For Wendell Carter Jr., the Chicago Bulls have no one to blame but themselves in their loss to the Atlanta Hawks in the first game of the season.
The Bulls posed no threat at all, with Trae Young and Co. going off to a blistering 42-point start in the first quarter before following it up with 41 points in the second frame. Chicago was simply overwhelmed, and they were never able to recover and respond to what ended as a blowout victory for Atlanta.
Carter Jr. admitted after the game that they didn't “play as a team” in the contest, adding that they kept “worrying about stuff that happened” instead of thinking of ways to bounce back and stop the other team.
However, the 21-year-old big man took responsibility and acknowledged that he was severely lacking in the game as well. With that said, he shared that he apologized to his teammates for his performance.
“I just didn’t show effort,” Wendell Carter Jr. admitted, per NBC Sports. “I felt myself just being a step slow, I felt myself just worrying about the wrong things. This league is a game of runs. There’s too many good players in this league not to be runs, so I feel like for myself — and I can only speak for myself — I’ve got to learn that thing is going to happen.
The Bulls starters indeed struggled mightily in the game, with Zach LaVine going 9-of-19 from the field (1-of-8 from deep) and Coby White going 2-of-11 overall. However, it is true that WCJ didn't make his presence felt in the game and lacked the assertiveness that the Bulls could have used in the game.
Carter Jr. finished with six points, six rebounds and two assists. He attempted just five shots and connected only two despite playing 26 minutes.
Chicago certainly needs to step up and be more aggressive if they want to end their three-year playoff drought. They will be facing the Indiana Pacers next on Saturday, another game that they can't take lighlty.
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