It was a rough start for the Chicago Bulls in the first five minutes of the opening quarter, falling behind the Cleveland Cavaliers by 12 points before calling a timeout. From there, you might have expected typical Bulls basketball—a slow climb back or another frustrating loss.
But the Bulls flipped the script by experimenting with different rotations as the game progressed. Once the second unit took over in the second half, Chicago seized the lead in the second half and protected it until the final buzzer.
Still not entertained? How about a game-winning shot from Jevon Carter and a game-winning block on the final possession by Dalen Terry?
You love to see that.
Head coach Billy Donovan deployed 15 players throughout the night, with main starters sharing minutes between 10 and 20—not even half the game—including resting Josh Giddey after the Australian played just 14 minutes. Donovan's reasoning is that while implementing their fast-paced and physical identity, rotation flexibility is essential.
"I think it's really hard to play 9-10, 11-12 players in straight minutes, especially with the way we're trying to play," Donovan said. "So, we're going to have to keep people that are fresh and just don't want to have guys playing tired."
With Coby White limited in training due to a calf strain injury and expected to play sparingly—or possibly not at all—during the preseason, Donovan utilized all his backcourt options, which generated a winning impact. Emphasizing fresh legs, he deployed Ayo Dosunmu and Tre Jones, who showed flashes of their scoring, speed and quickness, building momentum. Other reserves like Zach Collins rotated in, helping the Bulls erase the deficit to a 57-57 halftime tie.
"I was actually shocked. We scored 57 points…usually that's a half below 50," Donovan said. "So when we did do good things on offense, we generated pretty good looks and got to the paint."
When the team trailed again in the late third and early fourth quarters, Donovan turned to Yuki Kawamura. The two-way point guard directed the comeback with five assists and a clutch three-pointer in crunch time.
Then the rhythm shifted to Carter, the Bulls' veteran guard who knocked down important threes and attacked the basket aggressively, including the game-winning drive in the final minutes that sealed a thrilling 118-117 victory for the Bulls.
"I do think that second unit helped us," Donovan said. "I think everybody right now is finding their way to play."
The preseason opener showcased exactly what Donovan has been preaching—depth matters, fresh legs matter, and when the bench delivers, the Bulls can compete with anyone. If this rotation flexibility continues to pay dividends, Chicago might have found a formula to sustain their up-tempo style throughout the grueling regular season.
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