CLEVELAND — It was the most intimidating looking set-up to draw a charge seen all evening by a member of the Bulls.
Feet were dug in the floor, base was locked, chest was out, and hands were showing.
One problem: It was coach Billy Donovan that was delivering it, and it came in a postgame press conference against a stationary table.
No tables were injured in the making of Donovan’s impromptu coaching clinic.
The Bulls? They were very injured. Or at least sick, after watching a 21-point halftime lead turn into an improbable 145-134 overtime loss in which Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell scored 71 points — the most in the NBA since Kobe Bryant’s 81 in 2006.
To put what Mitchell did into further historical context, his 71 points to go along with his 11 assists, accounted for 99 of Cleveland’s points. Wilt Chamberlain accounted for 104 during his 100-point game in 1962.
And while the Bulls certainly received no help from the referees, who missed a clear lane violation that led to Mitchell’s put-back off a free throw to send the game into overtime, it was a loss that continued to shine a spotlight on just how many warts this roster has, especially in clutch moments.
It starts with an unwillingness to play with physicality.
Donovan has been harping on it for two seasons, and it again reared its ugly head in the second half in Cleveland. There just aren’t enough players in the rotation that are willing to dig into the ground and make a stand with another human incoming. More iron, less Charmin.
In Donovan’s estimation, that’s why his team fouls too much, and at the worst moments.
“We’ve got to get better from a physicality standpoint,’’ Donovan said. “When the ball is coming at the basket we cannot slap and reach and try and deflect because we get a lot of those fouls. We’re going to have to go vertical, put our chest in plays or take charges and show our hands.’’
But there’s another reason the Bulls find themselves 7-13 in games within five points and have five minutes or less left, and 5-10 within three points and 30 seconds or less left.
They’re becoming too predictable, especially when it comes down to final shots. It’s been DeMar DeRozan or bust this season, after he was an assassin at it last season. Despite the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report finding that DeRozan was fouled in his last second game-winning miss against the Cavs on Saturday, the entire Cleveland team and coaching staff knew who was taking it.
Even in Monday’s loss, it was DeRozan taking the last-second prayer at the end of regulation.
DeRozan’s been great at it — just look at last season when he shot 50% in games within two points and less than 10 seconds. All-Star Zach LaVine had his chance at it before DeRozan, and shot 28.6% in those same circumstances in the 2020-21 season.
That doesn’t mean LaVine shouldn’t at least be getting opportunities now, however.
LaVine spoke to the Sun-Times about it in Cleveland, and to his credit, continued to show why he remains a stand-up teammate.
“You give a guy like [DeRozan] the ball at the end of a game, you’re happy with the shot that he gets,’’ LaVine said. “That’s just the reality of it. But if I get that opportunity I’m still Zach, I’m going to shoot the ball confidently and think that I’m going to win the game or make the right play for my team.’’
If there was one gripe by LaVine it was they have become too predictable at the end of games. His vote was for his coaching staff to mix it up a bit more.
“I think we have to start figuring out how we can get some different actions in those situations,’’ LaVine said. “But I just want to win.’’
