Category: Bulls News

Alex Caruso shares confidence in Bulls’ chances of playoff run

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso expressed his confidence in his team to make some noise in the postseason.

The Chicago Bulls started the season at 5-14, but since then, they’ve gone 14-9. They were sitting toward the bottom of the East, but now, they’re fully in the race for the Play-In Tournament. At 19-23, they’re in ninth place in the East, 1.5 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets in 10th but four games back of the Orlando Magic in eighth.

They’ve found themselves in a weird middle ground between the worst teams in the East and the top eight. In turn, they have a good chance of making (at least) the Play-In Tournament this season, and they’re confident in the way they’ve been playing.

Bulls guard Alex Caruso recently spoke about the team’s recent performance and their potential playoff hopes moving forward. (H/t Stephen Belsic of Bulls News)

“Once you get to the playoffs, it’s a seven-game series,” Caruso said. “They know what you’re going to run; you know what they’re going to run. It’s just about going out there and putting your best foot forward and competing. When we do that, I think we’re a really good team.”

Caruso has been having a great season this year, and his name is one of the top ones being brought up in trade rumors ahead of the deadline.

So far this year, he’s averaging 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while shooting 49.0% from the field and 41.5% from behind the three-point line.

The Bulls may not have the talent on paper to compete with the top teams in the Eastern Conference, but they’re confident in their ability to make some noise once the postseason comes around.

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Donovan Mitchell has high praise for Bulls after Cavaliers’ 109-91 win

After the Chicago Bulls’ 109-91 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell praised his opponent.

On Monday night, the Chicago Bulls traveled two states East to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Unfortunately, the Bulls failed to make it two wins in a row, as Cleveland ended the night with a 109-91 victory. Despite the loss, however, the Bulls have still won four of their last six games. They’re trending in the right direction.

The Cavaliers jumped out to an early lead, and while an impressive Bulls comeback had Chicago leading early in the fourth quarter, Cleveland bounced back and secured a relatively easy win. However, Chicago’s fight didn’t go unnoticed by their opponent, as they earned some praise after the game.

Post-game, Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell showed love to the Bulls but also praised his team’s resilience in the win.

“They’re a good team, a competitive team, so we knew they were going make a run,” Mitchell said via ESPN. “And we missed wide-open shots. But the biggest thing is how we responded, and we did it as a group.”

Mitchell finished the game with 34 points, three rebounds, seven assists, and two steals while shooting 11-of-21 from the field and 4-of-10 from behind the three-point line.

As for the Bulls, their scoring was well-rounded, as nobody managed to crack 20 points on the night. Coby White, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic ended the night with 18, 17, and 17 points, respectively. Meanwhile, Alex Caruso and Ayo Dosunmu each chipped in with 10.

The trade deadline is rapidly approaching, but the Bulls are playing well. It’s tough to tell how they’ll play things.

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Nikola Vucevic discusses Bulls recent hot stretch: ‘Enjoying it more’

Nikola Vucevic praised his team’s recent play after the Chicago Bulls’ win over the San Antonio Spurs.

After starting the year 5-14, the Chicago Bulls have been steadily pushing forward. It’s been night and day from the start of the year to now, as the Bulls have climbed all the way back into the Play-In race, surpassing the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors along the way.

Despite a rough slip-up against the Golden State Warriors, the Bulls have still won four of their last five games, including two overtime wins over the Charlotte Hornets and Houston Rockets. They are also 9-5 in their last 14 games – a complete turnaround from their ugly start to the season. It’s been a solid road back for Chicago.

After the Bulls’ recent win over the San Antonio Spurs, Nikola Vucevic praised his squad for their recent level of play while discussing his recent improvements.

“I think everybody has been in a much better place lately, and it’s helped our team. I think you can see it with the way we’ve been playing out there,” Vucevic said via Sam Smith of NBA.com. “Some games, it’s one guy, some other games, someone else is stepping up, and it doesn’t matter. We’re going to have guys scoring. Lately, I’ve been feeling much better out there playing with more confidence and enjoying it more.”

Against the Spurs, Vucevic put up 24 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists while shooting 10-of-17 from the field and 2-of-5 from behind the three-point line.

With the trade deadline just around the corner, the Bulls may look very different a few weeks from now, but for the time being, they’ve playing well.

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Billy Donovan praises Bulls’ recent form: ‘We’re getting better’

After the Chicago Bulls’ win over the San Antonio Spurs, head coach Billy Donovan praised his team’s recent level of play.

Through the first 20 games of the season, the Chicago Bulls looked done. They were struggling mightily, out of the Play-In race, and seemingly heading for a sure-fire rebuild. Since then, they’ve completely turned their season around and now have a legitimate shot at making the Play-In or more.

Chicago could still end up shaking things up at the deadline (and rumors indicate they would like to), but for the time being, they’re competitive. They’ve won four of their last five games, including two overtime victories over the Charlotte Hornets and Houston Rockets. Things are clicking, and the Bulls could even look to improve at the deadline.

After their recent win over the San Antonio Spurs, head coach Billy Donovan praised the Bulls’ recent level of play.

“I feel like we’re getting better,” Donovan said via ESPN. “I really do. I think we are playing stylistically how I’d like to see us play, how I think the game should be played. We’re sharing the ball. We’re trying to generate shots. We’re scoring more points.”

Coby White has been one of the leading factors of the Bulls’ season turnaround. He’s been on fire and looks like a guy Chicago could build around moving forward.

Andre Drummond was also a crucial part of the Bulls’ turnaround, as he stepped into the starting lineup when Nikola Vucevic was out.

This Bulls team may not look the same after the trade deadline as it looks now, but they’re competing at a high level and aren’t looking to slow down anytime soon.

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Nikola Vucevic breaks down clutch shot in Bulls win over Spurs

After the Chicago Bulls’ win over the San Antonio Spurs, Nikola Vucevic spoke about his clutch bucket in the final minute of the game.

After dropping a tough loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday night, the Chicago Bulls walked into Frost Bank Center on Saturday looking to get back on track against the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs, on the other hand, were riding high after two straight wins over the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets.

Chicago ended the night on top, earning a 122-116 win over the Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs. They survived two great performances from Tre Jones and Keldon Johnson and overcame an eight-point Spurs lead midway through the fourth quarter. With no Wembanyama, the Bulls may have hoped for an easier game, but a win is a win.

With roughly 30 seconds remaining, Nikola Vucevic nailed a shot to put the Bulls up by four points. It iced the game for Chicago. After the contest, Vucevic spoke about his big-time bucket.

“It always feels good to hit a big shot at the end of the game,” Vucevic said via ESPN. “I was really happy I made a shot, but I was more happy I helped us win a game. We came up with a big, big win for us on the road.”

Vucevic finished the game with 24 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and three blocks while shooting 10-of-17 from the floor and 2-of-5 from behind the three-point line.

Jones and Johnson nearly took down the Bulls without Wembanyama. Jones had 30 points, nine rebounds, and four assists while shooting 10-of-13 from the field and 4-of-6 from deep. Meanwhile, Jonson put up 26 points, four rebounds, and five assists while shooting 8-of-14 from the floor and 4-of-5 from distance.

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DeMar DeRozan gives Warriors high praise after tough Bulls loss

After the Chicago Bulls’ tough loss to the Golden State Warriors, DeMar DeRozan had some high praise for his opponents.

The Chicago Bulls were riding high heading into their Friday night game against the Golden State Warriors. They picked up two wins over the Charlotte Hornets and a clutch overtime victory over the Houston Rockets. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to extend their streak to four in a row, as despite some early-game success, the Warriors bounced back and earned a victory.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson churned in vintage performances, leading the way for the Warriors, while Jonathan Kuminga pitched in with an impressive showing off the pine. It was a much-needed win for Golden State, who has been struggling mightily this season and is in danger of falling out of the Play-In Tournament by the end of the year.

After the game, Bulls star DeMar DeRozan praised the Warriors for the way they fought in the win.

“They did a great job adjusting, coming out changing up the game plan,” DeRozan said via ESPN. “You can never count them out, no matter how big of a lead we have.”

Thompson ended the night with a team-high 30 points to go along with six rebounds and six assists. He shot 9-of-19 from the field and 7-of-15 from behind the three-point line.

Meanwhile, Curry put up 27 points, five rebounds, and nine assists while shooting 8-of-24 from the floor and 6-of-15 from beyond the arc.

And while the Bulls ended up losing the game, DeRozan pitched in with a monster performance. He ended the game with 39 points, seven rebounds, and five assists while shooting 15-of-21 from the floor and 2-of-5 from distance.

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Billy Donovan praises Zach LaVine’s play in Bulls win over Rockets

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan praised Zach LaVine for his performance against the Houston Rockets.

The Chicago Bulls are hot. They put together a great stretch while Zach LaVine was out, and since the Bulls star has been back, they’ve gone 3-0. Chicago picked up two wins over the Charlotte Hornets with LaVine coming off the bench, and in his return to the starting lineup, he helped them to a win over the Houston Rockets.

Chicago’s win over the Rockets was an overtime victory, in which they won 124-119. Late in OT, it looked like Houston had the game under wraps, but thanks to LaVine’s late-game shot-making, Chicago surged ahead for a win. He came in clutch for the Bulls when they needed it most.

Head coach Billy Donovan praised LaVine for his all-around night in the Bulls’ win over the Rockets. (H/t Sam Smith of NBA.com)

“He played an all around great game, he assisted, he got in and rebounded; and obviously the scoring piece,” Donovan said. “I give a hm a lot of credit because he wasn’t totally involved in the game coming down the stretch, but in overtime he kept his head and made some big plays for us, came up with some loose balls and rebounds, too. He’s had a lot of amazing games throughout his career. I don’t know if I can sit here and say it’s the best one I’ve ever seen (from him), but certainly if you look at the all around game he played at both ends of the floor you can put it up there.”

LaVine ended the game with 25 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals while shooting 8-of-15 from the field and 4-of-8 from behind the three-point line.

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Zach LaVine details Bulls’ late-game efforts in OT win over Rockets

Zach LaVine spoke about his huge overtime shot-making in the Chicago Bulls’ 124-119 win over the Houston Rockets.

Heading into Wednesday night, the Chicago Bulls had won their last two games, both over the Charlotte Hornets. Zach LaVine, who returned from an absence that had held him out since November 28, came off the bench in both games. But on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, he was reinserted into the starting lineup, and it paid off.

The Bulls took the Rockets to overtime, and Houston was up by five points with just under three minutes to go. Then, LaVine drove to the lane for an and-one layup. Then, the Bulls got a stop, and he followed it up with a huge three. Just like that, Chicago was up by one.

A Coby White triple sealed the deal, securing Chicago’s third win in a row. After the game, LaVine spoke about his overtime heroics that led to the Bulls’ 124-119 victory.

“We were a little stuck,” LaVine said via ESPN. “I think it was a turning point where either you’re going to make something or the game is going to go south. I tried to just create something.”

LaVine finished the night with 25 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals while shooting 8-of-15 from the field and 4-of-8 from behind the three-point line.

His return to the starting lineup was a roaring success, as the Bulls pulled themselves even further ahead of the Brooklyn Nets in the ninth seed. They also inched slightly closer to the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic, though they’re still four games out of hosting a Play-In game come April.

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Coby White shouts out Zach LaVine after Bulls OT win over Rockets

After the Chicago Bulls’ overtime win over the Houston Rockets, Coby White showed love to Zach LaVine.

The Chicago Bulls turned their season around when Zach LaVine went out, prompting some questions as to whether or not he was the problem. But since he’s been back, they’re 3-0 and have continued their winning ways. They took down the Charlotte Hornets twice in a row, and on Wednesday night, they beat the Houston Rockets in overtime.

It was a close game throughout, but Chicago ended up taking home the 124-119 win in extra time. Coby White put on a show all night long, but when it came time to win the game, LaVine decided to take over. And while some people on social media weren’t happy with the decision to take the ball out of White’s hands, LaVine delivered in a big way.

He hit multiple clutch shots, sealing the victory for the Bulls, and after the game, White praised LaVine for his late-game performance.

“Big-time players make big-time plays,” White said via ESPN. “He was aggressive. That’s what we want him to do.”

LaVine ended the night with 25 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and one block while shooting 8-of-15 from the field and 4-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc.

His performance was highlighted by two big-time shots in overtime to help put the Bulls ahead, and that’s where they stayed.

As for White, he finished the game with 30 points, four rebounds, and eight assists while shooting 9-of-17 from the floor and 6-of-11 from behind the three-point line.

Both players put up great statlines on a night where they were needed, and as a result, they took down a potential Western Conference playoff team.

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Billy Donovan praises Bulls big man Andre Drummond’s playstyle

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan recently showed love to Andre Drummond.

The Chicago Bulls have been hit hard by the injury bug this season. Zach LaVine missed significant time, as has Torrey Craig. Nikola Vucevic missed a few games, and the same can be said of Alex Caruso. Luckily, they seem to be getting healthy just before the trade deadline, and they’ve been playing well.

In LaVine’s extended absence, the Bulls have propelled themselves back into the race for the Play-In. Coby White and DeMar DeRozan have picked up the scoring, but perhaps the biggest surprise of the season has been the impressive play of veteran center Andre Drummond, who stepped into the starting lineup while Vucevic was out.

Despite having an old-school playstyle, Drummond made a huge impact on the game with his rebounding. Head coach Billy Donovan just recently praised the big man, noting that he doesn’t need to extend his range.

“I also think for him, the things that he does do are valuable on any team,” Donovan said via Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “If he can really rim protect, if he can rebound, and then be an elite roller to the basket, there is a place in the game for him. He doesn’t need to be a stretch-five.”

So far this season, Drummond is averaging 7.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 53.2% from the floor.

His rebounding has given the Bulls a huge boost with so many guys out, especially on the offensive boards. It’ll be interesting to see if he sticks around post-trade deadline.

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