It’s not just the Lakers who are missing their first quarter this season. The Bulls also struggle to start the matches, averaging only 24.5 points in the first twelve minutes. It’s the worst average in the league, quite simply.
“There are two possibilities: either we start like Mike Tyson in the ring, or we start walking around, without intensity”explained Billy Donovan for NBC Sports. “We have to start like Tyson and we have to do it over time. »
The Bulls would like to start like Mike Tyson
Without doubt the first act against Miami is the best example of this difficulty: 14 points at 5/20 on the shoot and 1/10 at 3-pts. After more than six minutes, it was 22-1 for the Heat! We are far from a Tyson-style start…
“If we had the answer, we would have corrected things immediately”analyzes DeMar DeRozan. “We have to play with a sense of urgency, with the desire to win, and not be easy, like we are in the first quarter or first period. We think too much and we find ourselves facing a steamroller. »
The Bulls already lack a lot of confidence so obviously, such starts are a drag. “There is nothing positive when we find ourselves at 22-1”continues the Bulls coach. “It’s obviously frustrating.”confirms DeRozan.
Don’t refuse open shots
As Chicago is a team that often lacks character, and which had three defeats in a row, this gap could already have been fatal. Especially since Miami remained on seven victories in a row. But as there was a lot of time left, Zach LaVine and his teammates gradually chipped away at the Heat’s lead, who were unable to kill the game.
“We started perfectly and we are known for it”notes Jimmy Butler for ESPN. “Then we made it easier for them. They took shots, like they did in the past against us. We let this match slip away. »
The Bulls won the last quarter by fifteen points, with a 7/12 at 3-pts, by taking the open shots that Billy Donovan had talked about before the match. “They had to take the open shots, not let them pass. I give credit to the players for staying in the game”greets the coach.
“We’ve been there before,” supported LaVine to his teammates during this comeback. “This is a trend that we should not be aware of and that we will have to erase quickly. We haven’t yet understood why we’re starting so badly. We play hard but we are still behind for three or four matches. Taking one feels good. »
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Zach Lavine | 13 | 35.6 | 42.4 | 33.3 | 87.0 | 0.4 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 22.6 |
| Demar Derozan | 12 | 35.0 | 44.0 | 34.6 | 82.9 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 21.3 |
| Nikola Vucevic | 13 | 34.4 | 46.3 | 27.3 | 79.2 | 3.0 | 7.7 | 10.7 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 17.0 |
| Coby White | 13 | 31.6 | 37.9 | 29.6 | 77.3 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.6 | 11.4 |
| Alex Caruso | 11 | 23.6 | 63.2 | 50.0 | 78.9 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 9.5 |
| Andrew Drummond | 13 | 13.7 | 56.5 | 0.0 | 60.9 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 6.1 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 1.5 | 6.5 |
| Jevon Carter | 13 | 14.5 | 44.3 | 46.5 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 6.3 |
| Patrick Williams | 13 | 22.9 | 31.6 | 26.3 | 80.0 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 5.8 |
| Ayo Dosunmu | 11 | 15.1 | 50.0 | 42.9 | 75.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 5.3 |
| Torrey Craig | 13 | 23.3 | 40.0 | 32.3 | 100.0 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 5.2 |
| Dalen Terry | 4 | 2.8 | 37.5 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.8 |
| Terry Taylor | 3 | 2.1 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| Onuralp Bitim | 1 | 3.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Julian Phillips | 5 | 2.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
