Look, I love the Chicago Bulls. I have since the 2021-2022 NBA season, and I don’t think I will ever stop being a fan. However, I will admit, changes must be made.
One of the biggest problems I have noticed this season is their defense. As of Jan. 16, NBA.com has them ranked 23nd in defensive rating out of the 30 teams based on per game stats from the entire season.
Their defensive rating is 115.3, meaning they give up 115.3 points per 100 possessions. To put this into perspective, the team with the best defensive rating, the Oklahoma City Thunder (who are first in the Western Conference and 34-6) have a rating of 103.
Unfortunately, this is nothing compared to their 56 opponent points in the paint per game, which is dead last in the NBA, meaning they give up the most points in the paint.
This was evident on Nov. 22nd in a 136-122 win against the Atlanta Hawks, where they allowed the Hawks to score 70 points in the paint.
While they were able to come up with the win, it was against the now 7th seeded Hawks. If they were to be a playoff team – or want to be in the future – it would be much more challenging.
They would have to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers and their excellent big man duo of Jarret Allen and Evan Mobley, the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the New York Knicks with Karl-Anthony Towns. With the lack of interior defense, they would not be able to slow these players down, especially in a seven game series.
Even if they faced teams that rely more on scoring from their guards, it would be a struggle. In total opponent points per game, the Bulls rank 29th, only giving up less points than the Washington Wizards.
While their offense has excelled this season, 5th in the league in points per game, and Zach LaVine has been key for them offensively, hitting his stride this month and also scoring key buckets in close games throughout the season, they are still sitting at 10th in the Eastern Conference for the last NBA play-in tournament spot.
While they did lose Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan this off-season, the return of Lonzo Ball in October should be counteracting the loss of Caruso’s great defense. As for DeRozan, as great as he was on the offensive side of the ball for the Bulls, he was not a crucial defensive player.
If the Bulls want to capitalize on this group’s offensive talent – and the return of Ball this season – they must find a way to fix their defensive problems. Whether it is by a coaching change, focusing on it in practice, or trades.
But whatever they do, it must not be too detrimental to their offense and potential.
My name is Ashley Mezewich and I am double majoring in journalism and sports communication. I love watching basketball, especially the NBA, and hope to become a sports reporter and writer.
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