After losing eight of the last 10 games, Bulls coach Billy Donovan decided that a change was needed.
The Bulls debuted a new starting lineup against the Denver Nuggets on Monday.
The lineup featured four guards and Nikola Vucevic, moving Patrick Williams to the bench. Chicago trailed for much of the game but surged late with a 30-8 run, fueled by the second unit. The Bulls pulled off the upset, hitting 18 more three-pointers and outscoring the Nuggets’ bench by 31 points.
There was speculation the lineup change was specific to the matchup with Denver, particularly the decision to bring Williams off the bench to match minutes with Aaron Gordon. Williams explained the reasoning behind the move.
The new rotation was so successful that Donovan decided to use it again two days later against Boston. The Bulls were without Zach LaVine due to the birth of his third child but were able to replace him with Coby White, who was returning from injury.
Donovan’s new lineup did not have the same success against the Celtics. The Bulls lost by 22 points, but Chicago’s bench continued to thrive, outscoring Boston’s by 32 points.
Here’s a breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses of the new lineup and whether Donovan should return to a more traditional rotation.
STRENGTHS
Patrick Williams’ New Role
Williams struggled as a starter for the Bulls, which is evident from his play and his numbers. In his last game as a starter before the change, he scored just two points on nine shots in 27 minutes.
Since being a part of the second unit, Williams has been more aggressive and more efficient. He has scored 10+ in both games and raised his field goal percentage by more than 10 percentage points, from 37.7% for the season to 47.8% in the two games off the bench. His 16 points against the Celtics tied for the team lead with White.
Williams’ minutes haven’t been reduced— he’s simply playing with the second unit. He was also part of the closing lineup against the Nuggets.
Additionally, Williams has boosted his rebounding and assist numbers. While he averages four rebounds per game on the season, he has grabbed at least seven in both games since moving to the bench. His assist numbers have also increased, having three or more in the two games, up from his season average of two.
While the sample size is small, Williams has shown improvement in multiple areas, from points to rebounds to field goal percentage, by playing off the bench.
More Matas Minutes
Bulls fans and announcer Stacey King have been asking for more Matas Buzelis minutes. The rookie has two-way potential and needs minutes against the other teams’ starters to develop.
Buzelis has been the first player off the bench, coming into the game before Williams. His minutes have increased from about 12 per game to around 20, and his scoring has doubled. Since becoming the sixth man, Buzelis has averaged 10.5 points per game, up from five points per game on the season.
WEAKNESS
Paint Defense
The Bulls gave up the most points in the paint and had the worst paint defense in the league even before the lineup switch. Removing all the size, except one of the worst paint defenders in the league, from the starting lineup has only made it worse.
The Nuggets average the most points in the paint in the NBA, with 57.6. According to Celtics announcer Drew Carter, they scored 84 points in the paint against the new Bulls lineup, the most in a game this season. If the Bulls had not made 18 more threes than the Nuggets, they would have been destroyed.
Looking at the box score for the game against the Celtics, it is hard to see the bad paint defense. The Bulls even outscored them in paint points 40-38. The Celtics are last in points in the paint in the league and had below their average against Chicago.
Watching the game was a different story. Jaylen Brown had 28 points, 18 of which were in the paint. He also hit one three-pointer, was fouled on another and made two of the three free throws. The other five points were from getting fouled in the paint. Brown could get a layup or free throw any time he wanted.
Having four guards might work against the Nuggets, who have a somewhat small-ball lineup when Russell Westbrook starts. However, it doesn’t work against the Celtics, who are led by two All-Star forwards and a shooting big.
Every pick and pop was open for Kristaps Porzingis because Vucevic had to play the roll since there was not another big to help in the paint. Porzingis had 26 points at the end of the first half and finished with eight made threes.
SHOULD THE LINEUP STAY?
The new lineup caters to the Bulls’ guard-heavy roster. Donovan’s decision to start four guards highlights the team’s poor roster construction. Trading one of the guards for a power forward would add much-needed size for paint defense and create a more balanced rotation.
Donovan wanted to change Williams’ role and give Buzelis more minutes. He accomplished that but with a weird workaround. He doesn’t feel comfortable starting Buzelis yet but had to bench Williams, so Donovan created a lineup of players he was comfortable starting.
The Bulls could continue to give Buzelis more minutes while returning to a conventional starting lineup. Donovan might revert to a traditional lineup against the Raptors or when LaVine returns, but giving priority to Buzelis’ development is a step in the right direction. Chicago could also benefit from trading for a player capable of playing the four, allowing Buzelis to start at small forward and White to come off the bench.
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