Chicago Bulls’ Billy Donovan suggests team is mentally weak

Per K.C. Johnson of CHSN, the Bulls have given up 120 or points in 11 straight games, the first such streak in 35 years.

The Bulls gave up 143 points in a loss to the Miami Heat on Nov. 21 and 143 again in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday. Frustrating losses to the Pelicans and Hornets have dropped Chicago to 9-9.

On Friday, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan suggested the defenses woes were a mental problem, with players not feeling good.

“It’s a mentality,” Donovan said via Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “When you get into the season, you’re always fighting human nature. Human nature tells you you’re sore or you’re tired. There are a lot of physical things you have to do that are very challenging. I think we’ve been pretty clear on those things.

“There’s a level of consistency that has to be a lot better in those areas. They just got to do it, and they’ve got to do it when they don’t feel good.

Needing to overcome the mental block

Donovan thinks the Bulls should be able to overcome those obstacles.

“When you get into 20, 30 games, most of these guys don’t feel good. I don’t know any guy that’s 100 percent. It’s battling human nature all the time,” Donovan said. “How you do with internal talk, how you’re getting prepared, focusing on the things that you have control over? A lot of it is the controllable stuff.”

The Bulls aren’t controlling it, and they’re blowing games they should win.

Chicago has another winnable game upcoming when they travel to play the 3-16 Indiana Pacers on Saturday.

Will the defense show up?