Bulls make strides against Magic but don't have enough tricks up their sleeve

Bulls' Late Game Struggles Continue to Haunt Them as Magic Take Down Chicago 125-120

The Bulls' recent surge was short-lived, as they succumbed to their old nemesis in the Orlando Magic. A 15-point deficit in the third quarter seemed insurmountable at one point, but a late rally from both teams kept the score tied heading into the final stanza.

However, it was Desmond Bane's clutch shooting that ultimately sealed the deal for the Magic, as he scored 18 of his game-high 37 points in the fourth quarter. The Bulls' inability to close out crucial plays and contain Bane's scoring spree proved to be their downfall.

Coach Billy Donovan cited a lack of key stops as the main issue plaguing his team late in games. "You just got to stay together when those runs come," Bulls point guard Matas Buzelis said post-game, highlighting the need for the team to get a kill – three consecutive stops that can disrupt an opponent's momentum.

The physicality of the Magic proved to be a major hurdle for the Bulls to overcome. Despite having more offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter, two crucial plays by Orlando ultimately swung the game in their favor.

"It's all about who's more physical and defends better," said guard Josh Giddey. The Bulls' struggles in this area have been well-documented, particularly as teams begin to adapt to their fast-paced offense.

Coach Billy Donovan acknowledged that pace is no longer a significant advantage for the Bulls. "We scored more transition points than any other team in the last 10 years of the NBA," he said on media day. However, the shift towards faster games has highlighted the importance of physicality and half-court defense – areas where the Bulls have struggled to improve.

Despite the loss, Donovan remains optimistic about his team's growth. "That's where our growth is... how well can we be better defensively in the halfcourt and can we be better offensively in the halfcourt?" The Bulls' struggles will continue to serve as a test of their ability to adapt to an ever-changing NBA landscape.

Ugh , Bulls are having major issues closing games out... Like, how many times do they need to blow leads? DesBane's 37 points were insane! But seriously, physicality is key in these fast-paced games. They need to work on that half-court defense ASAP Coach Donovan is all about growth, which I'm with The Bulls just gotta step up their game... or should I say, step up their D

.. come on guys, you're still struggling with defense? It's not rocket science . You score 125 points, but can't stop the other team from scoring too? That's just basic math, folks. And don't even get me started on those "key stops" - if you can't stay together when it matters most, then you're not a good team . I mean, coach Donovan is right on the money with that whole physicality thing - teams are adapting to your fast pace, and you're still getting outcoached . The Bulls need to step up their game, or else they'll be stuck in neutral forever .

Bulls are struggling to defend, but I think they just need to get that next guy to step up & take some big plays Coach Billy Donovan's got his team working on it, let's see how it goes

Man, it's like they're having a hard time adjusting to life after that initial playoff run . I mean, I know injuries and fatigue can be tough, but it's like they're still finding ways to trip over their own feet. The Bulls' fast-paced offense is all well and good, but if you can't stop the other team from making buckets too, what's the point? Physicality and half-court defense are key right now, and it seems like they need a major overhaul to get there. Still, I gotta keep faith in Coach Donovan – he's always been one of the most positive dudes in the league . And hey, maybe this is just what they needed – a wake-up call to focus on those areas where they've struggled

Bulls got destroyed , not just by Magic, but also by themselves. They kept on repeating same mistakes they made all season and can't even close out games anymore . Pace is no longer an advantage for them, physicality is key now, but they still can't figure it out . Coach Donovan's words sound good, but actions speak louder . Until they fix their defensive half-court game, all that optimism won't be enough

Ugh, my heart just sank watching that game ... I mean, I knew the Magic were gonna take it from us but still... 15-point deficit in the third quarter? That's just mental ... and Desmond Bane's clutch shooting was just too much for us to handle . It's like we're always so close, yet so far away from that W ... I keep thinking about those three consecutive stops that would've sealed the deal for us ... but nope, we couldn't even get that right .

And don't even get me started on the physicality ... our big men got bullied all night long ... it's like we're not even aware of how bad our defense is ... Coach Donovan said it's about who can defend better, but I think he's just being polite ... because if you watch the game, you'll see that we got beat on both ends of the floor .

But hey, at least we're getting closer to figuring some stuff out ... and I'm all about growth and improvement ... Coach Donovan said it's where our growth is, but what does he mean by "better defensively in the halfcourt" ? Is it that simple? Do we really just need to work on our half-court defense? ... I don't know, man... I'm just frustrated .

omg I'm so done with the Bulls' late game struggles ! It's like they're always so close, but can't seem to shut down the other team when it matters most . Desmond Bane is a straight-up nightmare in the 4th quarter and it's crazy how one guy can single-handedly take over a game like that. The Bulls need to work on their half-court defense ASAP , 'cause teams aren't afraid of their fast-paced offense anymore. Coach Donovan is right, physicality is key ... I just wish they'd figure out how to implement it in their system already . Can we pls see some growth from this team soon?

Man, I'm tellin' ya , this game was all about physicality and who can outmuscle the other. The Magic's size advantage in the paint was huge for them. I don't get why the Bulls can't just stop guys like Bane from getting easy buckets in the fourth quarter. They're so reliant on their fast break to score, but when teams shut it down, they gotta be able to adapt and grind out some half court offense. Coach Donovan's all talk about being better defensively, but I think he's not doing enough to address this issue. The Bulls need to find a way to make their defense more balanced and less reliant on just one or two guys stepping up.

So I'm still trying to wrap my head around this Bulls game, you know? They had all that momentum going into it after winning their last few games and then just... fade away . It's like they couldn't get past their own hype, you feel me? And Orlando was like the perfect team to take them down - they're always physical and tough to deal with.

The thing is, I think the Bulls are trying to adapt to this new pace of the game, but it's just not coming together for them yet . They need to find a way to be more consistent on defense, especially in the half-court. And on offense, they can't just rely on one guy (Matthias Buzelis) to carry them through every game.

For me, it's all about finding that balance and getting better at both ends of the court . If they can figure that out, they'll be a force to be reckoned with in this league .

I'm not buying that "15-point deficit was insurmountable" thing... the Bulls were playing sloppy D, gave up too many easy buckets... and yeah, Bane had some crazy shooting, but come on! 125-120 is a blowout, they got destroyed. The Magic's pace might be catching up to the Bulls' style, but it's also time for them to work on those defensive stops in the half-court, you know?

I'm low-key disappointed in the Bulls, but I guess it's not that surprising . I mean, they've been saying for ages that they need to improve on defense, and now coach Donovan is finally acknowledging it . But honestly, who hasn't said that before? It's all about following through, you know? They can talk about being better in the half-court forever, but if they don't actually put in the work, it's just empty words .

And let's be real, pace isn't everything . If the Bulls are gonna try to keep up with all these fast-paced teams, they need to be able to match them physically ‍. It's not like they can just outscore everyone and hope for the best . They need to develop a more well-rounded game if they want to compete against the likes of the Magic .

I'm not gonna lie, though - I love watching Desmond Bane play . The guy's a straight-up shooter . But what can you do when your team can't stop him from taking over games like that?

man, bulls are having so much trouble closing out games it's like they're still figuring out how to play 48 minutes of basketball coach donovan is right on point about needing those key stops in crunch time, but the physicality of the magic just took it to another level it's not just about pace anymore, teams are now getting after you hard and holding onto wins... Bulls gotta step up their half-court defense ASAP

I'm so frustrated with those Bulls! They just can't seem to close out games when it matters most . 37 points in the 4th quarter from Desmond Bane? That's just too much for them to handle. And you're telling me they need to stay together and not give up runs? It's like they don't even know how to play defense!

And what's with this "it's all about who's more physical" thing? Can't they see that they need to actually defend better than the other team?! Not just rely on their fast-paced offense to carry them through. It's like they're not even trying to improve those weaknesses!

I'm not giving up on them yet, I guess... But it's gonna be a long season if they can't get that half-court defense and physicality together

Ugh, man ... I'm getting so tired of watching teams like the Bulls struggle with consistency. They had that crazy hot streak for a second and it was looking like they were gonna be legit contenders again , but nope, their old demons showed up in a big way against the Magic .

I mean, Desmond Bane's 37 points is insane , but come on Bulls, can't you guys just contain one guy? It's not that hard . And don't even get me started on the physicality of the game... the Magic totally outmuscled them . The Bulls' lack of half-court defense has been a problem for ages and it's starting to become a major liability.

I'm still rooting for 'em though, I know they can turn it around . Coach Donovan is on the right track with his post-game analysis and the team's growth is gonna be awesome ... eventually .

I'm so sick of all this analysis about the Bulls needing to improve their defense. Like, come on, it's not that hard! They're already scoring like crazy, why can't they just learn to stop the other guy? It's not like they're in a different league or anything... I mean, they've played some decent games and actually won, so let's give them a break. And another thing, all this talk about pace being important is so overrated. I'd rather watch a game where guys are actually defending each other, you know? The Bulls' fast-paced offense is just too much to deal with sometimes...

the bulls are having some major issues with closing out games late on, it's like they're running into this old nemesis every time and you can't help but wonder if it's the pace of the game that's the problem for them, because all these fast-paced teams are starting to adapt to their offense. i mean, coach donovan is spot on when he says it's about who's more physical and defends better. they need to improve in those areas or else they're gonna keep struggling like this

idk why they keep making excuses for the bulls, it's like they think the magic just got lucky lol . coach donovan says the lack of key stops is the main issue? come on, that's easy to say when you're getting destroyed by a team with actual length and athleticism . and what's up with bane's shooting? 18 points in the 4th quarter? that's just too much for them to handle . but for real though, the bulls' defense is a major problem, they need to figure out how to stop the other team's momentum before it's too late