For Bulls supporters, the beginning of the 2023–24 season was already embarrassing enough, but when Chicago hosted the Miami Heat on Saturday, it appeared like things had reached a new low.
The Bulls would get off to a dismal start in the game, trailing 1-22 early on and appearing to be completely outmatched in a matter of minutes. The Heat had as much as a 95.9% chance to win the game in the third quarter of play, according to ESPN’s win projection model.
The Bulls battled back into the game by the end, despite Chicago failing to score a single basket in the first eight minutes of regulation. They would triumph against all odds, ultimately saving the team’s sanity and maybe even a few jobs. They can enjoy their victory for the time being, but it won’t last long because the Heat will return to the United Center tonight with the goal of defeating the Bulls on their home court.
These three players need to get their minds in the game and contribute more regularly if Chicago is to avoid suffering the same kind of early humiliation that they did on Saturday.
The Bulls play the Heat again tonight with the goal of winning their first back-to-back games of the year.
1. Patrick Williams
I won’t add too much here because Patrick Williams’ unimpressive start to the 2023–24 season has already received a lot of attention. It’s unfair to expect a ton of statistical production from him now that he seems to have settled into a bench role. But it’s reasonable to anticipate more than this.
Williams only scored two points and made one of his five field goal attempts in the victory over Miami. Williams has only scored ten points or more in three of his fourteen games this season, and he hasn’t scored fifteen or more on any one night. Calling this a disastrous start to the year would be an understatement in a contract year where Williams was hoping to land a sizable contract extension. If he doesn’t turn things around, son, we will soon be calling him a “bust.”
2. Nikola Vucevic
The Bulls won the rebounding battle as a team, but big man Nikola Vucevic of Chicago did not offer much comfort when the team lost to 6-foot-9 center Bam Adebayo. Zach LaVine, Vooch’s teammate, also grabbed eight rebounds in 33 minutes of play, and Drummond, who played only fifteen minutes, pulled down nine rebounds.
If you can’t rebound the ball, it’s difficult to win in the modern NBA. Not being able to make three-pointers makes winning difficult as well. With the Bulls’ margin of victory so narrow, Vooch’s 1-for-5 performance from beyond the arc could have cost them the game. Let’s hope the former All-Star center has a better night.
3. Jevon Carter
The Bulls were actively harmed by the poor play of the last two players on this list, but Jevon Carter is the one who benefits the most from his own good play. Following his signing of a comparatively low-risk $20 million contract with Chicago this offseason, Jevon is well-positioned to pursue a larger role that may eventually lead to a truly big deal.
Carter has only played in 14.4 minutes per game on average thus far, despite shooting 44.2% from three-point range. He hasn’t had much opportunity to make an impact. If Carter’s play lives up to his price tag, there might be an opportunity in store for him if Chicago is willing to make changes, as evidenced by their decision to insert Alex Caruso into the starting lineup.