Without LaVine, Bulls' quality of play nosedives in loss to Toronto
The Bulls perfected the art of the lightning meltdown on Friday in Milwaukee, when they went from a 22-point lead to 18-point deficit in a little more than a quarter.
Back home at the United Center, missing yet another starter, the Bulls reverted to the long, slow fade. With top scorer Zach LaVine absent with an illness, the Bulls were pounded by Toronto 122-83 on Saturday.
This game was painful to watch, with no promising start or positive performance for the Bulls to feel good about.
"We've got to do something. Don't quit, play as hard as you can until the last second," rookie Wendell Carter Jr. said. "I feel like that's what makes you a true basketball player, not giving up, just playing hard no matter what the score is. Just play as hard as you can."
Fast or slow, the storyline for the Bulls is usually the same. Needing a basket, someone tries to do too much on the offensive end and loses the ball. The opponents hustle down the floor and if they doesn't score a quick and easy basket, the Bulls are usually left scrambling on defense, chasing shooters until one is inevitably left wide open.
It's not necessarily anyone's fault. The Bulls' rash of injuries and illness have pushed players into roles beyond their comfort zone and talent level.
"(Guys are) putting their own heads down, blaming themselves," Carter said. "I feel like the beauty of this game, there's another play in a matter of seconds. We've just got to move on, try to make a better play the next time down the court."
This was the end of a very rough week for the Bulls (4-13), facing three of the best teams in the East - Boston, Milwaukee and Toronto - in four days. The Bulls built some early leads in Boston and Milwaukee, but ended up losing all three games badly.
Thankfully, they'll have the next three days off and may get Lauri Markkanen back from an elbow injury soon. Markkanen has been doing full-speed basketball workouts, which include dunks and 3-pointers, but has yet to be cleared for full-contact practice.
"I don't care who you're playing, who you have, you've got to go out there and compete," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "You've got to go out there and play through the tough times and we've got to figure that out."
Antonio Blakeney led the Bulls with 13 points, but he also exemplified the player trying to do too much. He hit 6 of 19 shots from the field and collected 4 of the Bulls' 22 turnovers.
Toronto (13-4) rested top scorer Kawhi Leonard, but didn't miss him. Rockford native Fred VanVleet started in Leonard's place and led the Raptors with 18 points.
This was the fifth time in the last eight games the Bulls finished with more turnovers than assists.
"We've got to find a way to build on the good things we do and start to limit the bad stretches that we have, which are way too many right now," Hoiberg said. "I do not see any splintering. We've just got to find a way and need to have two great, communicative, upbeat practices and hopefully carry that over into (Wednesday's) game."
Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls