Guard Coby White dressed up his explanation with the cute nickname “Cardiac Bulls,” referring to the team’s pattern of falling behind early, then having to fight back to try to win close games. But he was telling his bosses who the Bulls (10-15) are.
“I don’t think we’ve gone into games acting like we’re supposed to win,” said White, the team’s longest-tenured player at 25. “I just think we hit a storm [lately] and we were trying to figure out how to get through it, stay together. We just have to keep that in mind no matter who we’re playing.
“I feel like every game is going to be tough. We’re not the type of team that’s going to have a lot of blowouts and stuff like that. It’s going to come down to grind-it-out wins a majority of the time. That’s what we need to focus on — how to win those kinds of games.”
Since Nov. 22, the Bulls are 2-8 — and this was considered an easier part of their schedule.
Coach Billy Donovan also has been telling his bosses who the Bulls are. He has talked about the “slim margins” they operate on in every game while also noting there isn’t a significant talent gap between them and the Pelicans, Hornets and Nets, draft lottery-bound teams who are a combined 20-58. The Bulls are 1-4 against them.
Recent home games are telling the bosses who the Bulls are. Empty seats are one thing, but expensive suites staying dark? That means frustration has turned to apathy. Fans are telling the Bulls they’d rather see their money go up in smoke than come out and spend more on a product they feel is going nowhere. John Paxson, the Bulls’ former vice president of basketball operations, left that role on his own terms in 2020, but before that, his job security was in question because of the increasing number of darkened suites.
The standings also are telling the bosses who the Bulls are. Arturas Karnisovas, executive vice president of basketball operations, may blame their struggles on injuries, but this team won’t be whole for a while. White has been dealing with calf issues since the late summer. Guard/forward Isaac Okoro just got over a back issue. Guard Ayo Dosunmu said Tuesday that both of his thumbs are sprained, in addition to a bone bruise in his right thumb that is testing his pain tolerance. Rookie forward Noa Essengue had season-ending shoulder surgery this month.
It was foolish to think Karnisovas could copy the Pacers’ blueprint and use depth as a strength, forgetting the Bulls don’t have players near the level of Tyrese Haliburton or Pascal Siakam. The Pacers reached the NBA Finals in June, but they were more talented, more physical and better on defense than the Bulls.
The messages are out there. But are the bosses listening? Not yet, it seems.
Karnisovas isn’t expected to speak publicly with reporters until closer to the trade deadline in February. He might want to change his schedule. The noise is only getting louder, and most of it is coming from within his own building.
Source link
