Bulls drop first of four In-Season Tournament games to the Nets

10 Observations: Bulls drop first of four In-Season Tournament games to the Nets originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

The Chicago Bulls suffered a defeat in their inaugural In-Season Tournament game against the Brooklyn Nets. With this loss, they now hold a 0-1 record in Group C of the Eastern Conference, with three more games remaining.

Here are ten key takeaways from the Bulls’ performance:

— Torrey Craig made his first start for the Bulls, taking over from Patrick Williams. Williams had been struggling offensively in recent games, prompting Coach Billy Donovan to make the lineup change. Craig’s veteran presence and defensive abilities may prove beneficial for the starting unit.

— Ayo Dosunmu was unable to participate in the game due to an upper respiratory illness. Dosunmu, along with Jevon Carter, has been providing valuable contributions off the bench. In Dosunmu’s absence, the Bulls utilized a nine-man rotation, with Williams, Caruso, Carter, and Drummond coming off the bench.

— The Bulls struggled with turnovers early on, which allowed the Nets to capitalize and score 10 points off those turnovers. The Nets also dominated in fast break points, recording 14 compared to the Bulls’ meager four. The Bulls need to improve their ball security moving forward.

— Both teams exhibited exceptional shooting from beyond the arc during the first half. The Nets, renowned for their 3-point shooting, connected on 11 triples out of 21 attempts. The Bulls matched their performance, making 9-of-17 from downtown. This marked just the second game this season where both teams made nine or more 3-pointers in the first half.

— The Bulls effectively limited the impact of Cam Thomas and Mikal Bridgers in the first half, holding them to a combined 44% shooting. However, Royce O’Neal and Dorian Finney-Smith were dominant, particularly from behind the arc, making a combined 8-of-18 (7-of-10 in the first half) 3-point attempts.

— The Bulls made necessary adjustments throughout the game, focusing on perimeter defense, generating turnovers in the paint, and causing multiple shot clock violations. They limited the Nets to 35 points in the first quarter, followed by 24 in the second, 19 in the third, but unfortunately allowed 31 crucial points in the fourth.

— Despite the absence of Nic Claxton, the Nets fielded a small lineup, but the Bulls failed to exploit this size advantage by utilizing Nikola Vucevic in the paint. Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn had emphasized the need to respect Vucevic’s presence inside. Vucevic finished the game with 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting.

— Patrick Williams responded positively to Donovan’s decision to move him to the bench. He contributed 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, along with five rebounds and an assist. Donovan now faces a decision on whether to retain Williams on the bench, considering Craig’s solid performance in the starting lineup.

— In a critical late-game situation, Zach LaVine had an opportunity to tie the game with a three-point shot. Unfortunately, he was fouled by Ben Simmons, resulting in free throws. Although LaVine’s second free throw was rebounded by Vucevic and Drummond, the Bulls couldn’t convert the potential game-winning shot.

— The Bulls now hold a 0-1 record in the In-Season Tournament. They have three more games left in their four-game in-season tournament slate. Their upcoming matchups include hosting the Orlando Magic on November 17, followed by away games against the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics on November 24 and 28, respectively.

HM: The game at the United Center provided a visually striking experience with the Bulls unveiling a newly-designed all-red court featuring a white Bulls logo. The team also sported their 2023-24 City Edition jerseys to match the occasion.

The Bulls will face the Denver Nuggets on the road tomorrow night.

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