© David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Bulls plan to use offensive rebounding as their main weapon this season
The Chicago Bulls came up with just one victory in five games in what was a lackluster showing in the preseason. While they struggled in the preseason, the Bulls did something great that coach Billy Donovan is hoping that his wards could carry over to the regular season.
“We need guys to have that kind of mentality,” Donovan said after the Bulls scored their lone victory in the preseason, a 133-124 overtime win over the defending champions Denver Nuggets.
Donovan was referring to the tremendous effort that the Bulls showed in collaring offensive rebounds.
Focusing more on offensive rebounding
Chicago was the worst team when it comes to securing offensive rebounds last season when it ranked 28th in offensive rebounding percentage.
The Bulls were so bad in the offensive rebounding department that their season-high in offensive rebounds last season was 15. But against the Nuggets, the Bulls cornered 26 offensive boards, 21 of which came in regulation.
In that game, Andre Drummond grabbed nine offensive rebounds, Ayo Dosunmu had three, Terry Taylor collected five. Zach LaVine and Dalen Terry each had two. Torrey Craig, Julian Phillips, Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan, and Coby White had one apiece.
The Bulls ended the game with a 50 offensive rebound rate, way above their 22.6 percent last year.
“Just being a little more aggressive about it. [Donovan] is putting more of an emphasis on it and trying to figure out who the ‘go-guys’ are, the guys that go to the glass, and who the ‘get back guys’ are,” Nikola Vucevic said in the ALLCHGO report.
Relying on their “go guys”
Donovan defined a ‘go guy’ who can go from anywhere to crash offensive boards.
“Most of the wings [are ‘go guys’]. ‘Get back’ guys are JC [Carter], Coby, the point guards. Zach, Deebo. Everyone else is pretty much a ‘go guy’,” Torrey said.
“If you’re a ‘go guy’ you’re supposed to always go,” Dosunmu said. “Even if you’re above the break. You’re supposed to go when the shot leaves their hand, when you see them shooting it.”
Chicago’s new ploy will be put to the test when the Bulls open their regular-season campaign with a home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
