Chicago Bulls' offense now catching up to their elite defense

The Chicago Bulls' offense has finally clicked.

Could the Chicago Bulls be turning things around with just 15 games left in the regular season? That certainly appears to be the case, especially since the Bulls' offense has now caught up with their vaunted defense. Since the All-Star break, the Bulls have the fifth-best defense, as well as the eighth-best offense in the NBA, which has sparked their surge towards a higher seed in the Eastern Conference.

Something clicked

Eight games might be a small sample size, but for a Bulls squad that has struggled to find any kind of consistency all season long, it looks like something has finally clicked. One of the biggest reasons for the Bulls' resurgence has been Zach LaVine's incredible play. With the team's other star, DeMar DeRozan, struggling due to injuries, LaVine has picked the scoring slack and is averaging over 30 points per game in his last 10 games, connecting on 54% of his attempts.

"We have the offensive capabilities to be in the top 10 for sure, just got to show it," LaVine said. "I think the consistency of us playing the way we have over the last couple weeks, averaging in the top-10, has to be sustainable for us in this last stretch."

Better, quicker decision-making

Apart from the volume, Bulls coach Billy Donovan pointed to the quality of shots LaVine and his teammates have been taking and making as being crucial for their offensive success.

"It's not so much that [LaVine's] usage rate has gone up, it's the fact that he has been really aggressive," Donovan said. "And then from being aggressive, he can make the read. If I got a shot, shoot it. If I can get downhill, get downhill. If they shut me off, spray it out. When he does that, it really helps our team. And it's helped him be very effective."

"That's what's driven up his usage rate, but it's not like we're running a lot more plays for Zach. I think he's recognizing those opportunities in the half court, in transition, when the ball gets swung to him, to take advantage of those things."