Bulls news: Jim Boylen reveals he still has full support of Chicago despite poor start

The Chicago Bulls entered the 2019-20 NBA season with playoff expectations, and Jim Boylen thinks he still has the team's full support.

The Chicago Bulls entered the 2019-20 NBA season with playoff expectations. However, a 4-10 start to the season leaves the Bulls in 13th place in the Eastern Conference and desperately looking for answers.

Despite the disappointing start, Bulls head coach Jim Boylen said that he has “never felt more supported” by ownership and that he has constant communication with president John Paxson:

Boylen: “Since I’ve been here I’ve never felt more supported than I am rt. now from ownership, mgmt & John. We talk every day and we communicate. We’re in step. We’re in step in a lot of ways. We’re also in step in our frustration that we’d like to play better more consistently.”

— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) November 20, 2019

Part of Chicago's struggles stem from the starting unit, notably Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen.

The duo were a combined -37 in Chicago's loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night, and what was once a close game turned into a ho-hum win for the Bucks once LaVine and Markkanen reentered the game midway through the fourth quarter.

Markkanen's numbers are particularly troubling. The former Arizona Wildcat is shooting just over 36 percent from the field and a woeful 26.8 percent from beyond the arc just one year after he shot over 36 percent from deep. Markkanen has also been a total liability on the defensive side of the ball. Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated him in the first quarter, and Markkanen has struggled to box out when the shot goes up.

Boylen's personnel decisions are another element under question after rookie forward Daniel Gafford put on a show against Milwaukee. Boylen rarely gave Gafford any time early in the year, which resulted in a move to the G League.

However, Gafford returned from the G League to score 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting while adding five rebounds (four offensive boards) and a pair of blocks in just over 20 minutes of action.

That said, a lot of Chicago's struggles stem from an inability to finish at the rim. Take these numbers, for example: