For the Bulls to Be Successful, Markkanen Needs to Be Aggressive
The Bulls’ new fast-paced offense looked great, their new additions to the team seem to fit together nicely forming a very versatile roster. They even entered the modern NBA by launching from 3 pointers range left and right! But something looked a bit out of sync for one of their cornerstones.
Lauri Markkanen hasn’t much looked the same guy who absolutely dominated the NBA last February. Throughout the Bulls preseason games, Lauri has pretty much-been nothing more than a glorified catch and shoot perimeter player. For someone as talented as Markkanen, that is just completely unacceptable.
Especially for a young team like the Bulls who have playoff aspirations. Even in a weakened Eastern Conference, if the Bulls are to make a very sizable jump from 22 wins to postseason play, they have to be firing on all cylinders. That means along with Zach LaVine, Markkanen must be prepared to push this time across the finish line.
Photo: @chicagobulls
That means showing the entire arsenal. Zach and Lauri have worked well in the pick and pop, and you can only hope to see them use that facet of their game continuously.
At 7′ Lauri can get his shot over anyone, especially when he implements the drag step jumper that he unleashed upon helpless defenders last season. What the fadeaway was to Michael Jordan, is what the drag step should be to Markkanen, in a sense where you know it’s coming, but you still can’t do anything to stop it!
Markkanen has put on added muscle in the offseason, which would hint at him preparing to add a bit of post-play to the repertoire. Lauri has the ability to punish the defense from anywhere on the court, and can be a matchup nightmare for defenders. Especially if he is catching smaller players on a switch in the post area. However, we did not see him explore any type of post-work in the preseason.
Photo: @nbcsbulls
The good thing is that it was the only preseason and 5 games is very small sample size for what we are going to see take place over the course of an 82 game regular season. Head coach Jim Boylen doesn’t seem concerned at all.
Here’s what Jim had to say when asked about Markkanen residing on the perimeter during the preseason.
“When you bring the ball up and handle it, unless you get to the rim, you’re going to end up on the perimeter if you give it up. We are working our way through that to where he finds his opportunities.”
With the Bulls running a new offense, some kinks still are being hashed out. While Lauri has expressed his focus is more on the team’s success than his own individual success saying,
“You’re trying to get me to say 22 (points) and 12 (rebounds) and 3 assists,” Markkanen said, smiling. “I don’t have those kinds of goals. I want to get our wins from 22 to whatever. And I want to get our home wins from nine to whatever. I’m not putting a number on those either. But I think guys are doing a good job of making unselfish plays and making the extra pass. We’re coming together as a team.”
Which is great to hear, you love to hear players putting the team first. But the Bulls will only go as far as LaVine and Markkanen take them. Luckily Lauri knows what he can do better at, by his admission here.
“I haven’t got to the rim as much. I’m conscious of that. Those are easy points for us,” Markkanen said. “(Driving) is still available to me.
Photos: @clutchpoints, @chicagobulls, @nbcsbulls
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