The Chicago Bulls lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 124-121 in a preseason game Saturday night at the United Center.
The game featured heavy rotation from both teams, with the Grizzlies holding Marcus Smart, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant out. The Bulls led by 21 points in the third quarter but allowed a comeback after cycling out their starters. Talen Horton-Tucker scored five points in the final 56 seconds of regulation, but the effort wasn’t enough to ward off a loss.
Here are six takeaways from the game.
1. Zach LaVine looks like himself (again)
The primary concern for the Bulls this preseason was whether Zach LaVine could return to his former explosiveness. On Saturday, the maximum-contract star reintroduced himself emphatically to the United Center crowd, logging 28 points and four assists.
LaVine looked comfortable from all spots on the floor, scoring the first nine points of the game and earning cheers for an explosive rip-through dunk in the opening minutes. He finished a perfect 6-for-6 from 3-point range and shot 9-for-12 overall in 22 minutes, 26 seconds.
All gas, no brakes 🔥@CHSN__ | @ZachLaVine pic.twitter.com/RKHnc84EmN
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 13, 2024
2. Ayo Dosunmu steps into the starting lineup
Coby White did not play Saturday after sitting out practice Friday with groin tightness. Coach Billy Donovan said the decision to hold White out was “precautionary.”
The absence made room in the lineup for guard Ayo Dosunmu, who is still jockeying for a role as a potential starter. Dosunmu didn’t make the strongest case for himself, going 1-for-2 from 3-point range and coughing up three turnovers.
Dosunmu, 24, did not play in the second half after suffering a left shoulder injury.
3. Getting smaller (and smaller)
The Bulls also played without Jalen Smith, who was held out preventatively because of knee soreness. Without the backup center, Donovan used the game to tinker with a series of smaller lineups, which included playing Patrick Williams at the 5.
Donovan quickly debuted one of these small-ball lineups with Williams at center and first-round draft pick Matas Buzelis at power forward, rounding out a young, speedy group with Julian Phillips, Dalen Terry and Dosunmu. The group generated a healthy volume of 3-pointers while also snagging offensive rebounds — albeit against a smaller Grizzlies rotation that also featured 5-foot-8 guard Yuki Kawamura — but youthful inexperience also led to a predictable amount of sloppiness.
4. Julian Phillips flexes improved 3-point shooting
Phillips used his increased minutes in the smaller rotations to showcase a key area of improvement: his 3-point shooting.
When the Bulls drafted Phillips in the second round of the 2023 draft, the front office quickly emphasized that his shooting would be a major area of emphasis. As a rookie, he shot 31.6% from behind the arc while averaging one attempt per game, although his shooting grew steadily as the season progressed.
On Saturday, Phillips showed potential to be a genuine threat from the corners, knocking down five of his eight 3-point attempts and finishing with 21 points. It’s a small sample size, but the prospect of Phillips balancing his rim protection and rebound production with sharpshooting is a positive sign for the Bulls.
5. Patrick Williams struggles to find footing
While other young players flexed their promise, Williams showcased the same tired concerns that have plagued his Bulls tenure.
Rotating between the 4 and the 5 positions, Williams did not record a single defensive rebound while grabbing a pair of offensive boards. He struggled to create around the rim, going 1-for-5 in the restricted area and repeatedly passing out of the post.
After leading the Bulls in 3-point efficiency last season, Williams’ 0-for-4 shooting from 3-point range Saturday can be brushed off as a fluke. But his lack of aggressiveness around the rim — even when paired against a mismatch as severe as Kawamura — suggests that the Bulls could be dealing with the same deficiencies from Williams again.
6. Lonzo Ball preparing for return
The Bulls still have not cleared Lonzo Ball for his first minutes of preseason action — but a return to the court could be imminent for the point guard, who has not played since January 2022 when he initially injured his left knee.
On an episode of his podcast “What an Experience” this week, Ball said the team would hold him out against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Grizzlies with the plan of playing him in two of the final three preseason games. This means he likely will make his return with the Bulls on Monday in Milwaukee or against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
Ball was held out of shootaround Saturday because of knee soreness after participating in contact drills throughout the first 10 days of training camp. Donovan said it was not considered a setback for Ball’s recovery, but sustained soreness would prevent him from playing against the Bucks.
“For our medical staff, this is a kind of a new journey for them,” Donovan said. “He’s done really, really well. He’s been out there and he’s played and he’s been effective playing. I think his timing is coming back. I think he’s a really, really smart and high-IQ player, but … it’s going to be a learning curve for all of us.”
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