17 October 2023
The Chicago Bulls traveled to the home of the reigning NBA champions to face the Denver Nuggets in their third preseason game Sunday.
The Bulls lost 116-102 as coach Billy Donovan gave extended playing time to the young core of the secondary rotation.
Here are five things we learned from Sunday’s game.
1. Patrick Williams flexed offensive aggressiveness — but rebounding remains a lingering issue.
Any fans looking for signs of a more aggressive Williams were rewarded in the first quarter, when the fourth-year forward scored 10 points.
Williams showed flashes of a more aggressive version of himself throughout his 25 minutes on the court, scoring 20 points on 8-for-14 shooting, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range. His best play was a simple yet decisive isolation combination in the second quarter on which he collected a pass behind the 3-point line, dropped his shoulder to take two dribbles toward the paint before faking, spinning and pulling the trigger on a midrange stepback.
That type of play can elevate Williams’ offensive game. The question is whether he can make the same type of quick decision when he’s on the court with the starters rather than helming the second unit.
And while Williams was improved on the offensive end, Sunday’s game was lacking in one key area: rebounding. Williams finished with two defensive rebounds and did not record an offensive board. Coach Billy Donovan has emphasized this as a key area of growth for Williams, yet he has only six rebounds through three preseason games.
2. Starters took the night off.
Veterans Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vučević did not play Sunday. Donovan said Saturday the trio likely would sit out, then rotate back into the lineup for the final two preseason games at home against the Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Donovan used the first two preseason games to test how the three starters fit with Coby White as the starting point guard and to identify the best combinations for secondary rotations with LaVine and DeRozan on the court.
3. Torrey Craig earned a start.
With the three starters sitting out, Craig showed why the Bulls expect him to be a quietly consistent contributor, finishing with four rebounds, two points and an assist.
Craig has been slotted into the second unit behind Williams, although Donovan wasn’t set on keeping Williams in the starting lineup at the start of the preseason. While Craig isn’t a major scorer, his versatility as a defender and rebounder will be important.
4. Andre Drummond battled with Nikola Jokić.
While the Bulls sat their three stars, the Nuggets played two-time MVP Nikola Jokić and the majority of their starters for 23 minutes. This gave backup center Andre Drummond an opportunity to test himself against one of the best big men in the league.
Drummond finished with nine points and 10 rebounds in a physical matchup against Jokić.
As a smaller team, the Bulls have had problems defending bigger threats such as Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid. Drummond has been an occasional answer, but his minutes off the bench were never consistent last season.
5. The Bulls took the first step toward finalizing the roster.
The Bulls waived guard Quenton Jackson on Monday as they begin to set the roster for opening day on Oct. 25. A Texas A&M product, Jackson played last season on a two-way contract with the Washington Wizards and the G League’s Capital City Go-Go.
Jackson was with the Bulls on an Exhibit 10 contract, which is designed for teams to sign players specifically for training camp to compete for a final roster spot. After his release, the Bulls have 18 players on the roster ahead of the Oct. 23 deadline to cut to 15.
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