Donovan calls on White to forget about missed shots
Now that Patrick Williams is starting to build some confidence, maybe the biggest missing piece for the Bulls heading into the playoffs is Coby White's scoring.
White went just 2-for-24 from 3-point range over a five-game stretch before rebounding a bit with a 3-for-7 night against Milwaukee on Tuesday.
"He's gotten good shots," coach Billy Donovan said. "I've talked to Coby about this, 'You've got to get lost in the game competitively.' I do think if you get into this place where it's all about making (shots) ... he's got to compete defensively, he's got to get out in transition. He's got to be moving and cutting.
"It takes about a second to shoot a shot. For the amount of minutes he's out there, I want him to be aggressive, want him to shoot them. But if he misses a shot, he's got to have a short-term memory. He just can't be wearing that."
Overall this season, White is shooting 37.5% from 3-point range, the best of his career. His scoring average of 12.6 points is the lowest of his career, but that's obviously a function of having a better team around him.
One spot where White can help is pushing the tempo. He can get the ball upcourt faster than most guards, but it also has to come with good decisions along the way.
"I don't want him at a place where he's overthinking every single time," Donovan said, "and now there's this other thing he could be doing for our team that he's not doing because he's become a guy that's just, 'If I'm making a shot, it's good. If I'm not making a shot, it's not good.'
"He's got to be able to give us more. The biggest thing he can do is just stay aggressive and stay confident."
Ball officially finished:
The Bulls made it official, releasing a statement Wednesday morning confirming guard Lonzo Ball will not play again this season.
That decision seemed obvious Tuesday when coach Billy Donovan said Ball was still experiencing pain in his left knee when trying to run full speed. Ball had taken a 10-day break from running in an effort to get the pain to subside. Ball had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Jan. 28 and last played on Jan. 14.
Looking back on Ball's first season with the Bulls, Donovan said, "He's really a team guy. People will always enjoy playing with him, because he's got a pass-first mentality."
Caruso sits out:
Alex Caruso sat out Wednesday's game due to a low back contusion, an injury that has bothered him for at least a week. Taking the final two games of the regular season off might be a smart idea. He played 22 minutes against Milwaukee on Tuesday.
"I think he woke up this morning pretty sore," coach Billy Donovan said before the game. "He's just not moving like he normally does. I think the biggest impact is probably his defense."
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