The Chicago Bulls still aren't over their back-to-back Play-in losses to the Miami Heat. While they're not forming a rivalry with the South Florida squad, the organization made clear throughout Monday's media day that they're looking to take lessons from that physical team.

The Bulls want to become more physical this upcoming season.

"We have to get more defensive-minded versatility and creativity to be essential to our defense," Artūras Karnišovas, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, said in his opening statement at the Bulls' media day. "Focus will be on establishing encore toughness and physicality."

The Bulls have struggled to clinch a playoff berth in recent years, a mediocrity largely attributed to their inability to match opponents' intensity. The last two seasons have been particularly frustrating—even with a strong roster featuring Zach LaVine, the Bulls were eliminated from playoff contention by the Heat, a team composed of young, high-energy players who consistently brought unmatched physicality.

Last season, despite rallying with a 15-5 record over their final 20 regular-season games, the Bulls couldn't sustain that momentum in the postseason, falling to Miami by 19 points in the play-in tournament.

"We learned a lot from losing to Miami," Karnišovas said. "The way we physically couldn't handle the physicality of Miami that game. And I think those are the lessons that they have to take into the season."

Coby White agreed about the lack of physicality when facing physical teams, noting the Bulls have room to improve defensively and fighting through screens offensively.

"I think that's for us taking the next leap as a team. It's been a message this summer, and it's on all of our minds to go out there and compete and be more physical," White said.

White also praised the Bulls' lone offseason acquisition, Josh Giddey, calling him a "menace" on defense and believing he'll boost the team's overall physicality.

For Nikola Vučević, the veteran center viewed the Bulls' struggles with physicality as primarily a mindset issue, pointing to their experience against Miami as a learning opportunity about matching playoff-tested teams' intensity.

"I think we understand we need to be able to do that, especially on defensive end for us to have a chance to be a good team," Vučević said.

Ayo Dosunmu said the Bulls' defense has shown flashes of being elite in past seasons but often lacked consistency. Entering his fifth year with the organization, he emphasized the focus now has to be on sustaining those strengths night in and night out.

"I think the main thing that you know this team needs to do is do all of those things, but do at a more consistent level, not picking and choosing," Dosunmu said.

Building on the defensive emphasis, Josh Giddey stressed that defense must be a five-man effort this season, not relying on one lockdown defender. He also highlighted teamwork's importance to physicality.

"It has to be a collective effort," Giddey said. "We have to be the ones that throw the first punch out of the gate."

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