The Toronto Raptors are getting their season started as they welcome the Chicago Bulls to Scotiabank Arena.
To learn more about the Bulls' offseason and their current state of affairs, we spoke with Chicago Bulls On SI publisher Elias Schuster.
The Bulls underwent a lot of change this offseason. In what way have the Bulls changed the most?
It's not an understatement to say just about everything feels different for the Chicago Bulls. The front office was gutted. The coaching staff was overturned. The roster has been reimagined. With that in mind, it's pretty difficult to highlight just one major change, but I'd likely focus on the expectations as a whole.
Under the previous regime, the Bulls truly looked at things on a year-by-year basis. New lead executive Bryson Graham has come in with a greater purpose, insisting that this organization is building for the future. Tiago Splitter has echoed this sentiment, putting the on-court focus largely on player development as opposed to immediate results.
In other words, this is a Bulls team that finally recognizes that they are rebuilding. You will see young players get more opportunities to run the show than ever before. They were smart about adding a few veterans to help raise their floor in a new lottery era, but don't expect those players to be behind the wheel. The likes of Norman Powell, Nic Claxton, and Buddy Hield will simply be in the passenger seat holding on for dear life and barking out orders. No, turn there! Step on the brakes! Check your mirrors!
What are you expecting from rookie Caleb Wilson this season?
To be frank, I'm expecting a borderline Rookie of the Year campaign from Caleb Wilson. He has checked every box since coming off the board at No. 4. Will there be bumps in the road? Absolutely, but I've never quite seen a rookie as driven and adaptable as he is. In the preseason, you saw him make genuine progress in each outing, showing a great understanding of how to better handle physicality and get to his spots on the floor.
The bad news for Wilson, though, is that this Raptors team feels like a particularly tough first matchup. They are stuffed with the kind of long and athletic wings who can keep him in check offensively.
What is one thing people should know about the Bulls that cannot be found in a box score?
The identity of this team is going to be a lot different than in recent years. Yes, they will continue to play fast under Tiago Splitter and work had to win the possession game. But there is a much greater focus on the defensive end heading into this season.
Does that guarantee that they will be good – or even average – on that side of the ball on opening night? No, but they will be pressuing ball-handlers a lot more and attempting to ramp up the physicality around the rim.
Do not be surprised if there are a lot of whistles early in this one. The Bulls want to make their presence felt physically.
If the Bulls were to beat the Raptors, what would be the reason why?
Obviously, it's hard to know the recipe for success in Game 1. We have yet to truly see what either team is capable of. If the Bulls were to walk away with the upset win, however, my guess would be that they won the possession battle. Offensive rebounding is a major focal point for this group. When a shot goes up, everyone is charging the rim.
A Raptors loss likely means they struggled to clean the boards, and the Bulls managed to spray out for some second-chance opportunities behind the arc. I'd also take a look at the free throw numbers if the score lands in the Bulls' favor. This is a team that did a really good job at sharing the ball and actively cutting to the rim in the preseason. Everyone is pretty good at passing the rock on this team, so the Raptors will have to be prepared for plenty of ball movement.
What’s your score prediction for the game?
Look, it's impossible for me not to pick the Raptors in this one. The vibes will be too strong with Kawhi Leonard back in the building. Likewise, I just don't think this Bulls team is ready for what the Raptors can throw at them defensively. So, let's go with ... 110-102?
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