It’s hard to win a basketball game when the ball isn’t falling through the net.
That was clear in the Chicago Bulls’ 114-104 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday at the United Center.
The Bulls missed 36 shots from behind the 3-point arc, resulting in a dismal 26.5% clip from deep. It continued an icy stretch of shooting in which they had gone 32.6% behind the arc over the previous 10 games — the second-worst mark in the league during that span. The hot-and-cold nature of the Bulls’ shooting efficiency has been a key factor keeping them from winning consistently this season.
Isaac Okoro went 1-for-8 from deep against the Pelicans, and Nikola Vučević went 2-for-6. Most notable was a rare 1-for-10 3-point shooting night from Coby White, who led the Bulls in both attempts and misses.
White said the Bulls planned to take a higher volume of 3s against the Pelicans, who pack the paint and limit opportunities at the rim. And a bulk of that responsibility fell on White, who was playing in only his eighth game of the season as he continues to battle calf injuries. Despite the result, White — a career 36.8% shooter behind the arc — expressed confidence in his shot selection.
“I thought all but maybe two were great looks for me,” he said. “A lot of them felt good coming off my hand. They were either short or long or in-and-out. I can’t control whether they go in. If I had to go back, I’d take those same shots again. I’ve just got to continue to work to find that rhythm from 3-point range.”
Coach Billy Donovan agreed and emphasized the importance of the team’s higher-efficiency players increasing their shot volume: “If Coby White gets up 10 3-point shots, I’m fine with that.”
Despite the team’s lack of finishing, Donovan felt his players produced a more sustainable style of offense — something the Bulls have sought urgently throughout their free fall over the last three weeks.
“We moved the ball,” Donovan said. “We generated good shots. We’ve got to take those 3s. I thought we did a lot of really good things in terms of ball movement.”
A short streak of efficient shooting — a 6-for-10 flurry in the third quarter — powered the Bulls to a 16-2 run and a 75-74 lead as the Pelicans failed to score for more than four minutes. But that was fleeting for the Bulls, who were overpowered by the Pelicans bench and several ill-timed second-chance scoring opportunities in the fourth quarter.
It wasn’t the worst offensive night of the season — that still belongs to a 91-point performance against the Golden State Warriors
More Top Picks Best Indoor Electric Heaters For Large Rooms
earlier this month. But winning didn’t last long for the Bulls, who have lost eight of their last nine games.Here are three takeaways from the loss.
1. A quiet night from Matas Buzelis.
The Bulls offense could use a secondary spark — but it still isn’t coming from Buzelis.
The second-year forward took only five shots and scored nine points. Only Jalen Smith and Zach Collins took fewer shots than Buzelis, whom the Bulls hope to position as a centerpiece of their offensive production in future seasons. It was Buzelis’ fewest attempts since the second game of the season, in which he logged fewer than 13 minutes after fouling out quickly in a win over the Orlando Magic.
Buzelis aims to develop a strong outside shot, but he’s shooting just 32.4% behind the arc this season — and still struggles to create his own shot from outside. Donovan noted that Buzelis played fewer minutes because of the need to put a larger body on Zion Williamson, swapping in Patrick Williams and Okoro to avoid pulling a trap over to deal with the bigger body in the paint.
2. Dueling bigs.
The Bulls continued to experiment with double-big rotations that have Smith at the four. But Donovan didn’t stick with his closing changes from Friday’s win in Charlotte, where he benched Vučević in favor of Collins down the stretch.
Despite Vučević’s poor shooting night, the Bulls stuck with their starting center down the stretch while utilizing forwards to counter Williamson. Collins logged less than 12 minutes and Smith just under 13. The pair combined for eight points and two rebounds.
3. A homecoming for Jeremiah Fears.
Sunday’s game featured a cheering section for one Pelicans player — rookie Jeremiah Fears, a Joliet native playing in his first hometown NBA game.
Fears played his first two years of high school for Joliet West, then transferred to AZ Compass Prep as a junior. His older brother, Jeremy, also played for Joliet West. Jeremiah was drafted with the No. 7 pick after one season at Oklahoma.
The rookie made an impact in front of his local crowd, tallying 20 points and three assists. Fears scored 10 of his points in the fourth quarter to help clinch the Pelicans’ fifth win of the season.