Hoiberg says Dunn has been “rock star” so far in camp
Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg offered praise for point guard Kris Dunn before Friday's practice at the Advocate Center. Dunn and Bobby Portis were the only two Bulls to score in double figures during Wednesday's lopsided preseason loss in Milwaukee.
“Kris has to have an aggressive mindset,” Hoiberg said. “When that's his approach, he's going to get guys to play off him because he's going to force the defense to collapse; when he's aggressive and getting the ball into the paint.
“I thought we did a phenomenal job of that in Game 1 and not a very good job in Game 2. but I look at the way Kris has handled everything since he got back (to Chicago) in September full time, he's just been a rock star. He's been coming in every day to work with a great approach and we've loved what we've seen out of him early on in the season.”
Final spots not set:
The Bulls haven't gone very deep into the bench during the first two games of preseason, but they will have decisions to make.
Between Ryan Arcidiacono, Antonius Cleveland, Derrick Walton Jr., Kaiser Gates and JaKarr Sampson, there's room for one player on the NBA roster, and the Bulls still have their second two-way slot available. Shooting guard Rawle Alkins will be one of the two-way players, who split time between the NBA team and the G-League.
“It's competition,” coach Fred Hoiberg said. “Those guys are getting a lot of good reps and we're trying to have them play, not really the scout team, but playing different defenses against the first two teams and they've been awesome.
“They come in here to work every day. Some days they get a lot of reps, some days they don't get many, but when they get out there, they play very hard. So everything's still open in that regard.”
Arcidiacono probably has the edge for the last roster spot, unless the Bulls decide not to keep three point guards. It's possible everyone who doesn't make the NBA roster ends up with the Windy City Bulls.
Bulls horns:
Coach Fred Hoiberg spoke before Friday's practice, but said Zach LaVine was planning to be a full participant. LaVine left Wednesday's preseason game in Milwaukee early in the third quarter and sat out Thursday's practice due to a right thigh contusion. … The Bulls will get their first day off of training camp Saturday after 11 straight days with either practice or a game. The team will host its annual charity dinner at the Advocate Center.