Season Opener: Let the tanking begin
The Bulls get obliterated by Toronto, foreshadowing the long and laboring season to come
A defensive slog kept the Bulls close after one quarter. With a slew of turnovers and missed shots by both teams, Toronto crept toward a 25–23 lead. Paul Zipser used his size to defend DeMar DeRozen, who was 0-for-3 from the field in the first quarter. Justin Holiday’s willingness to shoot stood out right from the beginning of the game. Holiday is a smooth perimeter player, and Bulls fans shouldn’t be surprised to see him lead the team in scoring in several games this year. Bulls fans should also expect a fair amount of sloppy play. At the very least, Chicago appears dedicated to putting up more three-pointers and moving the ball around. Perhaps the most entertaining part of the first half was Stacey King attempting to pronounce Ryan Arcidiacono’s name.
Toronto’s bench began the second quarter with a 22–2 run. Propelled by C.J. Miles, the Raptors second unit destroyed Chicago. Just five minutes into the second quarter, Toronto’s 25–23 lead was stretched to 45–25. Miles and Powell made seven shots from beyond the arc, combining for 29 first-half points. The massacre continued. At one point during the second quarter, the Bulls only managed to score four points in nine minutes. The Bulls shot threes, but they did not make them, going just 3-for-17. The Raptors led the Bulls at the half 58–37. If the first two quarters of the 2017–2018 Chicago Bulls season were indicative of how bad this team really is, then Chicago will be in great position to land a top-3 draft pick.
Hoiball just wasn’t enough to overcome the talent gap between the Toronto Raptors and this Bulls team. Chicago will be vastly over-matched in almost every single game they play this season. The Bulls came out with a little more spirit in the third quarter. Lauri Markkanen settled in and showed some flashes of his offensive brilliance. His shot really is pure. Chicago outscored the Raptors 27–26 in the third quarter although they still trailed by 20 points after 36 minutes of play.
Markkanen continued his solid play in the fourth quarter. Kay Felder was inserted into the game after some remarkably uninspiring minutes from Ryan Arcidiacono — who likely isn’t fit for the NBA. Felder was aggressive, and despite not shooting well, he finished with six assists. Chicago again outscored the Raptors in the fourth quarter, 37–33. With three minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Bulls shaved the Raptors’ lead to just 15 points, but it wasn’t enough. Toronto cruised to a 117–101 victory.
A suddenly depleted frontcourt led the way with Lauri Markkanen finishing with 17 points and 8 rebounds on 5-of-12 shooting. Meanwhile, Robin Lopez chipped in an efficient 18 points and 8 rebounds. Justin Holiday led the Bulls in shot attempts, but he couldn’t find his rhythm, going just 5-for-16 for 15 points. Jerian Grant led the team in assists with seven, but he wasn’t exactly looking to score as he shot just 3-of-9 for seven points.
Overall, this was a decent showing for the Bulls given the players they are missing and the talent level of the Toronto Raptors. They could have easily lost this game by 30 or 40 points, but they battled and outscored Toronto 64–59 in the second half. Markkanen showed promise, and the Bulls are one game closer to the top pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Opening night was an odd success.
