Shocking stat proves the Chicago Bulls are, in fact, a bad team
By Ryan Heckman
The Chicago Bulls are currently losers of six out of their last 10 games, but this type of trend is nothing new.
Since the All Star break, Chicago has been one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference. This team has gone from number one in the Eastern Conference to now number six, barely avoiding the play-in tournament.
All Star guard DeMar DeRozan has done all he can do to keep this team afloat, offensively, and that strategy has become worn thin. At one point, DeRozan was a legitimate MVP candidate. But, teams have keyed-in on him, knowing fully well that he is the Bulls’ source of offense.
Without DeRozan, Zach LaVine can only do too much. The rest of the team? They’ve looked lost and inconsistent for weeks now.
The Chicago Bulls are a much worse team than current standings indicate.
To sum it up, the Bulls are a bad team. There is no escaping that fact, especially when you realize the following stat is true:
The Bulls have been blown out so many times that they now have a negative per-game point differential (-.25) on the season.
For those who need further explaining: The Bulls are scoring less than their opponent, on average, every game.
Because of three-straight blowouts, this Bulls team is now looking at a negative differential. It’s truly remarkable. It’s hard to believe they have come this far. Once a powerhouse in the East, now the Bulls have revealed themselves.
This is a team that cannot beat the great squads, period, Going 0-4 against the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers is not going to cut it. But, here we are. The Bulls can be an exciting team when DeRozan is firing on all cylinders, but if he’s not getting help, it will turn ugly in a hurry.
Nikola Vucevic has been a pain point for many fans, as his offensive production has been staggeringly bad and wildly unpredictable. For every great game he has, Vucevic will give the Bulls five bad ones.
Coby White’s shooting slump has seemed to last far longer than we can remember. He’s been more inconsistent over the past two months, and it’s gotten frustrating.
Tristan Thompson was supposed to be the magic piece, but he has been horrid on defense.
In fact, the best way to sum it up? This Bulls team lacks heart.
This team doesn’t have a vocal leader. They don’t play inspired. They allow better competition to walk all over them without stepping up to the plate. There have been just a select few players who continue to put in respectable effort: DeRozan, Alex Caruso and Javonte Green.
If everyone on this team played as hard as Javonte Green, this team would be unbeatable. But, that’s not the case. Billy Donovan has allowed his second-straight post-All Star Break collapse. He has not rallied the troops. His demeanor remains the same — and he’s never been the loud, motivational guy. But, it is about time he adapts.
The Bulls may be in the playoffs, but at the rate things are going, they’ll be lucky to win one game against any of the top seeds.