INCREDIBLE: The Bulls coaching staff pushed 29-year-old “Incredible Player” to be a 3-point threat

The Bulls coaching staff pushed 29-year-old “Incredible Player” to be a 3-point threat

Defense has always been part of Caruso’s DNA since arriving in the NBA, but for the Bulls’ new-look offense to be effective, he now also needs to be an aggressive long-range shooter. By Joe Cowley

Thursday’s aggressive offense against Denver was a good first step for Alex Caruso as his coaching staff tries to change its mindset. Guard Alex Caruso admits he has not yet fully embraced his new role.

In his mind, he’s a predatory defensive end who wants to ruin the night with opposing offenses. The hunter, not the hunted. But for coach Billy Donovan’s new-look offense to reach the level of efficiency it requires, Caruso will have to change his mindset — or at least change it a little. He must be willing to shoot first and ask questions later.

The Bulls’ preseason win against the Nuggets in double overtime on Thursday was a good first step.

After taking just one shot in the Bulls’ season opener against the Bucks on Sunday, Caruso — who was named to the first-team all-defense last season — followed with a 4-for-6 3-point record. the defending champion.

Now it must have persistence. “You go back and look at things from last season and we have to take pictures when they’re there,” Donovan said. “I think Alex is very committed to the team, very committed to winning, and I think Alex has worked hard to become a better shooter. But like any person, you miss two or three shots and you feel like you don’t does it. . I want to do something harmful. But it’s not. We need him to make these shots.”

Caruso made it clear that he has plenty of time to work on his shooting in the offseason. “I just hit a lot of [shots], hit a lot of rebounds,” he said. “Different scenarios where I was professional all summer and consistent with it. We had a long summer because we didn’t make the playoffs, so I had a lot of time.”

But he also knows that he had to change his way of thinking. That’s why he had many conversations with Donovan and his player development coaches about the fine line between being aggressive and hitting the Bulls badly.

“It’s a battle for probably everybody but maybe 10 guys in the league who have a lot of confidence every night, [even if] it doesn’t go your way,” Caruso said. “But I had a good chat with Billy. It’s almost selfish of me not to take the ones I have to take. I’m the kind of unselfish guy who tries to give back to the team. But a lot of times when I don’t. “don’t win and I’m aggressive in those situations, I’m selfish against the team. I just tried to recognize those opportunities and I thought I did a good job of that [Thursday].”

Donovan agreed, especially considering that Caruso’s shot came just over the 15th minute. There will likely be many nights when Caruso is in the starting lineup due to his ability to wreak havoc on defense. And Donovan wants to make sure he’s an offensive threat, not just an unguarded decoy.

“They’re quality shots and sometimes you don’t get a better picture than that,” Donovan Caruso said of the shot selection against the Nuggets. “If they are there, take them.

“Look, 82 games, he has a game when he has really bad shooting, and he has a game — like [Thursday] — when he has great shooting. The big thing is just to stick with it and accept them when they are there.

Donovan also pointed out that Caruso has been a good three-point shooter throughout his career.

He shot 40.1% from 3-point range last season with the Lakers before signing with the Bulls through the 2021-22 season. Last season, he made 36.4% of three-point shots.

It is not a form or ability; it’s a mindset.

“I think the ball dictates our attack,” Caruso said. “[Thursday] I was open about five times and one of them was a last-second shot that I just had to get up from. But the others were kind of rhythm through the offense. When I’m open, I’m going to shoot. You have to carry the threat to make everything work.

“Whoever gets this opportunity must be ready to take it.