The Chicago Bulls are in freefall after an encouraging first week of the season, dropping their third consecutive loss in a 119-99 road result against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
Nikola Vučević led the offense in a low-scoring night with 14 points and seven rebounds. Luka Dončić powered the Mavericks’ offense with 27 points while Kyrie Irving and Daniel Gafford added 17 points each. The Bulls dropped to 3-5 with the loss.
Here are six takeaways from the game.
1. The first quarter collapse paved the way.
The Bulls managed to counter the Mavericks and eke out a four-point lead in the opening minutes of play. But that level footing quickly crumbled as Dallas ripped off 17 unanswered points to dig the Bulls into a 22-9 deficit. Irving scored nine of those 17 points as the Bulls defense wilted under the balanced pressure of Dončić and Klay Thompson.
This scoreless streak set the tone for the rest of the game. The Bulls never reclaimed a lead, chipping the deficit down to three points before giving way to a double-digit blowout.
2. Unforced errors plagued the offense.
The Bulls couldn’t kickstart their offense in Dallas in part due to a flurry of mistakes that ended possessions prematurely. They gave up 18 points off 12 turnovers in the first half and ultimately ceded 28 points off 23 turnovers.
Patrick Williams and Josh Giddey struggled with indecisiveness that led them to stumble into traveling violations after being met with resistance by the Mavericks defense. Giddey contributed five of the team’s total turnovers while Williams and Coby White added four apiece. Eight different Bulls players finished with at least one turnover.
3. Poor shooting persisted behind the arc.
The other half of the offensive issues came from behind the arc, where the Bulls launched 42 attempts — and made only 12 shots (28.6%). This was a steep drop-off from their average clip of shooting 38.1% from behind the arc this season. Ayo Dosunmu went 2-for-10 and Coby White went 1-for-7 from 3-point range in a brutal shooting night.
The Bulls, to their credit, never strayed from their new identity of high-volume 3-point shooting even as their attempts failed to fall. And the Mavericks similarly struggled from behind the arc, finishing only 12-for-38 (31.6%). But without this crucial piece of their offense, the Bulls didn’t have an answer for the Mavericks.
4. Matas Buzelis hit his first NBA 3-pointer.
The Bulls finally gave Buzelis a full run in the secondary rotation in Wednesday’s loss, playing the rookie for nearly 23 minutes after coach Billy Donovan preached patience in the early weeks of his debut season.
Like his other early outings, Buzelis paired flashes of promise with notable learning experiences. He lost Klay Thompson in transition on his first play of the game and continued to get twisted up in the paint on defense. But he also made a significant impact around the rim, grabbing nine rebounds including three offensive boards.
On offense, Buzelis showcased his ability to create and knock down shots. His opening basket began with a shot fake in the corner, giving the rookie room to drive to the basket and step around a defender for a layup. He sank the first 3-pointer of his NBA career in the first quarter, knocking down a shot on the run with his feet barely set to cut the lead down to three points.
Buzelis finished with 13 points on 4-for-9 shooting while going 3-for-4 from 3-point range, adding two steals and a blocked shot while giving up only one turnover.
5. Dalen Terry contributed two-way play.
Another rare bright spot in the loss was the play of third-year wing Dalen Terry, who showcased an improved shot and important pressure on the boards in 24 minutes off the bench. In a season focused on player development, elevating young players like Terry is a key focus for the Bulls, who are still evaluating the potential of their entire supporting cast outside of White and Dosunmu.
The white flag went up early in the fourth quarter for the Bulls, which gave Terry extended time on the court alongside deep bench players like Chris Duarte. Terry finished with 10 points on 3-for-7 shooting while tallying four rebounds, two steals and an assist.
6. Another game without Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball.
Zach LaVine missed his second consecutive game with a strained right adductor. The Bulls do not expect this to be a long-term injury, but the star guard’s timeline to return to the court is still uncertain.
Donovan told reporters ahead of Wednesday’s game that Lonzo Ball narrowly missed a more serious injury after spraining his wrist in a road game against the Memphis Grizzlies last Monday. Ball is still wearing a splint and will be re-evaluated by the Bulls medical team on Thursday. He has missed four games so far due to the wrist injury after making his return from a two-season absence due to a knee injury.
