Jim Boylen is the one that has to speak with the media every day.
That’s the gig for an NBA head coach.
So of course there will be those emotional moments. Those toe-the-line, but get-my-message across moments.
The latest came in the wake of the Bulls dropping to 4-10 with the loss to Milwaukee on Monday.
The Bucks had a Giannis, and well, the Bulls didn’t.
“We missed plays at the rim, we missed open shots, we turned it over,’’ Boylen said of the unit he closed the game with. “I thought we chased the ball a little bit instead of settling down, calm down a little bit, which is a learning moment for us.
“They have a guy [in Giannis Antetokounmpo] they can go to, that can get them a bucket, which is what good teams have. I’ve been on those teams. We’re figuring out who that guy is and we’re learning how to play that way. We’re not there yet.’’
And that’s been the flaw throughout this entire rebuild. The Bulls front office is under the misguided belief that a roster of really good role players and a few potential All-Stars is playoff worthy. Forget championship worthy, as they originally promised when they traded Jimmy Butler in 2017. Let’s lower that bar for them and just call it playoff worthy, as they insisted at the start of training camp in September.
“We’re not there yet.’’
Just a heads up — don’t expect that destination to be coming up anytime soon.
Relying on Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen to close out games hasn’t worked. There are no signs it will work. There’s hope, and that’s what the Bulls are selling this rebuild on, but the eye test remains the eye test. It’s not happening.
LaVine is a 38 percent shooter in the final three minutes of quarters this season, while Markkanen is currently a mess in the fourth quarters of games, shooting 29 percent in the final stanza, including 21 percent from three.
There is no Bulls go-to.
“I’m still developing two young guys,’’ Boylen said. “Zach missed a year and a half [with the anterior cruciate ligament injury]. Lauri was hurt last year, he’s basically played two years. I’m going to keep trying to develop them to come in and win games. I believe in both of them. I believe they are important to what we’re doing.’’
But what exactly are the Bulls doing?
They are force-feeding an offensive philosophy of bomb threes, when they are void of consistently solid shooters.
There’s a reason they are ninth in the league in three-point attempts with 35.4 per game, but 26th in three-point percentage at 32.7. Memo to the analytics department: You’re not good at threes. The standings are just a reminder of that.
Now here’s what’s going to happen. This is the NBA, there will be a hot streak come February or March for the Bulls. Whether it’s the schedule or facing teams that are injured, they will put together a solid stretch.
And they will cram that down the throats of the fans as “the turnaround.’’
Spit it out.
It’s just more false hope being sold during a meaningless month on the schedule. Wins come easier when there’s no pressure being applied, but this organization will push it as promise.
So what’s the solution? This organization needs an enema.
Whether it’s finally a change in an untouchable front office or a major trade, something has to be done. Staying the course with what’s been on display the last three years is embarrassing.
Then again, it’s apparent that this is an organization that doesn’t really do embarrassment.
