Presentation by national insurance agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Bulls finished their season-best six-game homestand with a 4-2 record following Saturday’s victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Here are 10 observations from the 105-92 victory.
—The Bulls finished December with 9 wins and 5 losses. They began their recently improved play with a home overtime win against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 30th. But this month has seen continued improvement in ball movement, scoring balance and defense. A tough test will come in January with 10 road games.
—As for their improved defense, the Bulls held the 76ers to 39.1 percent shooting. A 24-second shot clock violation in the fourth quarter drew a standing ovation from the bench. The only thing the Bulls didn’t do well defensively was finishing possessions, where he allowed 20 second-chance points.
—For the second straight game, Andre Drummond sat with three fouls before halftime. Drummond continued his elite rebounding, hitting double digits before halftime and finishing with 23, but he strayed from his comfort zone and put the ball on the floor multiple times. His live dribbling situations led to him having three turnovers. This is the third year in a row that Drummond has grabbed double-digit rebounds in the first half. And the fact that he grabbed over 20 rebounds in two of the three games he started in place of the injured Nikola Vucevic is huge. Drummond joins Rudy Gobert as the only players to grab 20 rebounds in multiple games this season. Drummond also added 15 points and three blocks.
Drummond’s 64 rebounds in his last three games are the most rebounds in a three-game stretch by a Bull since Dennis Rodman in January 1998.
—Due to Drummond’s foul trouble, Terry Taylor played 11 minutes in the first half and 17 minutes overall, and played well with 3-of-3 shooting, six rebounds, and two assists. He ran the floor well in transition and set solid screens. Taylor has functioned well as a backup center in small-ball lineups in Vucevic’s absence. “I’m not going to lie (and being out) was pretty boring,” Vucevic told Mark Shanofsky and Stacey King on NBC Sports Chicago.
As for Taylor, he said his opportunity was “a blessing” and he just tries to make his teammates’ jobs easier by doing “all the little things.” He said he’s focused on rebounding and trying to be a “good defender who can switch.”
Taylor, who is 6-foot-4, said he is used to being smaller at center. At one point, he guarded the 7-foot-1 Mo Bamba.
“I’ve got the heart and the will to compete and compete with anybody,” Taylor said.
—Coby White had his best shooting night since Dec. 21 against the Spurs. He had 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting and eight rebounds. However, White sank just one of his four 3-pointers as he continued to struggle from beyond the arc.
—All five starters reached double figures in scoring, with DeMar DeRozan leading the way with 24 points. The Bulls shot 50.6 percent from the field.
—The 76ers played without their most valuable player, Joel Embiid, who sprained his right ankle. The 76ers are 2-4 in games played without Embiid, and are 2-1 in the last four straight games that ended Saturday.
—The Bulls lead the NBA in fewest turnovers per game, with 10 games of nine or fewer. However, they made six in the first quarter and finished with 17.
—After the first quarter, the game between the Pistons and Toronto ended with Detroit ending an NBA-record 28-game losing streak. That means the Bulls won’t be the Pistons’ last win, which they got on Oct. 28.
—Donovan said in his pregame remarks that Zach LaVine could practice with the Bulls late next week. “If things continue the way they are, I think that’s very likely,” Donovan said.
LaVine will not travel with the Bulls on their two-game trip to Philadelphia and New York, instead staying in Chicago to work with player development coaches, where he is expected to be cleared for first contact. If LaVine passes that test, he will likely practice with his teammates after returning from the Knicks game. “He responded well,” Donovan said.
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