Billy Donovan: Embracing Conflict ‘Key’ for Bulls This Season After Loss vs. Thunder

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The 2023-24 NBA season started about as poorly as possible for the Chicago Bulls, who fell 124-104 at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.

The evening also included a heated third-quarter exchange between head coach Billy Donovan and center Nikola Vučević, as relayed by K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.

K.C. Johnson @KCJHoop

Vucevic is hot. He and Billy Donovan just exchanged some strong words on the bench. Will ask about it postgame but has to be tied to Vooch not seeing the ball for long stretch there.

Donovan spoke about the moment postgame and said that the teams needs confrontation “as much as possible.”

K.C. Johnson @KCJHoop

Billy Donovan said Vucevic had some good points but needs to channel his frustration better. Had no issue with this exchange. “Confrontation is healthy. We need it. As much as possible.” His point is: He wants his team to have more toughness with adversity. https://t.co/lMk6wm2lww

Cody Westerlund of 670 The Score provided video:

Cody Westerlund @CodyWesterlund

Billy Donovan commented on sharing words of frustration with Nikola Vucevic late in the 3rd quarter. He didn’t think it was disrespectful, and Donovan likes confrontation because he believes it can be helpful. pic.twitter.com/QB3olCXVe1

Donovan also noted that players were having heated talks when he entered the locker room postgame and left once he asked if they wanted to handle the situation themselves.

Julia Poe @byjuliapoe

Billy Donovan says when he walked into the Bulls locker room tonight, players were already in heated conversations.

He asked if they wanted him to leave to handle conflict. Players said yes, so he did.

Donovan emphasized that embracing conflict is key for this year’s roster.

Vučević also was asked about the conversation with Donovan postgame (40-second mark, video via The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry).

Darnell Mayberry @DarnellMayberry

Nikola Vučević did not think the Bulls played well at either end tonight.

Also addresses his animated third-quarter exchange with Billy Donovan. pic.twitter.com/UoUe5Sdh1v

K.C. Johnson @KCJHoop

Nikola Vucevic said he expressed frustration during 3rd-quarter exchange with Billy Donovan “a little aggressively” and said postgame players’ talk was “very constructive”

Chicago is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2022-23 season that ended with a 40-42 record and a loss in the play-in tournament.

Wednesday was not a good start, and the only good news emerging from this game is that the Bulls still have 81 contests left.

The Bulls will now try to move past the ugly opener on Friday when they host the Toronto Raptors.

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