Preseason opener 10/8: 6pm EDT Bulls @ Cavs

[Stratmaster]

I'll be the first to say it. At what point do you trade Pat so that Matas has nothing in the way to hold him back?

Sure, Pat can come off the bench but I'm tired of watching a player who just doesn't have any fire in him.

Unfortunately, the time to trade him was before they signed him. Of course, most recently he was injured so...

1st preseason game. But the Bulls were -18 in his 13 minutes of playing time. The problem is, that is consistent with his past performance. You can not afford to have him on the court if you are trying to win games.

[burlydee]

I liked how the Bulls young forwards - Matas, Terry, and Phillips- played off the bench. Liked THT aggressiveness getting to the rim.

For the ppl hating on DT, I watched Caruso play the exact same floor game for years to endless praise.

I didn't like the starting unit at all and especially hated the performance by PWILL. He simply doesn't play hard enough or with enough IQ.

Lavine never plays hard in the preseason. Which makes sense when you've had as much team success as him...

[Dez]

And here come the preseason knee-jerk reactions.

[madvillian]

I liked how the Bulls young forwards - Matas, Terry, and Phillips- played off the bench. Liked THT aggressiveness getting to the rim.

For the ppl hating on DT, I watched Caruso play the exact same floor game for years to endless praise.

I didn't like the starting unit at all and especially hated the performance by PWILL. He simply doesn't play hard enough or with enough IQ.

Lavine never plays hard in the preseason. Which makes sense when you've had as much team success as him...

I'm taking Phillips and Matas as positives. Everybody else whatever as they are just working on fitness really. I don't GAF about what Pat does in preseason. Doesn't matter. So I'm going to just give him a pass until game 1, at which point I will be on his ass relentlessly as he's no longer on a rookie deal and is no longer getting a pass for passive, crap play.

[sco]

That was a FUN preseason watch! Great to see some Bulls basketball!

The starting unit has no familiarity with each other and it showed. Zach, Giddey and Pat all showed rust. Coby looked unsure when to be aggressive. Vuc can't stack up against capable C's. Giddey seemed to shake off his early rust and showed signs of Olympics Giddey. Coby started heating up too. If they kept their starters in, we'd be blown out. Not gonna win many if we shoot 20% from 3, but I was happy that we got 40 3's up.

The bench was the story. Ayo looks like he's ready to go on both ends. Smith has a nice game, but like so many, someone stole his 3pt shot on the way to Chicago. Terry and Phillips look ready to bring some nice defense and hustle. But the real story was that Matas showed he belongs on the floor on both ends...I was particularly impressed with his defensive play. Didn't expect Billy to give him run at C. Duarte and THT were equal parts good and bad.

[kodo]

The Bulls youngsters Matas & Giddey both looked in the 2nd half. Clearly talented with some flaws.
Ayo & Coby look basically the same as last season, which isn't a bad thing at all.
Zach & Patrick looked like they've missed a ton of time away from the game. Patrick barely played and led the team with 3 TOs.
Vuc is operating closer to the basket which is good to see. 6-8 on 2s. We don't need a 29% 3P shooter hanging out by the 3P line all game.

We're going to have zero rim protection, Mobley was just killing us. Pick should be safe.

[jordanwilliams6]

I think our bench will be really fun to watch this season. They won't always get it right but we might actually enjoy watching a combination of Ayo, Lonzo, Phillips, Matas & Smith. There's a lot of defense and shooting right there and should play with a lot of pace.

[MrSparkle]

I'll be the first to say it. At what point do you trade Pat so that Matas has nothing in the way to hold him back?

Sure, Pat can come off the bench but I'm tired of watching a player who just doesn't have any fire in him.

Nobody is taking Pat’s contract. The Bulls 4 highest paid players this season all have exactly zero trade value.

Let that sink in folks. This is a bottom 3 team in the East.

It's pretty wild. I'll give Lonzo a pass for his situation, and he's expiring.

But Vuc/Zach/Pat make $80M and the latter 2 go well beyond this year. Sadly, I'd rather start a rookie over all 3.

[SfBull]

I'll be the first to say it. At what point do you trade Pat so that Matas has nothing in the way to hold him back?

Sure, Pat can come off the bench but I'm tired of watching a player who just doesn't have any fire in him.

He shouldn't have been extended.

[SfBull]

I'll be the first to say it. At what point do you trade Pat so that Matas has nothing in the way to hold him back?

Sure, Pat can come off the bench but I'm tired of watching a player who just doesn't have any fire in him.

Unfortunately, the time to trade him was before they signed him. Of course, most recently he was injured so...

1st preseason game. But the Bulls were -18 in his 13 minutes of playing time. The problem is, that is consistent with his past performance. You can not afford to have him on the court if you are trying to win games.

Why people didn't get mad on AK extending him?

[Jcool0]

I'll be the first to say it. At what point do you trade Pat so that Matas has nothing in the way to hold him back?

Sure, Pat can come off the bench but I'm tired of watching a player who just doesn't have any fire in him.

Unfortunately, the time to trade him was before they signed him. Of course, most recently he was injured so...

1st preseason game. But the Bulls were -18 in his 13 minutes of playing time. The problem is, that is consistent with his past performance. You can not afford to have him on the court if you are trying to win games.

Why people didn't get mad on AK extending him?

Pretty sure some did

[greenwing]

Unfortunately, the time to trade him was before they signed him. Of course, most recently he was injured so...

1st preseason game. But the Bulls were -18 in his 13 minutes of playing time. The problem is, that is consistent with his past performance. You can not afford to have him on the court if you are trying to win games.

Why people didn't get mad on AK extending him?

Pretty sure some did

Yes, a number of us did.

[madvillian]

No reason to complain about Pat in the post gamer imo. It may not seem like it but as a vet he has zero to prove. Yea he looked bad tonight but it's whatever. It's just glorified practice for the vets. Rookies are still getting up to game speed, even preseason, everybody else is just working on things and trying to get in shape.

Along that line, I thought BD used the opener the right way. Tried out some lineups, but for the most part the guys that will open the year opened the year and got some run out. Preseason isn't the time to really **** with the starters imo, just let them get out there stretch the legs and then if the regular season (in a tank year especially) calls for change, then make the change. Preseason is just preseason.

[MGB8]

No reason to complain about Pat in the post gamer imo. It may not seem like it but as a vet he has zero to prove. Yea he looked bad tonight but it's whatever. It's just glorified practice for the vets. Rookies are still getting up to game speed, even preseason, everybody else is just working on things and trying to get in shape.

Along that line, I thought BD used the opener the right way. Tried out some lineups, but for the most part the guys that will open the year opened the year and got some run out. Preseason isn't the time to really **** with the starters imo, just let them get out there stretch the legs and then if the regular season (in a tank year especially) calls for change, then make the change. Preseason is just preseason.

I agree and disagree at the same time. Maybe Pat doesn't feel like he has anything to prove, but he hasn't proven anything to us, or, quite frankly, to the league. He hasn't even really earned his starting spot, and Matas and even Phillips could push him for it. So show us that you care, Pat.

[madvillian]

No reason to complain about Pat in the post gamer imo. It may not seem like it but as a vet he has zero to prove. .

I agree and disagree at the same time. Maybe Pat doesn't feel like he has anything to prove, but he hasn't proven anything to us, or, quite frankly, to the league. He hasn't even really earned his starting spot, and Matas and even Phillips could push him for it. So show us that you care, Pat.

I get what you're saying 100%. Thing is I'd hope Pat is smart enough to realize preseason means jack **** **** at this point. For better, not for worse. Let the rookies go out and try and impress. For a 4th year guy it's about ramping up to production when it counts and oh yea doing that for 81 more over an insane grind of a schedule.

Pat hasn't earned one bit of benefit of the doubt here but I just have to give him it because it's how I'd judge any 4th year guy really.

[FriedRise]

<insert it's only preseason caveat>

- They're very similar players, but I didn't hate the DT and JP pairing
- Matas NEEDS guaranteed minutes. If he's not given that, then what are we doing here?
- The pace of the game was a lot faster than in yesteryears, which was fun to see. Good that we shot a lot more 3s, bad that we only hit 8 of 40 lmao. Not sure if we have the personnel to be shooting 3s at that rate
- Pat, bro... he looked awful and was a step slow in everything. He's gonna need to show something or he'll lose playing time to Matas, Terry, and Philips. Every single one of those guys is more interesting and energetic than all the same things we've been seeing from Pat

[madvillian]

<insert it's only preseason caveat>

- They're very similar players, but I didn't hate the DT and JP pairing
- Matas NEEDS guaranteed minutes. If he's not given that, then what are we doing here?
- The pace of the game was a lot faster than in yesteryears, which was fun to see. Good that we shot a lot more 3s, bad that we only hit 8 of 40 lmao. Not sure if we have the personnel to be shooting 3s at that rate
- Pat, bro... he looked awful and was a step slow in everything. He's gonna need to show something or he'll lose playing time to Matas, Terry, and Philips. Every single one of those guys is more interesting and energetic than all the same things we've been seeing from Pat

One thing that Pat kills us on in this new style is just instinctual hustle to the ball. I don't think you can teach that at this point. Like Matas has more "JUST GO GET THE BALL" type **** in him then Pat ever will.

Doesn't mean can't be useful, but it's def something he'll probably never develop. Long rebound are Pat's nemesis on both ends whereas you see with matas he can either tip it or just go get it much more often.

[madvillian]

Watch on YouTube

[Chi town]

Pat has 3 Rebs in 13 mins.

PROGRESS

[2weekswithpay]

Pat looks awful in the preseason and starts the regular season playing like someone who doesn't belong in the rotation. It's happened two years in a row and I'd bet on it happening again. Pat will be the same player he's always been as long as he doesn't forget how to shoot.