Julian Phillips rarely gets to play for the Chicago Bulls. But when he does, the 20-year-old newcomer leaves a mark.
It took only moments for Phillips to be noticeable in the victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, leaping through the air for a two-handed volleyball-style block. He also made a striking impression on the United Center crowd in the opening moments of Tuesday’s 118-107 loss to the Toronto Raptors, making a 3-pointer and drawing a foul to score his first points in the first quarter.
Initial impressions matter. But if the Bulls are going to make it through the roughly two weeks remaining before the All-Star break, Phillips will need to play a significant role.
The Bulls are currently without a power forward as both Patrick Williams and Torrey Craig are out with injuries for at least two more weeks. Coach Billy Donovan intends to use a combination of Phillips and guard Alex Caruso to fill the position.
It’s challenging for a team to rely on the steadiness of a 20-year-old newcomer. But Phillips has demonstrated in his first two games stepping up in place of Williams that he can consistently provide one important element: energy.
“Young players, they're going to have their highs and lows,” Donovan said. “Sometimes for younger players, these situations create opportunities and I credit him for keeping himself prepared and providing us with a really good boost off the bench. So I have a lot of faith in him in terms of the way he has worked to prepare himself to go in there. I believe that his athleticism and his energy, if we bring that into the game on a regular basis, will be just as crucial as making shots.”
Phillips scored nine points and grabbed a rebound off the bench in Tuesday’s loss. Here are three other things to take away.
1. Dalen Terry’s injury raises concerns for the Bulls.
The Bulls suffered yet another injury setback in the last 30 seconds of the third quarter when Dalen Terry appeared to hurt his right ankle.
Terry sprinted down the court to try a layup in transition but collided with two Toronto players before falling awkwardly onto several photographers on the sideline. Clearly in pain, Terry tried to stand up twice before falling to the ground to clutch his ankle. He was carried to the locker room by the training staff and did not put any more weight on his foot.
Donovan mentioned after the game that X-rays for Terry came back negative and his injury has been diagnosed as a sprain. He was using crutches in the locker room.
The loss is significant for the Bulls, who are already without Zach LaVine, Williams, and Craig. Terry was expected to be one of the players to help cover minutes at power forward. Without him, the Bulls will have to rely solely on Caruso and Phillips to fill the position.
2. A first half 16-point lead was wasted in the third quarter.
The Bulls were in a commanding position in the first half, achieving a 16-point lead by halftime. But they continued to repeat a pattern of starting the second half slowly, allowing the Raptors to outscore them 37-26 in the third quarter.
The Raptors evened the score with 2:46 remaining in the third quarter.
DeRozan said they can't gradually get back into the second half of a game. They need to take charge, come out strong, and play with more urgency. It's a crucial time in the season and they need to win every game.
Another loss was defined by turnovers.
The Bulls have been consistently good at protecting the ball this season, but recent high-turnover games have led to their losses.
On Tuesday, the Bulls gave away 30 points from 17 turnovers, with 21 of those points scored in the second half. DeRozan had five turnovers as the Raptors used traps to make him lose the ball.
The Raptors gave away 14 points from 19 turnovers, but the Bulls couldn't make up the difference.
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