Twenty-Seven Turnovers and a Wrist Wrap
Toronto handed the Bulls the worst opening night in franchise history. The shooting was bad, the giveaways were worse, and the point guard was carrying something nobody mentioned.
Toronto handed the Bulls the worst opening night in franchise history. The shooting was bad, the giveaways were worse, and the point guard was carrying something nobody mentioned.
The Bulls opened the season by losing 135-92 in Toronto, the worst opener in franchise history. Twenty-seven turnovers. Four of 36 from three. And Caleb Wilson, the No. 4 pick, finished minus-45, one of the worst debuts on record. Ugly is the polite word. The useful question is why.
My barber in Bankstown had the box score open between fades. "Four from thirty-six? I've seen better shooting at a buck's party. And the Bucks are next."
The bricks hurt, but the giveaways did the killing. Those 27 turnovers became 35 Toronto points, and Kawhi Leonard had four of the Raptors' 15 steals. The first came 71 seconds in, Kawhi poking the ball off Wilson's crossover while half of Toronto ran the other way. Wilson finished with 16 points on 7 of 21, nine turnovers and no assists. Tiago Splitter named the habit: "He was playing too much in crowds, not passing the ball when he had two, three guys on him." In college the second defender is a warning. In the NBA he's a trap. Wilson took it like a grown-up: "I can't expect myself to go out there and go for 30. That's not what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to learn."
Splitter's bigger worry wasn't the rookie. "After a turnover, getting our heads down when running back, that's something we cannot accept." That's the real mechanism. A bad pass costs you two points. Sulking on the way back costs you the night.
Now the bit nobody saw coming. Josh Giddey went 1 of 10 for two points with five turnovers, then explained the wrap on his left wrist: a preseason injury the Bulls will manage "throughout the season." He wasn't on the injury report before Toronto. He's probable for Milwaukee. Not an excuse, but maybe an explanation for a point guard who struggled to get the ball past half court. Matas Buzelis scored 17, mostly at the line (13 of 16), and got bodied by bigger wings. Zach Collins played nine minutes off a 12 to 16 minute limit, and the Bulls won his minutes by seven. Small sample, real signal.
Rumour watch, and it runs through Chicago's next opponent. Golden State is reportedly shopping Kristaps Porzingis, who is on indefinite leave with a health issue. The Athletic says Milwaukee got a call, with Myles Turner the obvious fit, but the Bucks reportedly aren't biting. Nothing is close.
The Bucks lost their own opener to Anthony Davis and Washington, and Friday's game got moved up for the World Series. Tip is 7am Saturday in Sydney. My test, not the team's: keep the turnovers under 20 and this was a bad night. Repeat it and it's a pattern.
The barber's verdict: "Count the giveaways, not the threes." Join the List below and I'll tell you straight how Milwaukee went.
If this one started an argument at the pub, the shop or the group chat, that's the job done. Rico Holt runs on readers, not bookies or big media money. Shout the next column here.
One email when there's something worth arguing about. Australian sport first, no tip sheets, no spam. Join the List and I'll tell you straight whether the Bulls fixed the giveaways in Milwaukee.
The barber is a composite. Every named player and coach is quoted or boxed on the record.
Rico Holt · ricoholt.com
If this one started an argument at the bar, the shop or the group chat, that's the job done. Rico Holt runs on readers, not bookies or big media money.
Leave a tip · A$5Get the next essay and the book launch price first.
Privacy: your email gets used for one thing, sending you Rico Holt essays and book news. It's stored with Netlify, our form host. Never sold, never shared. Want off? Reply to any email and you're gone.