{"id":33531,"date":"2025-12-09T14:08:22","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T20:08:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/2025\/12\/09\/bulls-searching-for-some-sort-of-return-to-their-early-season-success\/"},"modified":"2025-12-09T14:08:23","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T20:08:23","slug":"bulls-searching-for-some-sort-of-return-to-their-early-season-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/2025\/12\/09\/bulls-searching-for-some-sort-of-return-to-their-early-season-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Bulls searching for some sort of return to their early season success"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bulls Searching for a Return to Early Season Success<\/h1>\n

Introduction to the Struggles<\/h2>\n

Never has a game against lowly Charlotte meant more in recent years. But here the Bulls are, four days game-free this week before flying out to take on the Hornets on Friday, sending out the hounds and any other able bodies to join the search party and find some sort of life, a pulse on this dying season.<\/p>\n

The Current State of the Team<\/h2>\n

Practice, film work, heart-to-heart talks, the last 48 hours have seen it all since Golden State handed the Bulls a seventh straight loss on Sunday at the United Center, as it\u2019s starting to reach the point where it will be enough talk, time for action. After a 6-1 start to the 2025-26 campaign that has now turned into 3-13 since, something, anything, quick.<\/p>\n

Player Insights<\/h3>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not really sure, but for some reason right now for us it\u2019s not clicking at all,\u201d veteran big man Nikola Vucevic offered up as best he could in the explanation department. \u201cWe\u2019re struggling on both ends and just not playing to the level we know we can. I think for us (this week) couldn\u2019t come at a better time to hopefully use it to regroup, get some good work in, and hopefully play better coming out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Facing the Hornets<\/h2>\n

It would seem like facing the 7-17 Hornets would be just what the Donovan ordered. After all, Bulls coach Billy Donovan saw his squad come out of the gate beating the likes of Detroit, New York, Orlando and Philadelphia by early November, so there was a point in which this group worked. But it was after that they started breaking, sinking so low that the opponent no longer seemed to matter.<\/p>\n

Recent Performance Against the Hornets<\/h3>\n

In this streak of futility, they have lost to six-win Indiana twice, six-win Brooklyn, three-win New Orleans, and yes, the seven-win Hornets that man-handled them by seven points a few weeks ago. Same old Charlotte? Not really, at least where the Bulls are concerned. That\u2019s why it feels like the toughest opponent Donovan & Co. are dealing with is themselves.<\/p>\n

Identifying the Problem<\/h4>\n

\u201cIt just feels like the game starts, we get down pretty quick, and then snowball effect, we can\u2019t really find our way out of it,\u201d Vucevic said. \u201cAt one point our defense wasn\u2019t great, our offense was working, and now it\u2019s neither working so we just have to figure it out. A lot of things we talk about, a lot of things we control and know we can do better. For whatever reason we\u2019re not doing it together on the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finding Solutions<\/h2>\n

The reasons why they\u2019re not remains unknown. Sure, there\u2019s the obvious excuses of injuries, roster construction, game prep, lack of a true star, eight possible players in walk years, and even the schedule. Most of that falls on deaf ears, however, considering most of the NBA is dealing with the same issues and at least play with some energy.<\/p>\n

Player Accountability<\/h3>\n

Guard Josh Giddey simplified things. Want to play the blame game? Blame the players and the lack of execution. \u201cGame plan-wise, the coaches, Billy, whoever is doing the scouting, gives us great game plans,\u201d Giddey said. \u201cThey give it to us and it\u2019s up to us to go out there and execute them. We just haven\u2019t done that at a high enough level to win games. We\u2019ve got to figure out ways to counteract (what teams are doing). Game plan-wise we get everything we need. We\u2019ve shown we can do it early on, and it\u2019s about doing it at a high enough level night in and night out, whether we\u2019ve got guys injured or not. Every team in the league deals with things like that, back-to-backs, whatever it is. We\u2019ve just got to find a way to get back to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Charlotte would be a good place to start. At least it better be. The Bulls need to regroup and find their early season form if they want to turn their season around. With a long road ahead, they must start by beating the Hornets and then build on that momentum.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n