Chicago Bulls: 5 takeaways from 2017-18 preseason
1. Hoi-ball is full swing
One of the reasons the front office was eager to hire Hoiberg two years ago had a lot to do with the pace-and-space offense he ran during his five-year tenure with Iowa State. During his first two NBA seasons, however, it became clear Hoiberg would not be able to implement his offense with the roster he inherited.
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While Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade certainly could take over games on a moment’s notice, their style of basketball didn’t quite mesh within an offense that is predicated on constant movement compared to isolation sets. With the departure of those players, the Bulls’ offense looks a bit different than it did in 2016-17.
There’s more off-the-ball movement and players making the extra pass, which in turn, has provided a lot open looks. As a result of this new-look offense, the Bulls have recorded at least 20 assists in each of their games and they are ranked third, with an average of 26.3 per contest.
That is not the only thing that has changed about this offense. Remember the squad that was near the bottom of the league in 3-point attempts during the 2016-17 campaign? Well, that team no longer exists and this year’s version isn’t shy about launching from long distance.
The Bulls taking a lot of 3s is "Hoiball", but its more of an indicator for this team specifically, that they can do nothing else on offense
— Mark K (@mkhoops) October 4, 2017
In fact, their 206 attempts from 3-point range is third only to the Raptors (207) and Dallas Mavericks (225). Another factor worth noting is the Bulls are also ranked second with 80 made shots from deep.
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Whether the Bulls can continue playing at this frenetic pace during the season remains to be seen. What can be said is Bulls fans are getting a first-hand look at what Hoiball is all about.