs, innocents incapable of being sure of themselves, multiplying errors and defeats. This to “find” their comfort zone, the soft and tasteless underbelly of the league.
On social networks, fans of the franchise are divided into a mixture of anger, sadness but perhaps worst of all, indifference. Indifference for a team that is all too accustomed to playing nothing, whether it’s guarantees of recruiting a high-potential youngster or a serious spring epic.
The ailments from which the Bulls suffer are numerous, and if they did not produce the worst basketball of their season last night against the Pacers guided by a remarkable Pascal Siakam (36 points), it is the accumulation which always finishes off this franchise a little more. The six victories at the start of the season like an intoxicating cloud of dopamine, adrenaline… but like any utopia, reality is never far away. And she hits these Bulls with a violence that is as cold as it is logical.
The attitude at play, the defense which is too forgetful, the very (too) light character of a group which cannot bear (anymore?) to make stupid mistakes and which punishes itself by no longer allowing itself any efforts to retreat. We try to hold on to the few branches that are willing to hold on: Coby White shows great things from time to time, Matas Buzelis too.
Nikola Vucevic, with all the sympathy we have for the person, is today a player who could be described as extremely catalyzed by the atmosphere. Remarkable when everything goes well, forgettable when the group produces nothing. A barometer of collective desire, who can be criticized for not making certain efforts, who can easily be forgiven for being fed up.
Josh Giddey is holding on to this failing rudder as best he can, no doubt partially sabotaged by a management which, like a spoiled child, has never been able to make a choice regarding the future of this team. Not wanting to close any doors, the Bulls lock them all.
Billy Donovan, a coach without too many principles but very opportunistic, probably playing in too good a direction to comfort himself on a bench where he probably hasn’t had his place for a long time.
Dreams are allowed, but in the thick, moonless Chicago night, they remain just dreams. For now?
Worth a look
