Bulls Experiment with Twin Towers in Loss Against Rockets

SALT LAKE CITY — Chicago Bulls Coach Billy Donovan spent late Saturday night and into Sunday afternoon analyzing game film following a tough 117-114 loss to the Houston Rockets. As the Bulls seek to improve their position in the Eastern Conference standings, Donovan is experimenting with his lineup, notably introducing a two-big-man set during the game.

The latest lineup included big men Zach Collins and Jalen Smith in the first half, before transitioning to Collins alongside starting center Nikola Vucevic late in the game. Donovan acknowledged the mixed results of this pairing, which remains a work in progress. “There’s going to be some time in the year where that’s going to present itself, and we’ll look at [a duo of big men],” he said. “It was OK. The biggest thing for Jalen is to stretch the floor and shoot.”

Smith, who had limited playing time as Vucevic returned from a calf injury, struggled during the game, finishing with just two points on 2-of-7 shooting, including a disappointing 0-for-5 from three-point range. “I like the shots [Smith] got even though he didn’t really make any, but he’s got to keep taking those,” Donovan said. “I thought we rebounded OK in that first half; we were pretty physical.”

The Bulls have become more physical since the All-Star break, but they continue to struggle with rebounding against larger frontcourts. Donovan had considered the Vucevic-Collins pairing for weeks, but concerns about pace had delayed its implementation. The game against the Rockets, with their talented duo of Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams, provided the perfect opportunity to test this lineup.

Donovan has yet to review the film from the game, but he indicated that his initial observations were promising. Collins and Smith took the court together late in the first quarter, and although their offensive production was limited, they achieved a plus-2 rating as a group. “I think our guys are lining up and competing,” Donovan noted. “They’re really trying to play physical, so I’ve been really pleased with a pretty significant jump in that area from earlier in the year to where we are now.”

As the fourth quarter began, Collins was paired with rookie Matas Buzelis and Patrick Williams in the frontcourt, which led to an early tie in the game. However, the fleeting moments of the Collins-Vucevic pairing didn’t last long, as Donovan adjusted his lineups based on the flow of the game.

Collins expressed enthusiasm for the potential of a longer run with Vucevic, stating, “To play with a guy like Vooch, who is so smart, it would just be so easy to figure out with a guy like that. He’s a veteran, he knows how to play basketball and his skills are a complement to a lot of different things.”

As the season progresses, the Bulls hope to refine their strategy and find a winning combination to improve their standings.