LOS ANGELES – There will be no pumping of the brakes for Billy Donovan until told otherwise, and the Bulls coach has not been delivered that message.
Even with his franchise now a half a game below Milwaukee in the draft lottery standings after Thursday’s 142-130 loss to the Lakers, it’s business as usual over the final 16 regular-season games.
That was the last talk executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas had with Donovan, and the same one ownership had with him.
“That would be my guess,” Donovan said, when asked if he thought that mentality would continue. “If we get to a place where we are mathematically out of anything as it relates to postseason and there are guys that are dealing with some ailments or have challenges health-wise, could they say, ‘Hey, let’s get these guys right first.’ I don’t know. Everything I got from them up to this point and time is to continue to put our best foot forward.”
Easier said than done with all the injuries this roster has endured since the purge at the Feb. 5 deadline. Not that Los Angeles was about to feel bad. While the Bulls (27-39) have had a solid showing on this five-game trip, they didn’t have to face a Luke Doncic. All he did in the win for the home team was score 51 points, grab 10 rebounds and hand out nine assists.
Another reminder of what an elite player means to a lineup and what the Bulls don’t have.
But the issue wasn’t just Doncic and the other star power of LeBron James, as much as the size being a factor. The Lakers outscored the Bulls 30-16 in second-chance points.
More growing pains for a roster that continued to be short-handed and having guys thrown into different roles. Which led to Donovan also being asked about the current evaluation process. Players like Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton and Jaden Ivey could be elsewhere next season, and while the Bulls would love to have a strong evaluation of how they would each fit in – if they want them to fit in – that hasn’t been made easy with Simons and Ivey especially, dealing with injuries.
“The Anfernee thing has made it tough to evaluate him, but he does have a large body of work, and so does Collin,” Donovan said. “Rob (Dillingham) would be a guy that you can really, really take a look at. The Jaden (Ivey) situation has been unfortunate because he played four games and now he’s out, he’s trying to rehab, but everything I’ve gotten from (the front office) is go out there and help these guys be as competitive and successful as they can be, and put the focus on winning, and I think that’s the same thing as ownership.”
Brotherly love
Before the Bulls acquired Leonard Miller from Minnesota in the Ayo Dosunmu trade package, they had his older brother Emanuel on a two-way deal.
Maybe that’s why the transition has been so easy for baby brother because of the amount of intel he was given.
“I talk to that guy every day,” Leonard said. “I talked to him about the ins and outs of the city, the program because he was here before me so I can ask him the same questions and he gives me the answers.”
Calming down
Isaac Okoro missed his second consecutive game on Thursday, after being a late scratch before the game against Golden State.
According to Donovan, the veteran has a knee issue that flares up now and then, and it decided to make the trip out west with him.
“He’s had it before,” Donovan said. “It’s probably going to take a little bit of time to make it calm down. Generally, he starts to feel better each day that goes by. I don’t think it’s a long-term thing or anything like that. He’s just got some inflammation there that they need to calm down.”
