PHOENIX — The Chicago Bulls headed to Sacramento after Wednesday’s 127-121 loss to the Phoenix Suns with a very different mentality since the season-altering trade of Zach LaVine seven weeks ago.
After losing their bearings immediately after the Feb. 3 three-way swap with the Kings and San Antonio, the Bulls have played their best stretch of ball in the season leading into this crucial road trip that stands at 1-2 with three more difficult tests against old friends LaVine and DeMar DeRozan at Sacramento, Saturday against Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers, and next Monday at Denver.
The Bulls couldn’t contain Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on Wednesday, as Phoenix took a quick lead in the opening minutes and never relinquished it. The Bulls trailed by 21 midway through the third quarter and whittled it down to 8 points on Nikola Vučević’s putback with 4:45 to play, and pulled to within four on Coby White’s three-pointer with 27 seconds left.
Josh Giddey, who returned from a right ankle sprain to score 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting with seven rebounds in over 30 minutes, has been a different person since the All-Star break, putting the onus on himself to pick up the slack in LaVine’s absence.
‘When a guy like that leaves it obviously leaves a big hole in the team,” Giddey said before Wednesday’s game. “And he carried such a big load offensively when he left it wasn’t going to be able to be filled by one person. That was going to have to be done by committee. I thought we’ve done a great job, and not just me. Everyone in this room has picked up that void since Zach has left.
“We’ve done a really good job since he left and he was obviously a big part of what we do, but since the trade, the three guys that have come in have done an awesome job of helping us continue to go in the right path, and the direction we’re heading in now is a good one.”
Vučević said it would be “weird” to face LaVine, who welcomed him to the Bulls when he came over from Orlando.
“For me, this year especially, we’d get into a two-man game, he and I, the pick-and-roll, the handoffs, everything,” Vučević said. “The presence and attention he had from the defense opened it up for everybody. When he got traded, it took us a little time to adjust and figure out how to split (his shots) and who takes over that role a little.
“The last 7-8-10 games it’s been better, but it’s been an adjustment. He’s a hell of a player, and he had a hell of a year and made the game much easier for everybody. It’s part of the business, but that’s the decision they made. They decided to trade him and we had to move on.”
Coby White can’t be stopped — or slowed — as the new focal point for the Chicago Bulls
With Miami losing to Detroit Wednesday, the Bulls (29-40) remained in the ninth spot for the play-in tournament with 13 games left. If the season ended now, they’d host the Heat at the United Center.
Coach Billy Donovan noted change after the LaVine deal took a while as players got adjusted to each other.
“You bring three new players in, and they’re not sure, because the trade deadline was not finished, are they going to end up being traded as well,” he said. “Then you’re trying to get them acclimated. So we had a transition period for a while.
“Those three guys have been a really positive addition, and I give Coby (White) a lot of credit for his leadership, and even ‘Vooch’ going through what he went through at the trade deadline. He’s tried to re-establish his voice with the team… I like the way we’re playing. We’ve been competitive in all our games.”
Giddey, who came off the bench Wednesday. said his ankle was 100% now and it would not prevent him from playing in back-to-backs, noting that time is running short.
“At this point of the year every game is a must-win and we’re trying to make a push for the playoffs,” he said. “These last (13) games are critical and every one matters. You want to be out there as much as you can, and I especially do. If I’m good to go, I’ll play.”
Giddey, a restricted free agent, has been one of the biggest facilitators of optimism for the Bulls future, while adding to his value. He was was averaging 12.2 points per game before the All-Star break on 45% shooting, and 35% from 3-point range. Heading into Wednesday. Giddey was averaging 23.1 points per game in nine games since the break, shooting 52% from the field and 53% on 3-point attempts.
So which is the real Giddey?
“The post (break),” he said. “Don’t worry about the pre. It’s a different player, I think post (break) it’s just different in terms of confidence and aggressiveness and kind of what’s being asked (of me). So forget about the pre. I’ve kind of grown over the last two months and it’s not just how I’m doing. I’m trying to lead us to win, so the pre-(break)Giddy is a different guy.”
Remember, the Bulls were supposed to play dead after the LaVine trade in hopes of getting better odds at a top lottery pick. But Donovan said Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has an “old school” mentality when it comes to tanking, even though both the Bulls and White Sox have been in that position the last few years.
“We talk a little bit about the situation we’re in right now, and he really believes there’s an integrity to competition, an integrity to go out there and do your very very best,” Donovan said. “And I really respect that. We all take our jobs seriously. I do, the assistants do, the players do. You want to put your best foot forward and compete.
“I really appreciate that. The fact that you can have honest, open discussions and share your viewpoints and talk, I respect that. He’s obviously seen great teams. He knows what great basketball looks like. He knows what great baseball looks like. He knows what winning looks like. All those conversations, I’ve taken a lot from it and learned quite a bit.”
Bulls fans also know what greatness looks like. And even with a young and improving core, they know the Bulls are still a long ways away from being great again.
