The Chicago Bulls continued a positive preseason streak in Toronto on Sunday, beating the Raptors 115-98.
The Bulls are now 2-1 in the preseason after a sluggish start against the New Orleans Pelicans. The team will face the Milwaukee Bucks at home for one final test before the season opener on Oct. 19.
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Here are five takeaways from the third game of the preseason.
Coach Billy Donovan continued to experiment with the power forward position, rotating Derrick Jones Jr. into the starting lineup after previously replacing Patrick Williams with Green against the Denver Nuggets.
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But despite only playing in the second half, Green was the true standout at the position again. He scored 17 points on 7-for-8 shooting in only 15 minutes on the court, clinching the highlight of the night in the fourth quarter after he floated from the free-throw line for a dunk.
Green’s athleticism and energetic defense have always been the cornerstone of his role with the Bulls, but his 6-for-8 shooting from behind the 3-point arc is another quiet force in his preseason success.
Despite the final score, the Bulls completely lost their handle on ball security, coughing up 16 turnovers for 12 points in the first half alone. The Bulls mostly righted the ship in the second half but still finished with 23 turnovers on the night.
Zach LaVine particularly struggled in this area, turning the ball over five times before he sat for the night in the third quarter.
On the surface, this isn’t a cause to sound an alarm — the Bulls were sixth overall in ball protection last season and retained the entirety of their guard unit. But a poor passing night allows the Bulls to study and improve on ball movement ahead of the season opener.
Donovan still hasn’t announced the starting point guard for the Bulls in the absence of Lonzo Ball, but second-year guard Dosunmu appears set to hold the position as he continues a stalwart preseason. Dosunmu scored 14 points in Sunday’s win, adding seven rebounds and five assists.
Donovan has challenged the young guard to make more off-book plays after Dosunmu spent most of his rookie year being heavily coached from the sideline. Sunday’s game showcased his growing ability to make decisive moves to the basket, particularly in open court transition opportunities.
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After starting three preseason games, Dosunmu is likely primed to hold the position until Ball returns to full strength.
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Drummond has only made 15 shots from behind the 3-point line in his entire career, shooting 13.2% (15-for-114) during his decade in the league.
But the center let it rip from long range against the Raptors, knocking down all three of his 3-point attempts and tacking on a celebration to the third.
Sunday was a middling shooting day for the Bulls, who went 13-for-32 from behind the arc. Drummond is unlikely to take — or make — this many 3-pointers in the regular season, but his hot streak showcased how the presence of a pick-and-pop center (like starter Nikola Vučević) can help the Bulls offense spread the court.
The new Bulls guard was a healthy scratch as he continues to monitor his rest throughout the preseason.
Dragić is the most veteran player on the Bulls roster at 36. Still fresh off the grueling competition of the Eurobasket tournament this summer, Donovan entered the preseason with plans to allow Dragić to set his own minutes in practices and games.
This rest day shouldn’t be a concern for Bulls fans — Dragić is likely to play limited minutes for the Bulls in the regular season, either off the bench or as a starter with a quicker rotation cycle.