The Bulls offense tonight was essentially two very good games from Zach LaVine (43 points) and a Coby White performance off the bench (23), but the also-shorthanded Pacers ended up scoring 70 points in the paint as they gave Chicago their sixth straight loss, 116-105.
Without Wendell Carter Jr., the Chicago Bulls defense has taken a massive hit. Gone is the player who can clean up the mistakes made on the perimeter by protecting the rim and also a shrewd help defender who makes sure the Bulls don’t get beat on mismatches. So far in his absence, Chicago hasn’t been able to stop opposing big men.