After beating the Washington Wizards, the Chicago Bulls have unknowingly extended their winning streak to nine. They are undoubtedly the most surprising team in the East this season, and for the Windy City themselves, they have regained the glory of a decade ago — 26-10, a 72.2% win rate, pushing the Nets to the top of the East, and the last time Chicago was the first place in the East, it dates back to the era of Derrick Rose.
DeMar DeRozan's key ball skills and zac Lavin's talent on the offensive end now remind the Windy City Roses of the way bulls fans moved. Don't forget the efforts of those role players, the Bulls can be a strong contender for a series of championships such as the Nets, Bucks, Philadelphia, Heat and so on in the powerful East, and it is inseparable from the unity of purpose and the planning of the coaching team. But even so, manager Billy Donovan still feels unsatisfied.
Last season's Bulls were just a loser struggling outside the playoffs, and the introduction of Vucevic's ingenious maneuvers didn't fundamentally solve the problem and build a winning culture. In the offseason, when Donovan, who broke up with the Thunder, came to Windy City, it laid the foundation for them to be on the right track in the new season. The two-time NCAA championship coach has already proven his ability to coach the NBA in Oklahoma, and he is only one opportunity away from going further. Now in the Bulls, Donovan sees this layer of hope.
When reporters asked him what he thought of the team's feat of winning nine in a row, the coach simply said calmly: "I think the team can do better." In Donovan's view, it's far from the time to relax, the regular season is long, less than halfway through now, and many strong teams are used to starting after All-Star Weekend, and Donovan knows this. And what Donovan wants to see the team improve is exactly how well they perform defensively.
Before the start of the season, when the Bulls assembled the offensive tridents of Raven, DeRozan and Vucevic, no one worried about the team's performance on the offensive end, but many people worried about what kind of answers they would deliver on the defensive end. There are talented scorers like DeMar DeRozan, Zach Raven and Nikola Vucevic on the team, but on the defensive end they are often seen as "negative assets" and need teammates to help them "wipe their butts". However, the Bulls at the beginning of the season played a stunning defensive pressure and responded to the questions of the outside world with practical actions, which is also the basis for them to play a dream start.
However, it should be noted that this defensive pressure gradually declines as the season progresses, which has to be alarmed. While the Bulls' defense wasn't as bad as many fans predicted at the start of the season, it didn't match where they are now, with their defensive efficiency only ranking 13th in the league. There is a saying in the NBA called "offense wins the box office, defense wins the championship", if you want to go further in the playoffs, it is not enough to rely on gorgeous offense, rock-solid defense is the key to ensuring the lower limit of the team's record.
In order to deal with every possibility, retrying the oppression and enthusiasm of the defensive end is the Bulls' immediate priority. After all, the Bulls have the ability to be in the league's top 10 defensive teams, which is exactly what Billy Donovan has always wanted to see. The Bulls have a long list of elite defensive players, with defensive players like Ronzo Ball and Alex Caruso all already proven themselves and their defensive abilities well above the average outside gate. In addition, there is the young Ayo Dosem, who also has the opportunity to shine in the main rotation with his defensive ability.
In such an environment, we can see the determination of DeRozan and Lavin on the defensive end. Donovan's ambitions are expected to be fulfilled – the Bulls have the potential and ability to become a "two-way team" at both ends of the ladder. At that time, we can boldly look forward to their performance in the playoffs, and when everyone focuses on the Nets and Bucks, perhaps we should give the young Bulls more respect!