INDIANAPOLIS — The questions are coming easy to Zach LaVine.
The answers on how to fix this spiraling Bulls team? The Bulls guard didn’t even know where to begin on Sunday.
“Why does it look like this? I don’t know man,’’ LaVine said, after the 108-95 loss to an undermanned Indiana team. “If I knew the answer to that I don’t think we’d be playing this way. It’s just as frustrating on the outside as it is in the inside. Obviously we want to win, we’re the ones playing. It hurts us a lot to be playing like this and losing games we’re supposed to win. All you can do is go onto the next game, work on what you didn’t do well, and correct it.’’
Not the first time since the regular season started two weeks ago that Bulls players have been using that back-to-the-drawing board reply.
But this loss to the Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse was different.
Indiana was missing its three best players in Victor Oladipo, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, and yet still out-toughed, out-hustled and out-scored a lifeless 2-5 Bulls team.
That’s what wasn’t sitting well in the locker room afterward. There’s no pride, no urgency.
“[Bleep], I gotta learn it too,’’ LaVine said. “It’s tough. Like I said to you guys before, we’ve gotta win games that we’re supposed to win. They have three of their starters out. They came in and played harder than us, and kicked our ass. It’s simple. We’re just not there yet. We have really good spurts and then we get lost, and I don’t know what the hell goes on. We’ve got to clean it up. It’s simple, though. We’ve gotta out-play our opponent.’’
LaVine got his 21, but it came on 8-for-20 shooting, as well as a minus-10 in the plus/minus category. Second-year big man Wendell Carter Jr. had 20 points and 10 rebounds, doing the best to pull his weight. And veteran Thaddeus Young had 12 off the bench.
It all seemed like empty calories, however, especially with how lifeless the Bulls looked. The other major concern that continues showing up is they were once again out-rebounded 49-43. Not a good look for a team that is supposed to be embracing physicality and toughness.
No wonder Young said he talked to the team after the game.
“We have to take advantage of our opportunities better than we are,’’ Young said. “I told the team in our post-game meeting that this is what we call trap games. They had three of their starters out. We didn’t take advantage of that.
“We gotta man up and make sure we take care of business.’’
Especially business that included seven easy games to start the season, before the schedule actually starts to get tougher.
Say hello to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, and then a trip to Atlanta on Wednesday.
“It’s very concerning,’’ Young said. “Simply from the beginning of the season, you’re supposed to take advantage of these opportunities. Teams are limping in. We’ve played several teams that haven’t had their star guys. We have to understand when you step into the game, we’re all NBA players. Guys are going to step up on any given night. We have to take a look at ourselves in the mirror, and get in the gym [Monday] and get some work in. We have to work no matter what.’’
The hope is that with more work and identity will start to form.
“I’ll be upset [Sunday night] and then tomorrow’s a new day,’’ LaVine said. “We’ve got the Lakers coming in [Tuesday], so we gotta be ready. If we’re not ready we’re going to get blown out.’’
