Chicago Bulls: 5 Early Season Concerns In 2016-17

Dec 19, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler (21) looks to pass while Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (34) guards during the first half of the game at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls have dropped four of their last five contests, thus proving there are few areas of concern surrounding this team.

The Chicago Bulls snapped their three-game losing skid with a convincing 113-82 win over the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 19 and all was right with the world.

In that game, there is very little that the Bulls didn’t do well. They scored 69 points in the first half — which tied a season high, and they converted 73 percent of their attempts.

The Bulls shot 60 percent from the field overall and recorded 34 assists on 49 field goals, which also tied a season high in this category. Furthermore, the Bulls had seven players that scored in double figures on a night when they could not miss shots if they tried.

If you’re a Bulls fan, however, don’t be fooled by what you saw against the Pistons.

Despite the near-flawless performance that was on display against their division rivals, the Bulls followed that up with a head-scratching 107-97 loss to the Washington Wizards a few nights later, then a 12-point loss to the Charlotte Hornets, proving there are a few areas of concern surrounding this team.

That being said, today we will take a closer look at a few of them.

Oct 27, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Michael Carter-Williams (7) defended by Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier (12) during the second half at the United Center. Chicago won 105-99. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

5. When Will Michael Carter-Williams Return?

The Bulls acquired Michael Carter-Williams via a trade for Tony Snell in hopes of bolstering the team’s second unit. Although MCW isn’t known for a being a great floor spacer, his ability to play effectively at multiple positions was something the Bulls were intrigued by.

Unfortunately, the former Rookie of the Year has been on the shelf during most of his stint with the Bulls due to knee and wrist injuries. Not only that, his absence has shined an even brighter light on a second unit that has not lived up to expectations this season.

When asked about a potential return by Christmas day, here is what Williams had to say:

“That’s what I’m going for. It feels pretty good,” Carter-Williams told CSNChicago.com. “Like I said, I’ve still got to do some strengthening for this week, but that’s what I’m hoping for. It’s nothing really guaranteed, but that’s what I’m going for.”

Whether MCW will return in time for the holidays remains to be seen. What is a certainty is that he will inject some much-needed energy into a unit that has struggled this season.

Oct 30, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) points at forward Doug McDermott (3) after making a basket during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons win in overtime 98-94. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

4. Speaking Of The Bench…

During the 2010-11 campaign, the Bulls had one of the most formidable second units in the league. This assertion is supported by the fact they ranked second in efficiency recap difference (a formula that measures the difference between a team’s overall efficiency compared to its opponent). This season, however, the Bulls are 28th in this category.

Additionally, when you look at the production from the second unit, Doug McDermott (10.0 PPG) is the only player that opposing defenses have to consistently account for.

Nikola Mirotic continues to struggle with stringing together solid performances. Rookie Denzel Valentine is still trying to find his niche within the rotation after missing most of training camp with a sprained ankle.

Second-year big men Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio have not seen much action this season, as both players are averaging less than 13 minutes of playing time per outing.

Even more important, the Bulls bench is averaging just 28.4 points per contest, placing them near the bottom of the league at 28th, just ahead of the Wizards (24.0) and Timberwolves (21.7).

If the Bulls have any hopes of getting back on the right track, their second unit has to step up big time.

Dec 16, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) is fouled by Chicago Bulls forward Paul Zipser (16) during the second half at the United Center. Milwaukee won 95-69. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

3. Bulls Can’t Keep Up With Younger Teams

Going into the offseason, the goal was to become younger and more athletic. That went by the wayside, however, when the Bulls could not pass up the opportunity to sign veterans Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade.

Despite the fact there are several new faces on the roster, there have been instances in which the Bulls look like an older, slower team.

Want examples? I’d be more than happy to oblige.

Let’s go back to the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 13. In that contest, the Bulls jumped out to a 21-point lead before losing 99-94.

In a home-and-home set against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Bulls lost those games by a combined 37 points, and in the second game of that back-to-back set, the Bulls scored just 69 points.

In their recent loss to the Wizards, it was more of the same. The Bulls led by double digits in the first quarter only to watch the Wizards take control of the game down the stretch en route to their fourth loss in five outings.

The blueprint is out on how to beat the Bulls and other teams will certainly look to push the pace until they prove they can stop them.

Dec 8, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (3) shoots the ball against San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and center Pau Gasol (16) during the second half at the United Center. Chicago defeated San Antonio 95-91. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

2. Bulls Continue To Play Up (Or Down) To Competition

One of the major takeaways from Chicago’s disappointing 2015-16 season was the inability to play well on a consistent basis — something that second-year coach Fred Hoiberg readily admitted to.

From the Chicago Tribune:

“The biggest thing that I have to improve on is to get our team to play more consistently. We had a 7-1 record against the top two teams in the East that were playing in the Eastern Conference finals (the Cavaliers and Raptors), and we missed the playoffs. That shouldn’t happen.”

Don’t look now, but it appears that trend is rearing its ugly head yet again.

Following a 111-105 victory over the Cavs on Dec. 2, the Bulls were destroyed by the Dallas Mavericks 107-82 just 24 hours later.

After knocking off a San Antonio Spurs team that won its first 13 games on the road, the Bulls dropped their next three games against teams who are below .500.

Simply put, the Bulls have to find a way to reverse this trend if they hope to duplicate the success they enjoyed when the season began.

Dec 21, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots the ball against Chicago Bulls forward Doug McDermott (11) during the second half at the United Center. Washington defeats Chicago Bulls 107-97. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

1. Fourth Quarter Woes Continue

The Bulls have now dropped five of their last six contests, and one of the biggest reasons for their recent shortcomings is fourth-quarter scoring.

For instance, in those five losses, the Bulls have scored a total of 100 points — an average of just 20 points in the final 12 minutes during that span.

And if you look at the team’s overall numbers in the fourth quarter, it gets much worse. Not only are the Bulls averaging a league-worst 22.6 points, they are also shooting a league-worst 37.3 percent from the field.

“If the paint is packed because you’re running one action, it’s going to be tough. A guy has to make an unbelievable shot,” Dwyane Wade told the Chicago Tribune. “Let’s call it what it is: We’re putting a lot of pressure on Jimmy (Butler) in the fourth quarter to make a lot of plays because we’re running just one action. So we have to get more action, more body movement.

“It has to come from us as players too. Obviously, some of it is play-calling as well. We’re asking a young guy to make every shot he takes with bodies in front of him, step-backs, all these things. It’s not necessarily an easy thing to do.”

In other words, although Butler has emerged as an All-Star caliber player at both ends of the floor, he can’t be expected to carry the team every night down the stretch when opposing defenses are keying in on him.

Unless the Bulls find a way to turn things around, they could be facing another season in which they fail to make it to the playoffs.