On October 30, the Chicago Bulls turned it on and turned an eight-point second-half deficit into a seven-point victory, defeating the Indiana Pacers 112-105. Nikola Vucevic led the way with 24 points, 17 rebounds, and three assists.
He only attempted one three-pointer (which he missed), but he did have one steal and one turnover on the night.
Vucevic was also 6-for-8 in the paint, including 5-of-5 after halftime.
“We were trying to exploit a matchup, and we really went at it, and it worked,” Vucevic explained to The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry. “We always say we need to get to the paint. When we do get to the paint versus when we don’t, the numbers are quite different.
And it isn’t always just shooting in the paint. “It’s all about getting to the paint and making plays.”
For the game, the Bulls shot 20-for-31 in the restricted area. They were, however, 8-for-8 in the fourth quarter. Vucevic led the team with 11 points in the fourth quarter, while DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine each had eight.
VOOOOOOOCH pic.twitter.com/GGEwSI2N4Y
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) October 31, 2023
Because of their strategy, the Bulls outscored the Pacers 34-22 in the fourth quarter.
“We played well in the halfcourt, making good reads.” “We were patient,” Vucevic said. “It’s critical that we do that. We had a lot of trouble with it last year. So, hopefully, we’ll continue to improve. That is something we must be able to do. We have far too many offensive players to be inefficient at the end.”
The victory moves the Bulls to 2-2, perhaps belying the team’s mood after two poor performances and one narrow victory prior to the game.
Bulls Defense Shows Up vs. Pacers
However, the Bulls, who had the fifth-best defensive rating in the NBA last season, held a Pacers offense that had scored 143 points and 125 points in its first two games to just 105 points on the night.
That kind of effort is certainly something to be proud of.
The kids from Chicago come up with a big stop 🛑@NBCSChicago | @AyoDos_11 pic.twitter.com/RK3RiMblv4
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 31, 2023
“We definitely haven’t played our best basketball, and to be at.500 is much better than if we were like 1-3 or 0-4,”
Vuevi said, according to NBA.com’s Sam Smith. “It’s better to learn from wins than from losses.” We’re at.500 and haven’t played particularly well, so that’s a plus. As a result, we recognize that there is much room for improvement. “Are we going to improve and will we get there?”
The Bulls’ next opportunity to demonstrate consistency in their approach comes on November 1 when they travel to face Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
DeMar DeRozan: Nikola Vucevic ‘Cussed Us Out’
Vucevic has been vocal, perhaps even more recently, about the team’s need to play inside-out, which invariably means playing through him. He’s also spoken about the sacrifices he’s made since being acquired by the Bulls from the Orlando Magic in 2021.
Vucevic and LaVine have both admitted that the group may be on its last legs.
So it’s no surprise that Vucevic’s vocal leadership played a significant role in the Bulls’ strategy.
Handled business in Indianapolis.@Plus500 | #SeeRed pic.twitter.com/UZNbuX9Zju
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 31, 2023
“Big fella came in and was dominant on the boards and did his thing tonight,” according to Smith. “He cursed us out in his language (last week), and it paid off.” We didn’t understand what he said, but we said, “OK.” We simply need to be aware of and capitalize on our key players.’ We must all step up in big moments, and Vooch did so tonight.”
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