Chicago Bulls need to learn how to close out games if they are to make a deep playoff run this season
The Chicago Bulls suffered their seventh defeat this season, falling to the New Orleans Pelicans 115-111 at home on Wednesday.
With the defeat, the Bulls dropped to 6-7, which is good for seventh place in the East. They are five games behind league leaders Milwaukee Bucks (10-1).
The Bulls have struggled against top teams this season. Four of their seven losses have come against potential title contenders in the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors.
Although there is no reason yet for the Chicago Bulls to panic, making some tactical changes could benefit them in the long run.
Chicago Bulls struggle in crunch time
The Chicago Bulls have suffered some disappointing losses so far, primarily due to their inability to perform at clutch time. Clutch time is a game within five points in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime.
Aside from the blowout defeat to the Cavaliers (128-96), the other six defeats have been by nine points or less, which means that the team had a chance to win, but came up short in the end.
The Chicago Bulls have a record of 0-6 in clutch situations and are the only squad not to have a victory in clutch time.
Last year, they finished with the third-most clutch wins in the league (25), with DeMar DeRozan becoming the first player in NBA history to hit game-winners on back-to-back nights.
Head coach Billy Donovan said the Bulls have to learn from their mistakes and start executing better.
"These are opportunities for us to get better from and learn from," Donovan said after the team's latest loss. "But I can't sit there and say it's been one thing."
DeMar Rozan is the one that runs the most plays in clutch time, but he is not as successful as he was last season. While DeRozan runs iso plays, his teammates are generally spotted on the 3-point line without getting involved.
The Chicago Bulls' playing style is somewhat one-dimensional and opponents know how to contain them in late-game situations.
Nikola Vucevic said the team needs to do a better job supporting DeRozan.
"I think a lot of it is execution," Vucevic said. "Obviously people now know the ball's gonna go to DeMar and we just have to do I think a better job in certain situations helping him a little bit, make his life a little easier.
"I think also, you know, sometimes the difference, some games we have Zach, some games we don't. So it's a little different look for us too," Vucevic added. "We're trying to get used to that as well. But that's part of it. Part of growing as a team and figuring it out. So just have to continue to look at it, get better and learn from it."
The Bulls coaching staff should design plays to get more players involved offensively in clutch time.
With Zach LaVine, Nikola Vucevic and Goran Dragic on the team, having just one player running the late-game plays doesn't make much sense.
Even though it is still early in the season, the sooner the Chicago Bulls solve these issues, the better for the franchise.
With key players missing time due to injuries — LaVine has missed four of the team's 13 games and three of their six clutch losses — and a tough schedule that included four back-to-back sets in their first 12 games, the Bulls had no significant time to practice and fix their problems.
With their next back-to-back scheduled for December 10, they will be able to work on their issues and try to become more efficient in clutch time.
The Bulls have a few days to rest before hosting another title contender in the Denver Nuggets (8-3) on Sunday, November 13.
This will be a good chance to show they have learnt from their mistakes. Chicago knows that poor basketball in clutch time will hurt them in the playoffs and if they are to make a deep postseason run, they cannot afford to stumble in crunch situations.