For a Bulls team that is badly in need of a few hard weeks of practice time, there hasn\u2019t been a lot of relief in sight.<\/p>\n
Thanks, NBA schedule.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why Bulls coach Billy Donovan was looking forward to the calendar flipping over to December. As of now, there are just 10 games scheduled for that month, with two in-season tournament games the likely scenario to be added on the week of Dec. 8.<\/p>\n
A much different feel than what November offered up, with the Bulls having 16 games, including four back-to-backs.<\/p>\n
Since the end of October, the Bulls have actually had less than a handful of real practices, instead getting their work done in morning shootarounds and film sessions.<\/p>\n
The Memphis loss on Saturday was a clear reminder that it\u2019s not working.<\/p>\n
It was the third game over their last six that the Bulls defense allowed 140 points or more. Donovan has watched his defense go from ranked 9th<\/sup> in overall defensive efficiency on Nov. 2 to now sitting 28th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n It was a group that finished 21st<\/sup> last season, and that was with Andre Drummond and of course All-NBA First-Team defender Alex Caruso.<\/p>\n Drummond left via free agency and Caruso was traded to Oklahoma City for Josh Giddey. Subtraction by addition on that side of the ball.<\/p>\n And oh, by the way, the top team in efficiency as of Sunday? Caruso\u2019s Thunder of course. And while Caruso was only averaging five points a game, he was second in individual defensive efficiency, while also drawing five charges and leading the team with 51 deflections.<\/p>\n The Bulls have drawn two charges total as a team, and Patrick Williams leads them in deflections with 33, despite missing the last three games.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why Donovan is searching for answers and is hoping to find them in the sweat equity that a good, hard practice will provide.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s being addressed every single day,\u201d Donovan said of all the defensive breakdowns.<\/p>\n Even in the win over Atlanta a night earlier, Donovan saw head-scratching moments.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had matchups against Jalen Johnson and (De\u2019Andre) Hunter, and we\u2019re actually having to think about going double in the post,\u201d Donovan said. \u201cWe have to be able to positionally and technique-wise just not get physically overwhelmed. There are times the ball is in space and we\u2019ve got to be able to sit down and guard the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n And whether all of that is just want-to or a poorly constructed defensive team, Donovan doesn\u2019t have the time to examine that. In his mind what they need is work.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t necessarily know other than getting back to practice where we can actually start working one-on-one and ball containment,\u201d he said. \u201cI do think we\u2019ve tried harder and executed better in pick-and-roll. More physical there. It\u2019s been more just the space where the guy has the ball and spins, and spins, and spins all the way to the basket. At some point we\u2019ve got to hold our ground.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to work at it, we\u2019ve got to get better. I think we can be better. We have to be one of those teams that cuts out the margin of error completely.\u201d<\/p>\n In other words, be more like Caruso.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were times last year where it was like, \u2018Oh my God, this is bad,\u2019 and Caruso fixes it,\u201d Donovan said. \u201cWe don\u2019t have that. They know it\u2019s something we\u2019ve got to get better at.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For a Bulls team that is badly in need of a few hard weeks of practice time, there hasn\u2019t been a lot of relief in sight. Thanks,… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\n