NBA Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls Struggling With Defense and Rebounding

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By @Kristen_Fazio

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None of us could have predicted that the area where the Chicago Bulls would be struggling the most would be defensively, and in particular rebounding.

It’s still early in the season, really early. At 5-2, it is even less of a worry because the team is winning but not in the fashion fans have become accustomed to in the Tom Thibodeau era. The Bulls have been outrebounded in six straight games and are allowing nearly 100 points per game after allowing a mere 92 points per game last season.

Last season, the Bulls were good for a plus-2.8 rebounding margin, and this season they sit at minus-3.1. Opponents are averaging 52.9 rebounds per game against the Bulls (21st in the league). The reasons are unknown; the only personnel change in the frontcourt was Carlos Boozer out and Pau Gasol in. Joakim Noah is limited physically, which may be playing a factor.

The team is in the midst of four games in five nights and fatigue could be a factor, but you could also point to last season where they had a short rotation and were still outrebounding and outworking opposing teams. One positive defensively is opponents are only shooting 42.7 percent from the field.

Surprisingly, the offense has been scoring at will, averaging 104.3 points, sixth in the league. However, the Boston Celtics without Rajon Rondo and Marcus Smart had a field day and scored 106 points. Although it seems the Bulls can win in a shootout and now have enough offensive firepower, they are used to winning in grind-it-out, low-scoring games.

It is quite possible this is just an aberration and things will sort themselves out during the course of the season, especially if Thibodeau has anything to say about it.

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