As the Chicago Bulls look to improve their offensive game, most of the talk this summer surrounded the notion that they needed to add three-point shooting. And they did. The Bulls signed Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig in free agency, adding two guys who shoot close to or above 40% from behind the arc.
That said, the Bulls’ offense also struggled on the glass last season. Despite Nikola Vucevic averaging a double-double last year, the Bulls only averaged 8.5 offensive rebounds per game, which ranked third-worst in the NBA, above only the Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks. But they’re looking to improve in that area this season.
After the Bulls’ preseason win over the Denver Nuggets, head coach Billy Donovan made it clear that they are focusing on the offensive glass. (H/t Will Gottlieb of CHGO)
“We need guys to have that kind of mentality,” Donovan said after the win over Denver.
The Bulls corralled 26 offensive boards in the Thursday night win over the Nuggets, which would have been their most in a game last season by a long shot. Their season-high in offensive rebounds last year was just 15.
“Just being a little more aggressive about it,” Nikola Vucevic said of the Bulls’ plans. “[Donovan] is putting more of an emphasis on it and trying to figure out who the ‘go-guys’ are, they guys that go to the glass, and who the ‘get back guys’ are.”
Improving on the offensive glass could help raise the ceiling of Chicago’s offense heading into the season.
