Depth? Check.
Conditioning? Check.
Three-point shooting? Check.
Improved defense? Check.
Superstar closer?
Repeat, superstar closer?
Pencils down.
Yes, Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas should get some credit for the improved team he has built this season. But for the third consecutive game — and the Bulls’ third loss in a row — it was the haves taking advantage of the have-nots.
The ‘‘incomplete’’ grade above still sits on Karnisovas’ report card.
On Friday in Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 41 points and was unstoppable in the fourth quarter. A night later in Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 13 of his 29 points down the stretch. And Monday at the United Center, Spurs unicorn Victor Wembanyama scored 18 of his 38 points in the fourth to send the Bulls to a heartbreaking 121-117 loss.
Different night, different star, same result.
‘‘They’re the best players in the league, and they’re going to do what they do,’’ Bulls center Nikola Vucevic said. ‘‘Some games, we’re going to be able to limit them. When they get it going, I don’t think there’s a whole lot you can do. Even against teams that have those great players, we’ve played well. [On Monday], we had a chance. In Cleveland, we had a chance, as well. Just didn’t close it down the stretch.’’
Wembanyama was as good as advertised early on. It wasn’t only his nine points in the first quarter, but it was also the way he changed the Bulls’ offense. More like the way he intimidated it.
The 7-4 Wembanyama blocked only one shot in the first six-plus minutes, but he had the Bulls (6-4) second-guessing about driving the paint time and time again.
There was one possession in the first quarter in which guard Tre Jones was pushing the ball up the court but saw Wembanyama lurking. He passed to forward Isaac Okoro in the corner, only to get the ball delivered right back to him. All the while, Wembanyama was floating around in the paint, daring the Bulls to test him.
Jones drove and passed the ball back to Okoro, who threw it to forward Matas Buzelis. Buzelis found a wide-open Vucevic on the right wing, but rather than drive into Wembanyama territory, he passed it to Jones for a corner three-pointer. Wembanyama, however, took away Jones’ shot, which was the opening the Bulls needed
With Wembanyama finally away from the basket, Jones dumped the ball to Vucevic, who found a cutting Buzelis on the side opposite from where Wembanyama was.
It was a nice basketball play, but it was one that showed just how much work it would take for the Bulls to avoid Wembanyama.
Where the game started flipping was in the third quarter. Wembanyama was picking up fouls — three, to be exact — and the Bulls were getting a bit braver in attacking the rim.
With a less aggressive big man to swat balls out of the sky, the Bulls shot 12-for-21 (.571) from the field and 4-for-6 from three-point range to outscore the Spurs 34-26 in the third and take a 98-89 lead to the fourth.
But without guard Josh Giddey (sprained ankle) to help the late-game pace, the Spurs battled back until Wembanyama took over by sinking two three-pointers with less than a minute left.
‘‘Those losses hurt, for sure,’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘It’s part of the season. You go through the ups and downs.’’
