When the Bulls defense plays the way it is supposed to, they close out on opposing shooters quickly and don't allow open shots from anywhere on the floor. In this game, however, the Bulls simply seemed soft on the defensive end.
Coming into this game, Chicago was a stellar 14-6 without Derrick Rose. The past two games though have showcased the flaws inherent to both CJ Watson's nor John Lucas III's games. Though both are above average outside shooters, neither is especially fast. On top of that, neither possesses the ball handling skills necessary to adequately run the floor the way a starting point guard should. Therefore, when matched up against quicker, more athletic guards, they struggle.
Goran Dragic, Houston's starter, is by no means an all-star. He is, however, very quick, and has very good court vision. Because neither Watson nor Lucas were able to hound him on the defensive end. As a result, he finished with 20 points on 75% shooting, with 5 assists and 4 steals. Dragic took advantage of Watson and Lucas's sub-par play and submitted an excellent performance.
The Bulls performed very well earlier on in the season when Rose was out for just a few games at a time. At this point though, Rose has missed 11 straight games, and neither Watson nor Lucas has enough in the tank to properly run the point. With Miami and OKC breathing down their backs looking for the best record in the NBA, the Bulls offense needs to get back into shape to avoid losing out on valuable playoff position.
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