Chicago Bulls battle frustration - Zach LaVine says collective effort will bring the franchise back on track
The Chicago Bulls rallied past the Miami Heat on the road (113-103) and snapped a four-game losing skid while ending Miami's season-best four-game winning streak.
Nikola Vucevic led five Bulls players in double digits with 24 points and 12 rebounds as Chicago looks to get back on track amid a turbulent period.
At 12-18 after Tuesday's game, the franchise is dealing with frustration and turmoil on and off the court.
Players were confronting one another in the locker room at halftime of the 150-126 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. Bulls coach Billy Donovan spent considerable time Tuesday discussing the state of the team.
''Certainly, there's times where you can see guys are frustrated,'' Donovan said. ''But, to me, there's only one or two responses to that. Either try harder and fight harder, or be frustrated and have the same thing continue on. To me, frustration's a feeling. We've got to stop worrying about feelings and start making choices.''
It was the most points allowed by the Bulls in a regulation game in 40 years. In the entire history of the franchise, only three performances were worse.
"It's embarrassing to give up that many points," DeMar DeRozan, who scored 29 points, said. "Nothing against Minnesota, but it's not like we were playing the 2016 Golden State Warriors."
Goran Dragic noted that the team has to focus on small details and make sacrifices to get back on track and build a winning streak.
"We have to sacrifice for each other to make a better play," the Slovenian star said about Chicago's losing skid. "Set a screen, make a stop -- small details."
Due to their poor start, rumors surfaced about on-court tensions between DeRozan and Zach LaVine, even though both superstars have mutual respect for one another.
Furthermore, Sunday's locker room incident featured several Bulls players that were frustrated with Zach LaVine.
On Tuesday, LaVine, who is under a five-year, $215M contract with the franchise, addressed the rumors and called for unity if the Bulls want to turn things around.
“I think everybody goes through ups and downs, just like every team does,” LaVine told The Athletic. “Obviously if we’re not winning games, not everybody’s going to be happy. It’s not going to look as good as it was before. It’s all glitter and show when you’re winning games. But when you’re losing games and you’re trying to do the same things it’s turmoil. Everybody has their right to their own opinion. For me, I keep my head down. I work on my game and try to help my team. I help try to lead the team. That’s where I stand. I just try to take it day by day and evaluate how we’re doing. There’s a certain level of frustration in people trying to figure out what we can do to help right the ship.
"I think with the players that we have, we try to put it on each other to right the ship. We have those type of guys, those type of mentalities where each of us have been number one options on a team before and then we all come together collectively," the All-Star guard added. "It’s not going to take one person. It’s going to take all of us as a unit. I think that’s what guys are trying to figure out how to help the group."
With Chicago still struggling and being outside the playoff spots, the franchise has reportedly examined the possibility of blowing up its core and trading LaVine, DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic as we get closer to the February deadline.
Yet, the Bulls currently have second thoughts and could eventually keep the team together. They expect to do well in the postseason, as they are expecting the return of Lonzo Ball (out indefinitely with knee surgery).
“Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, I think those are all players — people in the league — teams are waiting to see: will any of them be available by the trade deadline,” Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said. “Right now, this is a Chicago team that wants to make the playoffs, wants to get a healthy Lonzo Ball back. They are not ready to concede yet.”
"Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, I think those are all players — people in the league — teams are waiting to see: will any of them be available by the trade deadline."
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Another issue Chicago is dealing with is the relationship between coach Donovan and the players, as it seems as if the players have lost faith in the veteran coach.
“We reported a few weeks ago, he received an extension prior to the start of the season … a multi-year deal,” Shams Charania of The Athletic reported. “Right now, his job is safe, but there has been a lot of skepticism, from what I’m told, within that locker room as far as his ability to really maximize and optimize DeRozan, LaVine, (and) Nikola Vucevic.”
“There are a host of teams right now that are monitoring the situation … trying to see whether the Bulls ultimately do make Zach LaVine available.”
NBA Insider @ShamsCharania reports on the on-court disconnect between the Bulls‘ two All-Star wings. https://t.co/Ervx6Sam8L
Overall, the Chicago Bulls have a lot of problems to solve before getting back on track, both on and off the court.
Despite Tuesday's win, the team will continue to deal with frustration, as they still have a lot to go before becoming contenders in the East.
But, as Zach LaVine noted, only if they play as a team and build their chemistry on the court and in the locker room, they will then have a good chance of turning things around and saving the season.