Flirting with disaster has become commonplace for the Chicago Bulls. But Monday night, the shorthanded team almost took that sense of drama too far.
For once, the Bulls were in a favorable position – leading the Portland Trail Blazers by 16 points in the third quarter. Complete a win and the Bulls would climb back to a game below .500 with a prime opportunity to even their record against the Houston Rockets later this week.
But that would be too easy.
Instead, the Bulls slipped into a funk. They let the lead fall to single digits. DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vučević coughed up some turnovers. The Blazers racked up nine unanswered points. And suddenly, the Bulls were entering the final five minutes of the game with their lead reduced to two points – then reduced to a tie, then turned into a brief two-point deficit.
Experience eventually won out. DeRozan got a critical three-point play by fouling a jumper. Onuralp Bitim deflected a pass to force a turnover for a few points. Alex Caruso slapped a game-winning shot attempt off the hands of Anfernee Simons despite risking slipping the ball while sitting on five fouls. And the Bulls walked away with a 110-107 victory.
But the game highlighted the risk the Bulls continue to create by failing to put games away cleanly.
The Bulls now have played 184 minutes in 39 games this season. That means 56.5% of their games ended with a margin of five points or less in the final five minutes. No other team in the league spends the majority of their finishes by such a slim margin.
This trend has worked in the Bulls’ favor. They have won 24 of those 39 games, winning only 10 of their victories by more than five points. But every time the Bulls get back into the clutch zone, it brings with it an inevitable wave of uncertainty — surely that can’t be sustainable.
“It’s something we need to fix and improve on,” coach Billy Donovan said. “It happened in Indiana. The same thing happened the other night against Washington. We have to look at these possessions in terms of guys understanding what things are in games that change momentum. We had a few plays that really changed the dynamic of the game. It was on both sides. It was a multitude of things, decisions that we need to get better at and learn from.
Here are four other takeaways from the game:
1. Ayo Dosunmu continues his momentum.
With Coby White sidelined with a hip injury, the Bulls desperately needed another player to step up. Ayo Dosunmu responded enthusiastically to this request.
Dosunmu followed up a career-high 34-point game on Saturday by recording 23 points and 10 rebounds, a crucial contribution to Monday’s victory. It was the first time in Dosunmu’s career that he recorded consecutive games with 20 or more points. He has scored at least 20 points in 11 games this season.
2. Alex Caruso is playing through injury once again.
Injury issues are nothing new for Alex Caruso, but Monday highlighted the importance of the goalkeeper’s ability to play through pain.
Caruso had recently been listed on the injury report with left toe soreness, but was cleared to play against Portland on Monday. Early in the match, he landed awkwardly on Deandre Ayton’s foot and rolled his ankle. After attempting to stay in the game, the injury forced him to foul out and be subbed off and head to the locker room, where he was taped up before returning to the field.
Caruso ultimately played 31 minutes, recording five points, four assists, four rebounds and three steals in addition to the game-winning block.
3. DeMar DeRozan’s minutes keep piling up.
Playing the Blazers – who rank second to last in the Western Conference with just 19 wins under their belt – should have been close to an off game for the Bulls. But landing in the clutch also added an extra burden for DeMar DeRozan, who played 40 minutes as he continues to lead the league in total minutes this season (2,527.1).
It’s unexpected that a team would rely so heavily on a 34-year-old veteran. But the Bulls lose momentum when DeRozan isn’t on the court, a fact highlighted by Monday’s losing lead.
Despite the toll, DeRozan continued to ignore the impact of this volume.
“I really, really try to take good care of myself,” DeRozan said. “I’m trying to rest. I don’t have any other hobbies that cause me to exert energy. I love playing this game no matter how many minutes. I love being there.
DeMar DeRozan leads the league in total minutes at 34, but he remains sharp in the clutch.
He credits his performance through exhaustion to boxing and swimming during the offseason. pic.twitter.com/EglwJIFuP5
– Julia Poe (@byjuliapoe) March 19, 2024
4. André Drummond came out with a chipped tooth.
The Bulls planned to close with a double rotation with Andre Drummond and Vučević, but were forced to change plans at 2:28 when Drummond took a hit to the face. The center immediately stopped the play and called a timeout, grabbing his face.
After the game, the team confirmed that Drummond had broken his front tooth. Coach Billy Donovan didn’t know what treatment Drummond would need for his injury.
