Milwaukee Bucks Game Preview: Dec 15 vs Chicago Bulls
By Adam McGee
Major key for Chicago – Focus on the defensive end
The Chicago Bulls have been surprise winners of four of their last five games, including four straight, having only won three of their previous 22 games before that.
How exactly has Fred Hoiberg managed to find a spark in his young, rebuilding roster, though? The numbers indicate that the emphasis has switched to the defensive end.
For the last five games, the Bulls are only allowing 96.4 points per 100 possessions, which is the best defensive rating in the NBA across that span.
That number is even more remarkable as it represents a dramatic turnaround too. For the season overall, the Bulls still find themselves mired in the league’s bottom third on the defensive end, allowing 107 points per 100 possessions.
Fueled by leading contributions from their Big Three, the Bucks have recently found their stride on the offensive end, but that likely won’t bother the Bulls. The Hornets are the only one of Chicago’s last five opponents who rank in the NBA’s bottom half offensively.
The Bulls seem to have found a spark on the defensive end, and they’ll need to keep building on it to have a chance against the Bucks.