3 changes which have allowed Chicago Bulls to be undefeated in their opening 4 games of the 2021-22 NBA season
The Chicago Bulls started the season 4-0 for the first time since the 1996-97 season. The Bulls last season missed out on the playoffs, even after trading for All-Star Nikola Vucevic to push into the playoffs.
With Zach LaVine in the final year of his contract, the Bulls made a splash in the offseason to prove that the team is ready to win now. They signed former All-Star DeMar DeRozan and signed two new guards to flank LaVine in Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso.
So far, everything has worked out this season, and it looks like the Bulls could be more than a pay-in team but secure a playoff spot. These are three changes that the Bulls have impacted to get to this point.
#3 The Chicago Bulls improved their defense
It’s hard to tell how sustainable the Chicago Bulls defense can be, but it has already outperformed last year’s static. It is only a four-game sample size, but the defense has improved a lot, which was seen as the team's weakness going into the season.
The BEST PLAYS from the @chicagobulls first 4-0 start since 1996-97! 🔥🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/HhHZRJGLe4
Last season, the Bulls allowed 111.6 points per game for the 14 fewest in the NBA. The Bulls were a decent perimeter defense, allowing the fifth-fewest three-point attempts per game. However, their interior defense was the Bulls' weakness, allowing players to make 29.9 shots inside the three-point line for sixth highest in the league.
So far this season, the Bulls' defense has been incredible, allowing just 97.5 points per game for the fourth-fewest in the league. They still have a weak interior defense, allowing 28.5 made two-pointers, but everything else is top 10 statically.
The big question mark going into this season was the Chicago Bulls defense, and so far, it has answered the call.
#2 The Chicago Bull signed DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan came out and balled out in the opening four games of the season for the Chicago Bulls. He is putting up 22.5 points with 5.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in 34.8 minutes.
26 points for @DeMar_DeRozan.
4-0 start for the @chicagobulls 🔥 https://t.co/XcOrPubqeA
DeRozan has been the secondary scorer to LaVine, allowing LaVine not to be the main person on offense every time down the court. The scoring load can be shared between these two, making their combination deadly. DeRozan has also taken more threes, something he hasn’t been doing over the last few seasons. In his three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, he took 0.7 threes per game, but so far, he is taking two a game, making 38% of them.
On top of that, even though it has only been four games, DeRozan is posting his best defensive rating for his career so far at 101. His career average is 111, so he is making a notable effort to impact the defensive end significantly.
#1 Chicago Bulls signed Lonzo Ball
Lonzo Ball and the Chicago Bulls were almost too perfect of the match to not happen. Ball is one of the best passers in the league and one of the better perimeter defenders. The two things that LaVine has struggled with over his NBA career have been his ability to run an offense and play perimeter defense, and Ball answers both of those questions.
The Ball and LaVine backcourt could be among the better backcourts in the NBA by the end of the season. The two together in the lineup are already +13.9 points per 100 possessions.
woooo Lonzo Ball gets his triple-double in style. United Center is unhinged. https://t.co/eZnbd7PW8q
Ball is already averaging 14.3 points with 5.8 rebounds and five assists per game. He is also shooting 43% from three on 7.5 attempts. Even though Ball is only averaging five assists a game right now, it will take time for him to get used to the new offense and new teammates fully. As time goes on and he takes on more responsibility as a playmaker on offense, his assist number should go up with it.