Getty DeMar DeRozan #11 of the Chicago Bulls shoots over Jae Crowder #99 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half of a game at United Center on February 07, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois.
The Chicago Bulls are in third place in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 33-21. They are well on their way to making the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and have two players (DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine) participating in the 2022 All-Star Game.
However, the Bulls haven’t played well against the elite teams in the NBA, causing some pundits to question whether they are “frauds.” They had a chance to prove their naysayers wrong on February 7 against the best team in the league, the Phoenix Suns, but lost 127-124 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Following the disappointing loss to the Suns, their second in a row, the Bulls faced questions from the media about their putrid record versus contenders and the star players didn’t hold back.
DeRozan: ‘You can’t make mistakes against top teams’
According to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, the Bulls are 1-11 against teams with the top-seven records — besides theirs — in the NBA. DeRozan, who scored 38 points versus the Suns and is having an MVP-type season, claims he and his teammates have to cut down on their mistakes against the upper echelon teams.
“You can take a lot from those great teams of understanding what they do extremely well,” DeRozan said, via Johnson. “You can’t make mistakes against top teams in this league. You just can’t. You’re going to pay for it every single night. We have to understand that going into the game. Make teams uncomfortable. Teams try to do that same thing to us. We gotta do it to them.”
Per Johnson, the Bulls’ average margin of defeat is “14.5 points in two losses to the (Miami) Heat; four points in one meeting against the (Milwaukee) Bucks; 23 points in the loss of a two-game split with the (Cleveland) Cavaliers; 8.3 points in three defeats by the (Philadelphia) 76ers; 13 points in one meeting against the (Memphis) Grizzlies and an unsightly 34 points in two blowout losses to the (Golden State) Warriors.”
The Bulls are playing without guards Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, two pillars of their defense. However, LaVine knows the team can’t use that as an excuse.
LaVine on Playing Without Caruso, Ball: ‘We Still Have to Have the Same System and Competitiveness’
The Bulls are last in the NBA in defensive rating over their previous 15 games. Even though LaVine knows the Bulls’ defense is going to suffer until Ball and Caruso get back, the two-time Slam Dunk Champion believes playing with competitiveness should never be an issue.
“We gotta have a certain urgency or competitiveness regardless of who is on the floor,” LaVine said, via Johnson. “With those guys out, we’re not going to have the strongest defense because that’s what they do. But we still have to have the same system and competitiveness.”
The Bulls look to snap their two-game losing streak and defensive woes on February 9 against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Chicago defeated Charlotte on November 29 by a final score of 133-119 at home. However, both Ball and Caruso played in that contest.