'Something isn't working, obviously': LaVine says Bulls still searching for an offensive identity
The Bulls stumbled into the All-Star break with a six-game losing streak, and maybe that's not such a bad thing.
At the moment they have the NBA's seventh-worst record. Keep on losing and they'll have a reasonable chance to keep their 2023 first-round draft pick. It will go to Orlando to wrap up the Nikola Vucevic trade unless it's in the top four.
Zach LaVine hasn't given up on making the playoffs. The Bulls are two games out of 10th place, which would mean a spot in the play-in tournament.
"Your record is what it is," LaVine said after Thursday's loss to Milwaukee. "For us, we've shown we can beat anybody, and we're also able to lose to everybody, too. Let it hurt, let it sting. You can't just keep avoiding it and thinking that you're something you're not, and go out there and be better."
Even though Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo left in the second quarter with a wrist injury and scored just 2 points, the Bulls weren't very competitive. The one player who looked like he wasn't in vacation mode was Milwaukee center Brook Lopez, who scored 33 points.
"We're not throwing in the towel," LaVine said. "I don't think we have the type of team or personnel to do that. Losing hurts. Everybody, they're all frustrated. We're doing our job every day. We're the ones that's going to have to figure it out."
Heading into the break, the Bulls actually rank seventh in the league in defensive rating, but 24th in offensive rating. LaVine was asked specifically about the offensive issues.
"Something isn't working, obviously," he said. "Some games we're really good, some games we're bad. The consistency factor, figuring out what our identity is and what we're going through each and every game. Even if guys are in and out of the lineup, you see some teams that have consistency with what they do, they have an identity.
"I think that's something we're still trying to figure out. We changed our offense a little bit this year from last year, but there's no excuse with the type of talent we have on this team."
What should the Bulls' identity be? DeMar DeRozan has been the team's most consistent scorer, though he's struggled lately with a right quad strain. Coach Billy Donovan has asked LaVine to shoot more 3-pointers, and the entire team has been asked to use Vucevic in the post more often. Some nights it works, more often it doesn't.
"We have 20-odd games left, just laying it out there and see what happens," LaVine said. "If you don't, then you already know what the results are going to be. So just get your mind ready to try to throw everything out there make something of the season."
Donovan also expressed optimism the Bulls will keep fighting for a spot in the postseason. There will be just 23 games remaining, though, when the Bulls return from break to host Brooklyn on Friday. That game, by the way, originally scheduled for a 9 p.m. start, has been removed from the ESPN schedule and will start at the usual 7 p.m. instead.
"We've made some really positive strides defensively from a year ago," Donovan said. "I do think we've got to be able to dig in and get some stops (late in games). Sometimes the rebounding has hurt us. I think for us the big thing is how do we stop momentum, how do we change runs, those kind of things."
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