Billy Donovan states the obvious after giving up 150 points in a crazy win over the Hawks
on Sunday, Chicago Bulls beat the Atlanta Hawks 152-150 in the best game of the NBA season so far, with 302 points. However, while a win is a win, it wasn’t enough for the Bulls head coach Billy Donovan.
After the Donovan game was very simple when he criticizes the defense for giving up 150 points, per John Hollinger of the Athletics.
“Look, we’re not a great defensive team,” Donovan said. On Tuesday, the Bulls and Hawks will play again in Atlanta.
A total of nine Chicago players scored in double figures. Matas Bouzelis led the way with 28 points and Kobe White finished with 21. White was cleared to play after battling an ankle injury. Josh Giddy has 19 points, Kevin Huerters 16, Isaac.
Tre Jones had 11 points and Zach Collins had 10.
In the first half, the Bulls allowed 73 points. Furthermore, they allowed the Hawks to dominate in the paint and in transition. Overall, the Hawks scored 66 points in the paint, 26 rushing points and 57 points off the bench.
Meanwhile, Jaylen Johnson and Trae Young combined for 71 points, 36 for Johnson and 35 for Young.
Also, even though the Bulls shot over 60% in the first half, the Hawks shot 55.6% overall and nearly 50% from the three-point line.
It’s no secret that the Bulls aren’t a defensive threat
Anyone paying attention can tell that the Bulls are not a defensive team. They struggle with rim protection, rebounding and overall consistency.
Their opponents know how to use the paint, as did the Hawks. At the same time, Chicago doesn’t close the lane enough, which leads to more points in the paint and at the free throw line.
Also, the Bulls give up too many second-chance points, which in turn hurts their transition game.
While the Bulls have Tre Jones and Isaac Okoro to shore up the defense, they generally lack consistency.
2025-12-22 17:18:00
