Bulls’ Billy Donovan Talks Tanking After Rout Of Sixers: ‘We Have A Responsibility To Do Our Best’

Bulls coach Billy Donovan clearly understands why some fans wanted Chicago to lose to the 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday night. With the Bulls sitting near the bottom of the standings, fans were hoping for them to tank and increase their odds of landing a top pick in the upcoming NBA draft, particularly a shot at Duke’s Cooper Flagg.

But there’s a major problem with that mindset: it goes against Donovan’s core principles, as relayed by Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. The coach said that not once has management instructed him to tank games for the rest of the season.

“I worry a little bit about what kind of message you are sending your locker room,” Donovan said, via Cowley. “I get what the fans are saying with looking at the percentages and, ‘Who cares (about winning),’ I get that.

“But I don’t think you ever want to give anybody any impression of, ‘Hey, these guys are all healthy, but we’re just resting them.’ You guys go out there and play. Do your best, try to win.”

Donovan’s stance is rooted in integrity. “I really respect that there is a responsibility that we have organizationally to go out there and compete and do our best,” he added.

That mindset was on full display as the Bulls crushed the 76ers 142-110. At one point, Chicago held a 50-point lead. The message was clear: the Bulls were competing, and they made sure Philadelphia knew it.

Chicago’s win was even more significant because it came as Brooklyn lost to the lowly Wizards, dropping 1 ½ games behind the Bulls in the NBA East standings.

“I don’t know all the percentages or the odds, all those things,” Donovan said. And those odds? The Bulls sit eighth from the bottom, with a 6% chance to land the No. 1 pick and a 26.3% shot at a top-four pick.

Brooklyn’s odds are slightly better, and the 76ers, who are ahead of both, have a 9% chance at the top pick.

But, despite the slim odds, the Bulls aren’t chasing the lottery this year or last. As Donovan said, “When we’ve spoken, whether it’s been with front office or ownership, there’s been a consensus that there is an integrity to go out there with.”

That integrity was evident in their dominant performance over Philadelphia. The Bulls came out firing, scoring 39 points in the first quarter. By halftime, they had a 17-point lead. Josh Giddey was key in the first half, contributing 17 of the team’s 75 points, while Kevin Huerter, who had his best game as a Bull, scored 14 of his 23 in those first two quarters.

“Just settling down a little bit,” Huerter said about his improved performance. “I felt like we just got easy look after easy look the entire game.”

By the third quarter, it was clear that Philadelphia had checked out. The Bulls continued to pile it on, putting up another 40 points in that period. Huerter even felt the shift in momentum.

“You can feel it,” he said with a smile. “At that point, you have to step on the other team’s neck.”

Some NBA teams make it easy to do that. For the Bulls, this game was about more than just winning; it was about playing with purpose.