It’s Christmas, Bulls fans! And you know what that means. It’s time to see if Santa Claus fulfilled your wish lists.
Here’s what was on my wish list for the Bulls this holiday season.
It’s the Pecking Order.
1) Zach LaVine makes a real push for his first All-Star selection
Fan voting for NBA All-Stars opens on Christmas Day. Zach made it known that getting his first All-Star nod was one of the goals he set for this season.
So far, his numbers aren’t good enough for that to happen. In fact, his numbers are down across the board from last season except for a higher 3-point percentage and a slight increase in steals per game.
It doesn’t help that his team isn’t winning much. That matters a lot for getting votes.
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However, Zach has been on a tear recently. His average of 27.8 points in the last 16 games is much more impressive than his total season average of 23.6. During that stretch he has six 30-point games, including his career-high 49 in a juggernaut performance that included 13 3-pointers and the game-winner.
If Zach can pile up lots more of those 30+ games – and most importantly, do so in WINS – he might still have an outside shot to represent the Bulls when Chicago hosts All-Star weekend next February.
2) Will the real Lauri Markkanen please stand up?
Y'all know I’m a Lauri Stan. I believe in this kid’s star potential, and perhaps for that reason I’ve been easier on him than others despite his dreadful start to the season.
I can’t help it. I straight up REFUSE to believe that he’s this bad. The shooting slump, the lack of aggression, the soft play for a 7-footer. He’s better than what we’ve seen.
Some of his struggles, in my opinion, are a result of the offensive scheme the Bulls are trying (and mostly failing) to run this season. He gets forgotten, looked over and sat on the bench far too frequently. But some of it is on Lauri. He must do whatever it takes to get himself going and not rely on coaching or teammates to get his shots for him.
Lauri recently had his second-best performance of the season at the Wizards on Dec. 18. It was the kind of performance we hadn’t seen since he dropped 35 and 17 on opening night. It was great to see him go 5-of-10 from downtown, as his recent uptick in 3-point efficiency has raised his season average to an almost respectable 33.2%. Let’s hope that trend continues.
Even more importantly, Lauri shot 7-of-9 from inside the arc. He was aggressive attacking the basket and displayed his full offensive arsenal that we saw in his first two seasons.
If Lauri can shake off the dreadful start and ball out, I’ll be happier about another lost Bulls season. If I have to watch this team go from 22 wins to 29 wins, at least let me keep my faith in Lauri. And hey, if Lauri steps his game up to the level we expected, maybe the Bulls can make a late-season playoff push.
3) Please stop sugar-coating bad losses
I’ve had enough of the “We battled” and “We won the first quarter” soundbites after bad losses and coughed-up leads. Jim Boylen, while head coach at Utah, had perhaps one of the best post-game comments ever: “Whipped cream on a turd still tastes like s***.”
Exactly. With each of the Bulls’ 20 losses – with one of easiest schedules in the league, mind you – it gets more difficult to name the “worst loss of the season.” If you want to move the playoff goalposts that were set as the season began and tell the media and fans this season isn’t about just wins and losses, but development, fine.
But be real with us, and don’t be afraid to call bad losses what they are. I think most fans would appreciate the honesty, even if we don’t love the outcome.
4) Free Daniel Gafford
There’s not much to get excited about right now and watching Daniel Gafford is exciting. He plays above the rim on both ends of the floor and brings the physicality that Boylen and John Paxson always complain about this team lacking.
If Gafford gets some time to develop in the back half of the season, he could really blossom. The problem is the logjam in the front-court.
I want Lauri playing more minutes than the 30.4 he’s averaging so far. Wendell Carter Jr.’s hands and offensive toolbox need work, so I’m not ready to cut his 30.2 minutes either. Luke Kornet wasn’t a terrible flier but given the defensive system this team is running (with somewhat respectable results, to their credit) he shouldn’t ever see the floor.
The key is Thad Young.
Thad chose to come here as a free agent knowing he wouldn’t start but was still promised a considerable role off the bench. Unfortunately, he hasn’t done much with his minutes and isn’t happy with his allotment.
To me, the solution is clear. With Otto Porter Jr. on the shelf for the foreseeable future, play Thad at the wing. It’s not his ideal position, but it’s doable. And it fills some minutes at a position where the Bulls are currently without dept. Or if Thad is truly unhappy, find a trade for him and free up even more minutes for Gafford.
The Bulls need to play Gafford real minutes with Lauri AND Wendell, to see what they have chemistry-wise. Please, Santa. #FreeGafford.
5) Bulls fans, have a Happy Holidays too
I wish you all, my dear fellow Bulls fans, a safe and happy holiday season surrounded by your loved ones.
Eat, drink, watch hoops, be merry! Thanks for reading. See red, be good.
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