Zach LaVine reveals how Bulls can stay competitive, and it’s clearly not working

The Chicago Bulls signaled a significant shift in their approach by trading DeMar DeRozan to the Sacramento Kings and Alex Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Josh Giddey. These moves marked the beginning of a youth-driven rebuild in Chicago, with an emphasis on an up-tempo playing style centered around Giddey, Coby White, and the team’s young guards. This new system prioritizes fast breaks and three-point shooting, resulting in a more entertaining brand of basketball.

For Nikola Vucevic, the revamped half-court system has been transformative, as he’s now hitting a career-best 47.4% from beyond the arc on nearly five attempts per game. Similarly, Lonzo Ball, when healthy, has thrived in this new approach. Zach LaVine, meanwhile, has also excelled, playing in 21 of the team’s 24 games and averaging 21.8 points on impressive shooting splits: 50.8% from the field and 43.2% from three-point range on 7.4 attempts.

While the offensive system appears to be effective, defense has been the Bulls’ Achilles heel, costing them crucial wins. LaVine acknowledged this after Chicago’s Dec. 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers, despite his standout 32-point performance. The Bulls hit 42% of their 50 three-point attempts and scored 29 points in transition, yet still fell by nine points.

In an interview with Sam Smith of NBA.com, LaVine explained the team’s predicament:
“I think this is our best way of competing … We’ve competed in every game; we just have to figure out how to get a stop to stop the damage (when trailing).”

LaVine’s assessment highlights Chicago’s reliance on their high-paced, three-point-heavy strategy, which is reflected in their league rankings. As of Dec. 8, the Bulls are fourth in scoring, third in three-point attempts, fourth in three-point percentage, and first in pace. However, these offensive strengths are overshadowed by their defensive struggles, as they rank last in points allowed, 28th in defensive rating, 28th in opponent field goal percentage, and 30th in points allowed in the paint.

In short, while the Bulls are maximizing their offensive potential, their inability to defend effectively has left them with a disappointing 10-14 record. They may be competing hard, but their defensive woes continue to undermine their efforts.