Billy Donovan preaches accountability amidst the Chicago Bulls' bad stretch

It'll take a collective effort for the Bulls to bounce back from their poor start to the season

© Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls are amidst a four-game losing streak and stand in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. It'll take a collective effort for the team to bounce back, which is something head coach Billy Donovan emphasized as the Bulls get ready to take on the Boston Celtics.

Everyone must be held accountable

Donovan has clarified that the burden is not just on the coaches and staff to get the team back on track. It's up to every single player in the locker room — from the stars to the third-stringers — to step up their game if they are going to bounce back from their early-season struggles.

"I think if you want to have a good team, they have to be," Donovan said on Sunday when asked if the same standard is applied to everyone on the roster.

Accountability has been the hot topic in the wake of Donovan's benching of All-Star Zach LaVine late in their heartbreaking 107-108 loss to the Orlando Magic that dropped them to 6-10 for the season. After the game, LaVine was visibly displeased with his coach's decision, but Donovan quickly reminded the team that everyone has a job to do and no one should be exempt from accountability.

Zach LaVine didn’t like Billy Donovan’s decision to bench him in crunch time

“You play a guy like me down the stretch. That’s what I do. Do I like the decision? No.” pic.twitter.com/uQdm7Rpi0y

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 19, 2022

A change had to be made

With LaVine having an off night, missing 13 of his 14 shots, Donovan said he had to make a change. He added that there were other things that LaVine could have done with his shot not falling.

"There's a lot he can do to get into the game. If the scoring isn't there for whatever reason, we've gotta have a group standard. And it wasn't all about him," Donovan said.

The role of an NBA coach is a tough one. But Donovan is proving he's up to it by taking a stand for accountability for himself and the players — even in tough times.

"Clearly the whole group in the first half, they scored 66 points, and then we gave up 42 in the second half. That game was two halves. With the way the game was going, you get caught as a coach thinking, 'We gotta do something different here.' Sometimes those decisions work and sometimes they don't," Donovan said.

Billy Donovan on benching LaVine: "He had a tough night shooting. I thought that group fought their way back into the game."

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 19, 2022