It was a solid win for the Chicago Bulls as Fred Hoiberg earned his first win as head coach of the team.
It was a 105-95 win for the Bulls as they took over the game in the second half to beat a Milwaukee Bucks team that will look to be a threat in the Eastern Conference this year.
The Bulls did it without key players Derrick Rose, Mike Dunleavy, Pau Gasol, and Taj Gibson. The Bulls were led by Jimmy Butler, who made it clear that it was his team this year. After a breakout season last year which saw him earn a big money deal, Butler led all scorers with 23 points and he added six assists for the Bulls.
Chicago also got some well-needed scoring from their bench. Doug McDermott struggled in the first half but caught fire in the second half. He had a buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter and continued to shoot well in the fourth quarter. After struggling last year, McDermott will look to thrive under Fred Hoiberg's offense. He looks like he won't be the only one.
Bobby Portis got off to an impressive start in his first NBA game as he led all players with 14 rebounds. Known for his energy coming out of college, the former Arkansas Razorback showed the energy against the Bucks and showed potential in terms of shooting. If Portis can develop a more consistent outside shot, which he showed in college, then he can be a big boost for the Bulls. With Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson out, this was Portis' chance to impress Fred Hoiberg and earn some regular season minutes.
This wasn't the same Bulls team on offense we saw in years past. They were not stagnant and everyone was moving off the ball. Chicago did not endure any of those long droughts that they endured in the years prior. The Bulls attempted 99 shots in this game, 39 of them coming from three. This led to 68 second half points and helped them finish off Milwaukee.
Hoiberg also showed willingness for change in the rotations. He said he will mix and match lineups in pre-season games and will start Doug McDermott against the Denver Nuggets. Another big thing to look for is to see how he manages the minutes. Although it is only the pre-season, the way that Hoiberg manages minutes will foreshadow the future.
The Bulls got off to a great start and the offense looks like it has had a real effect on Chicago. But it was the first pre-season game so expectations should be kept low for now. Not all of the Bulls key players are healthy so the real assessment will be when they all are.