Dec. 07--Twenty minutes after the final buzzer sounded on the Bulls' 112-102 loss to the Warriors, the locker room door remained closed.
Though players were tight-lipped on what was discussed following yet another defensive breakdown, it's a safe bet the Bulls' 2-5 home mark and lost defensive identity were high on the list.
"We're not trusting each other right now," Taj Gibson said, in a damning statement on the defense.
Thanks to Draymond Green's career-high 31 points and 12 3-pointers, the Warriors became the 10th Bulls' opponent to score 100 or more points. That didn't happen last season until Jan. 24.
The Bulls are now allowing 100.5 points per game.
"Our trust has to be better," Noah said, echoing Gibson. "We're not where we need to be and that's in every area on the defensive end. We all have to do a better job. That goes for everybody. I'll take the blame for some of it. But we all have to be on the same page. And right now, we're not."
Twenty-three turnovers that led to 27 Warriors' points certainly compromise a defense. But the Bulls are struggling on containing pick-and-roll, often getting hung up on the screen to force help on the ball-handler and then not recovering to the shooter.
"There is a lot of work we have to do," coach Tom Thibodeau said. "We have to build those habits in practice and carry them into the game."
It's also very unlike a Thibodeau-coached team to be so ineffective at home. While the Bulls' 10 road victories are tied, coincidentally, with the Warriors for the league lead, the Bulls have lost three straight at the United Center and haven't won at home since Nov. 10 against Detroit
"Your home court has to be a fortress," Pau Gasol said. "Teams should be afraid to come here and know they're going to have a long night. Now, there is a certain level of confidence they come with. We are going to have to cut it out very quickly."
kcjohnson@tribpub.com
Twitter @kcjhoop
