@ CHICAGO BULLS (3-2) @ INDIANA PACERS (2-3) Game 6, Road Game 3 Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016 – 6:00 PM CT Bankers Life Fieldhouse CSN / WLS-AM 890 BULLS/PACERS STREAKS CURRENT STREAK………… ....... 3 Wins HOME STREAK ....... ……………...4 Wins ROAD STREAK ......... ………………1 Win BULLS VS. PACERS THIS SEASON Oct. 29 @ Chicago – W, 118-101 Nov. 5 @ Indiana – Dec. 26 @ Chicago – Dec. 30 @ Indiana – Game Notes Chicago Bulls (3-2) Home 2-1 Road 1-1 Bulls Preseason Averages: PPG: 109.0 (Opp: 102.4) RPG: 50.2 (Opp: 38.6) APG: 24.2 (Opp: 26.0) SPG: 6.60 (Opp: 8.60) BPG: 5.40 (Opp: 4.40) FG%: .458 (Opp: .461) FT%: .811 (Opp: .728) 3p%: .397 (Opp: .344) Probable Bulls starters Rajon Rondo - PG - Dwyane Wade - SG - Jimmy Butler - SF - Taj Gibson - PF - Robin Lopez - C - Bulls Regular Season Stats Leaders Points: Butler 22.2 Rebounds: Gibson 8.6 Assists: Rondo 7.2 Steals: Wade & Rondo 1.40 Blocks: Lopez 1.60 FG%: Gibson .538 FT%: Wade .880 3FG%: Wade .526 Regular Preseason Player Highs 2016 Points: Wade 35 Field Goals Made: Wade 12 Field Goals Attempts: Butler 21 Free Throws Made: Butler 11 Free Throws Attempts: Butler 12 3-Point FGM: McDermott & Wade 5 3-Point FGA: Mirotic 10 Rebounds: Gibson 11 Off. Rebounds: Lopez 6 Def. Rebounds: Gibson & Mirotic 9 Assists: Rondo 13 Blocks: Mirotic 3 Steals: Wade 3 Minutes: Butler 37 Double-Double: Gibson 2 Triple-Double: - Injury report Michael Carter-Williams (left knee bone bruise and left wrist sprain) is OUT For a full report and the latest on Bulls' injuries, check out the AthletiCo Injury Report. Indiana Pacers (2-3) Home 2-0 Road 0-3 Probable Pacers starters J. Teague - PG M. Ellis - SG P. George - SF T. Young - PF M. Turner - C Injury report R. Stuckey is out. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wasn't able to watch the game so I have no first-hand insights. Still, obviously another very poor performance. Through 6 games, the Bulls are 3-3, 2-1 at home and 1-2 on the road, which is about what you'd expect. What is disappointing to me is that the Bulls are currently 25th in the NBA in defensive rating. The starting 5 (Rondo, Wade, Butler, Gibson and Lopez) all have reputations as stout defenders, but as a unit, they're playing as less than a sum of their parts. Naturally, fingers get pointed at these players and at Hoiberg, but I'll also point one at assistant coach Jim Boylen, who like the players, came to the Bulls with a strong defensive reputation. Reputations are earned over time and they can be lost the same way. Yeah, it's very early, but the flag is up for me. This team needs to get its defensive act together.
