What we learned from the Chicago Bulls' deflating loss to the Detroit Pistons?

The Chicago Bulls are off to a slow start this season, falling to 1-2 after getting thrashed by the Detroit Pistons, 118-102. Here are a couple of takeaways from the deflating loss.

The 51-point explosion goes for naught

Bulls wingman Zach LaVine was unstoppable against the Pistons, setting a new single-game career-high with 51 points. After struggling in the Bulls’ first two games due to a back issue, the former UCLA star felt no ill effects of that injury and went 19-of-33 from the field, including making 7-of-13 from beyond the arc.

Outside of LaVine, the Bulls couldn’t get anyone else going, with DeMar DeRozan scoring 20 and Nikola Vucevic finishing with 12. After the game, LaVine said the team’s equal-opportunity approach to offense will take some getting used to.

“We’re trying this new thing out to have a complete, cohesive offense with equal opportunity,” LaVine said.

“It’s going to take some figuring out. Preseason looked good. But preseason is preseason. We got a lot of our stuff (earlier) in transition. Throughout the first couple of games, me and DeMar (DeRozan) were in the corner a lot. Now we’re trying to figure out how to get involved with more touches. But we all have to figure out how to help each other. It has to work like a well-oiled machine.”

A new career-high for Flight 8. pic.twitter.com/dUUMt2FA3K
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 29, 2023

Finding balance

The Bulls’ “Big 3” are now playing in their third year together, but it appears they’re still working out the kinks of balancing when to get others going and when to get theirs.

“Nights we show individual ways of it working, but as a collective, we’re still working to find a balance for not just us but for the team,” DeRozan, who only had 13 shot attempts, shared.

“We’ve showed spurts here and there but it hasn’t been as consistent as we want it to be. None of us are selfish. We’re always trying to figure out how we can make it easier on one another for the team. We just haven’t been consistent with it.”

Deebo to the rack.@NBCSChicago | @DeMar_DeRozan pic.twitter.com/XytQmg3ch2
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) October 28, 2023

The 51-point explosion goes for naught

Finding balance

Bulls lose to Pistons 118-102 despite career night for Zach Lavine