The Chicago Bulls faced another setback in their Eastern Conference campaign, suffering a 124-113 defeat to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday at Little Caesars Arena. This loss marked the second consecutive game the Bulls played without their leading guard Josh Giddey, who has been sidelined with an ankle sprain. The team has also been without Coby White for the entire season, compounding their struggles.
However, the Bulls cannot use Giddey’s absence as an excuse for their performance against the Pistons. Detroit was also missing four starters, including Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris, and fielded a largely inexperienced lineup featuring former Bull Javonte Green. Despite having a more experienced roster, the Bulls found themselves outmatched, particularly by Daniss Jenkins, a two-way guard who scored 18 points and delivered 12 assists despite limited NBA experience.
The Bulls, who had a size advantage, failed to capitalize on it, with starting center Nikola Vučević managing only six points in 26 minutes. Paul Reed, a local talent from DePaul, led the Pistons with an impressive 28 points, 13 rebounds, and several key defensive plays. Despite trailing by as many as 23 points, the Bulls did make a spirited attempt to claw back, executing a 27-5 run to cut the deficit to just one. Unfortunately, they could not finish the comeback, marking their fourth consecutive loss and dropping their record to 6-5, leaving them 3.5 games behind the first-place Pistons at 10-2.
This defeat raises significant concerns about the Bulls’ competitiveness this season. Here are some key takeaways from the game:
The absence of Giddey has highlighted the struggles of Matas Buzelis, who has yet to fully step into a leadership role during these challenging times. While he recorded his first double-double this season with 21 points and 14 rebounds, his limited experience showed as he struggled to guide the team effectively in Giddey’s absence.
The Bulls also lacked creativity on offense, especially without Giddey’s ability to drive to the basket and facilitate plays. With an average of 21.4 points and 9.6 assists, Giddey is crucial to the Bulls’ rhythm and shot creation. The team often fell into a monotonous pattern, relying on isolated plays rather than cohesive teamwork, resulting in poor shooting percentages early in the game.
Regarding their outside shooting, the Bulls capitalized on the three-point arc early on, scoring a substantial portion of their first-half points from long range. However, as they mounted their comeback effort, they began to shy away from three-point attempts. This trend of low three-point volume is concerning, especially given that the Bulls boast one of the highest shooting percentages from deep this season.
As the season progresses, it remains to be seen how the Bulls will adapt to these challenges. They will need to find ways to restore their offensive dynamism and regain their competitive edge as they await the return of their key players. The team’s early struggles might seem daunting, but they can still turn things around as they look to regain their position in the Eastern Conference standings.