Didn’t see that one coming.
Though I guess we should have with these Bulls, who this season have won and lost some of the most unlikely and inexplicable games, and did so yet again Monday in a 107-105 head scratcher defeat against the league’s worst defensive team, the 14-58 Washington Wizards who just a few weeks ago the Bulls beat by 29. And only because they took it easy on them the last three quarters.
People in this country talk about Washington dysfunction, but it rarely matches what goes on with these Wizards, who returned to play the Bulls with even fewer of their regulars, seven missing this time including lead scorer Kyle Kuzma and only one starter playing, Jordan Poole.
Poole scored 23 points to lead the Wizards, though some other teams might have cut him with the shots he was taking. Grinder Corey Kispert had 19 points and 12 rebounds as the mini Wizards led by center Richaun Holmes’ 15 rebounds had a 52-46 edge on the Bulls and 19 second-chance points. And then two-way reserve point guard Jared Butler off the bench had a game-high 13 assists with some passes that might have made Jason Kidd jealous.
DeMar DeRozan had 27 points for the Bulls, 14 in the fourth quarter. But with no miracles this time as his half court shot to win the game as time expired went long. Coby White still recovering his shooting eye since missing three games added 22 points, but on 6-of-20 shooting against this Washington team that allows the most points in the NBA and opponents to shoot an unheard of 50% overall.
No, you could not have seen this coming, especially for a Bulls team, now 34-38, and one that has recently won some of the most impressive games in the NBA this season with those amazing finishes against Indiana, Utah, Sacramento, Golden State and Cleveland among others.
But perhaps that also in the NBA roulette was continuing to believe red would come up yet again.
Talk about seeing red in this one.
To paraphrase the skipper from Bull Durham as we start to think about green pastures and blue skies, you lollygag to start the game, you lollygag on closeouts, you lollygag to the huddle after a timeout 82 seconds into the game. You know what that makes you, Billy?
Well, Bulls coach Billy Donovan didn’t exactly say that despite the Bulls at home starting the game trailing 15-0.
“The first quarter was a hole we were unable to dig ourselves out of because of how much we struggled to shoot the basketball,” said Donovan in a familiar refrain. “It’s a really disappointing (loss). Just calling it like it is. What I would say is I have a lot of respect for our guys, and our guys compete and they’ve been professional all year long and I did think they gave an effort to get back in the game. It wasn’t good enough to get back over the hump.
“It just speaks to none of us are as good as we think we are because you have to show up and compete and perform, because when you’re playing against guys who are desperate to keep a job, to earn a living, you still have to line up and compete,” counseled Donovan. “We don’t have that room for error and to have the game come down to hoping they miss some free throws, hoping we grab an extra rebound, maybe we get fouled and get a three-point play, maybe DeMar’s shot at half court goes in and we win. When you are living like that, that’s a hard way to win to expect to be good. I think our guys competed, but we don’t have that room for error and not have the game come down to hoping. That’s a hard way to live.”
There’s also been this excuse offered at times that the Bulls eased up against lesser competition, which Donovan appropriately has dismissed as essentially delusional. Remember, this Bulls team was nine games under .500 and still is working to get there for a play-in tournament spot. Though with the loss and an Atlanta win, the Hawks in 10th drew within a game and a half of the Bulls in ninth. Eying the sliding Philadelphia 76ers perhaps for eighth in the East, like Satchel Paige said, watch out behind because something may be gaining on you.
Am I ready for baseball season or what? Like Satchell also said, “I never had a job. I just always played baseball.”
Yeah, this basketball thing should be fun, too, especially with the post season in sight. But with White drop kicking the scorer’s table at halftime and DeRozan’s fuse almost burned away again, something’s got to give. You know, when an irresistible force such as the Wizards meets an old immovable object like the Bulls? Fight, fight, fight with all of your might?
“We don’t have the luxury to (play down to anyone) ,” Donovan reiterated. “We don’t have the luxury to do that at all. They were really physical with us the last time we played here in Chicago. We shot the ball a lot better (last time) . Tonight, they were just as physical and we didn’t shoot the ball as well (both teams shot 28.6 percent on threes with the modern game not quite catching up to either). Outside of the first quarter, our defense was not bad. But we just can’t give up 31 points in a quarter and struggle like we did offensively and expect to win against anybody. I didn’t sense they (Bulls) came in thinking we’ve just got to show up; certainly we haven’t earned or deserved or should be even thinking that way.”
Though even with the lacking start in which the Bulls missed their first seven shots overall and first nine threes, they were pretty much back in the game in the second quarter. Though there were signs even as the Bulls drew within 53-49 at halftime. White had blocked a shot that led to a fast break in which a wide open Alex Caruso missed a dunk that would have gotten the Bulls within one point. Washington then made a three.
With about eight minutes left in the third quarter, DeRozan made a three to tie the game. And Ayo Dosunmu with 12 points added a three about a minute later that gave the Bulls their first lead at 66-65.
Which should have been enough for both teams, Washington to say they competed on the road, and the Bulls to show that familiar resilience and comeback gene. The game was tied at 82 going into the fourth quarter. You know, winnin’ time, clutch time as we’ve heard so often this season about these Bulls.
Washington — I still can’t believe they won — scored the first seven points of the fourth with a guy named Tristan Vukčević, the Vuk not being silent, making his second three-pointer. And then it was DeMar (not quite) to the rescue.
“I’m pretty sure I’m going to be pissed off until we get back out on the court,” said DeRozan. “We shouldn’t drop games like this right now. We’re resilient, but we can’t live on the edge every single game. We gotta leave it out there these last 10 games. We can’t have no more excuses. Play like your life depends on it; simple as that. It sucks because all these games matter. You want to be playing good basketball towards this part of the season. In the circumstance we are under everything matters so much more. We’ve got to be more desperate. Not just the beginning of the game, but every single game here on out.
“You’re playing against teams like Washington who don’t necessarily have anything to lose, so they go out there and play,” said DeRozan. “Sometimes those games are just as difficult as when you play a top team and you have to be aware of that. That should not matter. We have to understand all these games matter. There’s time, but we need to be playing the right way. Competing beginning to end, that’s all that matters.”
DeRozan tried again, and he did have more than half the Bulls fourth quarter points.
But also 10 of their 18 field goal attempts as several times late in the game he futilely drove into defensive quartets and thus the Bulls became somewhat predictable offensively with 6-of-18 fourth quarter shooting.
DeRozan has especially lately won many more of these for the Bulls than they’ve lost. But the Bulls also have to consider going forward if this style of play dependent so much on closer DeRozan is sustainable. And more so though he never complains or makes excuses and is a model for teammates, is it too much to ask of the oldest player on the roster who also happens to lead the league in minutes played?
“I’m not talking about we have to make shots every game, but we have to move the basketball to generate good looks, we have to get downhill, play at the basket. And then live with the results of miss or make shots,” said Donovan. “We can’t afford to give up offensive rebounds and foul, turnovers, all those things we can’t afford to do. We were never able to get over the hump and get separation, and whenever we were tied or up one to their credit they responded. I don’t like saying this…, but you run the risk when you let luck come into the game, and we let luck come into the game in a lot of situations. You’re hoping they miss a free throw, hoping maybe you get lucky; that’s not a way to live.”
Though even with all that the Bulls were there to take the game in dramatic fashion yet again.
Some titanic stories don’t end happily; sometimes there’s no life boat left for you.
With two minutes left in the game, White on a drive made it a one-point game.
But another of those Washington two-way players, Justin Champagnie from the Capital City Go-Go did a little shimmy shake dance on the Bulls with a three for a 103-99 Washington lead with 1:59 left. Yes, we know the Bulls don’t get to these three-point shooters so well, though with Washington overall under 30% after that fast shooting start the defense wasn’t the issue.
This was when DeMar finally couldn’t deliver.
First Lockport native Holmes rejected a DeRozan drive. And after a Washington miss, DeRozan couldn’t get through the maze of Washington bodies and missed again. It still was Washington by four points with a minute left when Butler missed a three.
On the play, the Bulls Nikola Vučević grabbed his 16th rebound to complement Andre Drummond’s 10. But Vučević had a rare scoreless first half and just five shot attempts all game.
“We did a better job to start the third quarter to find (Vučević),” Donovan said. “That was one of the things I was disappointed with. We got into situations where the ball is being thrown back out, and we’ve got some guys, particularly younger guys, that are just catching the ball, trying to put the ball down, and they’re not reading the defense. We missed him way too many times. When he did get him, Vooch is a very unselfish player. So a lot of times when he did get it in that pocket and near the lane line, if he didn’t like what he had he sprayed it out and generated shots for other guys. That’s going to happen. But we missed him too many times.”
DeRozan, who also had five steals. did finish a scoring drive this time with 48.6 seconds left on a smart dribble handoff and curl to make it 103-101 Washington.
Caruso, who exceeded 100 steals for the season on the way to another all-defensive team, fouled Champagnie. He made one of two for the 104-101 Washington lead with 31.2 seconds left.
And you still kept expecting DeRozan to steal another.
Washington got the free throw miss, but DeRozan dashed into the left corner to block a Champagnie three; no corks for him.
Geez, Washington got the ball yet again, but lost the ball on the shot clock violation. Though now 14.8 seconds left and Bulls timeout, and DeRozan finished good again. And again it was Wizards by one point now with 9.5 seconds left. The Bulls intentionally fouled Kispert, who made two free throws for a 106-103 Wizards lead with 7.6 seconds left. But now the Bulls last timeout. The Wizards fouled White trying to get off a three, but not quickly enough.
Donovan said he initially told White to miss the second free throw like the strategy in the miracle win over Indiana recently. But Donovan said he reconsidered and decided with 6.2 seconds left there was time to extend the game, possibly get a steal and multiple possessions. The Bulls then uncorked another foul on Champagnie, who this time missed the second with 5.3 seconds left. Wizards by two.
But without a timeout, DeRozan only could get to half court and fire off a no-way with two seconds left. It hit back rim long.
White looked open along the left wing, but he was 2-of-11 on threes. DeRozan said he pulled up and shot when he did to get a clearer look and avoid a contest. He felt the shot was on line. And we’ve seen him do this to Indiana, and saw Max Strus make a longer one than that recently to win a game. It just wasn’t to be.
How’s that go what the kids say, SMH.
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