Chicago Bulls: Why it's too early to panic about this winless squad

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Chicago Bulls Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls have lost the first three games of the season, but they still have plenty of time to turn things around and contend for the playoffs.

Losing the first three games of the year is not what Chicago Bulls fans had in mind when the NBA released the schedule for the 2021 season. After an offseason that included hiring respected head coach Billy Donovan and drafting promising prospect Patrick Williams, the team looked poised to turn over a new leaf.

Although an 0-3 start is far from ideal, there’s too much basketball left to be played to give up on the season now. The team is young, but most of its core has been together for a few seasons. Billy Donovan has a reputation for manufacturing a product that is better than the sum of its parts. This season should be no different.

Familiar faces on the Chicago Bulls roster

Five of the Bulls’ top six rotation players were with the team last season. Rookie Patrick Williams is the only new addition to the starting lineup after a surprisingly strong showing during training camp and the preseason. Through the first three contests, he’s averaging a solid 10.3 points per game. The player Williams replaced in the starting lineup, Otto Porter Jr, has made a solid contribution off the bench with averages of 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game thus far.

The rest of Chicago’s core consists of Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, Coby White and Wendell Carter Jr. There’s no reason that a team featuring a prolific scorer like LaVine and an All-Star caliber player like Markkanen shouldn’t compete for the seventh or eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Last year, as coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Billy Donovan had the luxury of having a leader like Chris Paul in his locker room. The question for this year’s Bulls team is who is going to assume that leadership role both on and off the court and demand the most from their teammates on a nightly basis?

Next: The Chicago Bulls have faced quality opponents

Chicago Bulls</a> fans had in mind when the NBA released the schedule for the 2021 season. After an offseason that included hiring respected head coach Billy Donovan and drafting promising prospect Patrick Williams, the team looked poised to turn over a new leaf.</p> <p>Although an 0-3 start is far from ideal, there’s too much basketball left to be played to give up on the season now. The team is young, but most of its core has been together for a few seasons. Billy Donovan has a reputation for manufacturing a product that is better than the sum of its parts. This season should be no different.</p> <h2> Familiar faces on the Chicago Bulls roster</h2> <p>Five of the Bulls’ top six rotation players were with the team last season. Rookie Patrick Williams is the only new addition to the starting lineup after a surprisingly strong showing during training camp and the preseason. Through the first three contests, he’s averaging a solid 10.3 points per game. The player Williams replaced in the starting lineup, Otto Porter Jr, has made a solid contribution off the bench with averages of 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game thus far.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="light" data-text="Bulls: Ranking all five potential starters" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/" data-call-to-action="Related Story" > <div class="story-link-related"> <a class="story-link-related-btn" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-related-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/29/chicago-bulls-panic-winless/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/23/chicago-bulls-ranking-potential-starters/"> <span class="call_to_action">Related Story:</span> Bulls: Ranking all five potential starters </a> </div> </div> <p>The rest of Chicago’s core consists of <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/29/chicago-bulls-panic-winless/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lavinza01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener" ref="nofollow">Zach LaVine</a>, Lauri Markkanen, Coby White and Wendell Carter Jr. There’s no reason that a team featuring a prolific scorer like LaVine and an All-Star caliber player like Markkanen shouldn’t compete for the seventh or eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.</p> <p>Last year, as coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Billy Donovan had the luxury of having a leader like Chris Paul in his locker room. The question for this year’s Bulls team is who is going to assume that leadership role both on and off the court and demand the most from their teammates on a nightly basis?</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/29/chicago-bulls-panic-winless/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The Chicago Bulls have faced quality opponents </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_419526" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/29/chicago-bulls-panic-winless/"https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/imagn-images/2017/07/15355309.jpeg"> "Chicago

<span class="call_to_action">Related Story:</span> Bulls: 3 things to know about No. 4 pick Patrick Williams </a> </div> </div> <p>On Saturday, Chicago lost to an Indiana Pacers team that was competitive in their first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat despite the absence of All-Star Damontas Sabonis. Putting up an impressive triple-double of 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, Sabonis showed he’s fully recovered from plantar fasciitis that sidelined him during the playoffs. This was a lackluster effort from the Bulls, but the Pacers are a solid team nonetheless.</p> <p>Sunday night’s loss to the Golden State Warriors was heartbreaking. Yes, double-teaming Stephen Curry to prevent him from making an open game-winner is a good idea. However, leaving the in-bounder wide open for an easy look defeats the purpose. Damion Lee made Chicago pay for their miscalculation with a game-winner from the top of the key. The absence of Klay Thompson will be hard on the Warriors organization this season, but they are still coached by Steve Kerr while also featuring Steph Curry and a host of veterans.</p> <p>If the Bulls opened the season with losses against three teams with no shot at the playoffs, it might have been time to hit the panic button. As it stands now, they still have time to make a full recovery.</p> <div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/29/chicago-bulls-panic-winless/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The Chicago Bulls have some changes to make </a> </div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_419528" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/29/chicago-bulls-panic-winless/"https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/imagn-images/2017/07/15366537.jpeg"> "Chicago

<span class="call_to_action">Related Story:</span> Bulls: 5 goals for Otto Porter Jr. in 2020-21 </a> </div> </div> <p>Lastly, Chicago’s front line must rebound the ball better. Wendell Carter Jr. is a physical player who averaged 9.4 rebounds per game last season. If he can average double-digit rebounds, it will do wonders for Chicago’s interior presence. His 12.0 points per game average thus far is impressive for a player who’s getting limited touches, but his rebounding has dipped to 8.3 per contest. Sunday’s nail-biter against the Warriors was the only game so far this season that the Bulls won the rebounding battle. Coincidentally, it was the only game they came within arm’s reach of winning.</p> <p>Yes, fans in Chicago miss the days when the team was a lock to make the playoffs and the only question was how far they could go once they got there. Sadly, those days are over. The good news is Chicago has a battle-tested head coach and a roster full of talent. The only thing left for this group to do is learn how to work together. Once each man understands his role and becomes dedicated to doing his job on a nightly basis, the Bulls will be capable of beating anybody in the league on a given night. They’re long removed from their glory days, but they are trending in the right direction. Hope is just over the horizon.</p> <div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="NBA Power Rankings Week 1: The rise of the Nets" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/27/nba-power-rankings-week-one-overreactions-and-the-rise-of-the-brooklyn-nets/" data-call-to-action="Next" > <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/29/chicago-bulls-panic-winless/"https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/27/nba-power-rankings-week-one-overreactions-and-the-rise-of-the-brooklyn-nets/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> NBA Power Rankings Week 1: The rise of the Nets </a> </div> </div><!—pageview_candidate—>">