Podcast Summary: Dan Bernstein Unfiltered – “Matas Buzelis and Chicago Bulls playing better BUT the defense needs WORK!”
Podcast: Organizations Win Championships (OWC), Ep. 124
Hosts: Dan Bernstein and Jason Bernstein | Date: December 23, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the Chicago Bulls’ recent upswing—three straight wins—but tempers optimism with a candid critique of the team’s defensive struggles. Dan Bernstein and Jason Bernstein dig into why the Bulls’ play has improved offensively yet continues to falter on the defensive side, emphasizing individual accountability, coaching schemes, and broader NBA trends. The discussion is sharp, informed, and laced with characteristic humor and banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bulls’ Recent Performance: Progress Amid Defensive Woes

• Three-Game Win Streak
  The Bulls are on a three-game winning run, improving to a 13-15 record and sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference.
  • “Better things have happened for your Chicago Bulls. They've won three games and lost none in the intervening time. Hooray.” — Jason (01:19)
• Key Stats
  Bulls rank 14th in offensive rating and a concerning 25th on defense, with a net rating of -3.4 (20th in the NBA).
  • The recent wins included a home-and-home vs. Cleveland and a wild 152-150 win over Atlanta.

2. Defensive Issues: Lack of Effort & Strategy

• Individual Failings
  The hosts single out players for lackluster defense:
  • “Nobody on the Bulls is playing a lick of defense. With the exception occasionally of Matas Buzelis when he's close to the rim going after the ball.” — Jason (04:15)
  • Josh Giddey: “Appears either incapable or unwilling to assume a defensive stance” (05:14).
  • Buzelis: Now letting his man go by him, “caught whatever Giddey has.”
• Scheme Problems
  • Overreliance on switching screens leaves Vucevic exposed, leading to “mismatches, blowbys, and lobs.”
  • “If they're not gonna fight to get over and around screens, they're not going to be able to stop anyone.” — Jason (06:54)
• Coaching & Discipline
  • Lack of consistent defensive rules beyond mere switching is problematic.
  • “At least have a consistent set of defensive rules other than switch...” — Jason (07:17)
  • Defensive effort and discipline have dropped off compared to earlier in the season.
    • “They were a better defensive team earlier... now that you've won a few in a row, all right, let's reel something in here.” — Jason (17:14)

3. Personnel Evaluations & Lineup Dynamics

• Debated who brings defensive effort (Okoro, Collins) and offensive value (Herder, Giddey).
• “If Vuch is out there, you can't switch... otherwise he's buzzing, boned or the team is boned vicariously through the Vuch bone.” — Dan (08:22)
• Noted that the Bulls need the right personnel—versatile, similarly sized lineups—to execute effective switching defense.

4. Bulls’ Upcoming Schedule & Realistic Outlook

• Upcoming opponents include Atlanta again, then a tough homestand: Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Orleans, Orlando, Charlotte.
  • “Philly, Milwaukee, Minnesota, the Pelicans on New Year's Eve... So they go 0–3 against the Pelicans.” — Dan (15:24)
• Skepticism that the win streak is sustainable given lingering defensive holes.

5. Notable Player & League Observations

• Wembanyama Praise
  • Both hosts marvel at Victor Wembanyama’s unique talent and rapid on-court impact.
  • “Wembanyama is so damn good at basketball. I didn’t expect him to be this dominant this soon.” — Dan (22:55, 23:17)
• European NBA Expansion Rumor
  • Discussion of NBA and FIBA plans for a permanent, pan-European league, possibly integrating NBA and European clubs in the future (21:10).
    • “The NBA and FIBA are gonna build a new league in Europe... it looks like it's going to be huge.” — Jason (21:10)
• Praise for Amazon Prime NBA Coverage
  • Dan highlights Adam Silver's subtle critique of ESPN and praise for Amazon’s analytics-driven, educational coverage:
    • “He said, ‘I really appreciate how you teach the game.’... You explain to people why things are happening, and I think that's great.” — Dan (28:26)

6. Fun Moments, Side Conversations & Podcast Banter

• Back-and-forth on food terms: “intermezzo,” “amuse bouche,” and “mouth fun.”
• Digressions into Bulls’ TV and radio crews, and play-by-play trivia.
• Anecdotes about fatherhood, childhood nicknames, and life advice, keeping the mood lively and personal.
• Movie talk (e.g., “Seven,” “Moneyball”) and joke riffs (“mega Durant” for Wembanyama).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Defensive Struggles
  • “Nobody on the Bulls is playing a lick of defense. With the exception occasionally of Matas Buzelis...” — Jason (04:15)
  • “If they're not gonna fight to get over and around screens, they're not going to be able to stop anyone.” — Jason (06:54)
  • “At least have a consistent set of defensive rules other than switch...” — Jason (07:17)
• Vucevic’s Defensive Limitations
  • “If Vuch is out there, you can't switch anything... otherwise he's buzzing, boned or the team is boned vicariously through the Vuch bone.” — Dan (08:22)
• Wembanyama Hype
  • “Wembanyama is so damn good at basketball.” — Dan (22:55)
  • “I didn’t expect him to be this dominant this soon.” — Dan (23:17)
  • “He is a Mega Durant.” — Jason (24:46)
• On NBA Coverage
  • “He said, ‘I really appreciate how you teach the game... You explain to people why things are happening, and I think that's great.’” — Dan (28:26)
• Classic Banter
  • “Lots of fun in my mouth.” — Dan (03:46)
  • “Are you high? No, not anymore.” — Jason & Dan (21:09)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:43 – Show start, setting up Bulls’ recent results and stats
• 04:15 – Defensive effort critique begins; individual players called out
• 06:01 – The problem with switching and Vucevic’s defensive exposure
• 09:00 – Light banter about Kevin Herder, Ersan Ilyasova, and Bulls’ broadcast crews
• 15:07 – Looking ahead to tough upcoming schedule; skepticism about defensive improvements
• 17:02 – Decline in defensive discipline; early-season comparisons
• 21:10 – Intro to NBA’s European league discussions
• 22:55 – Wembanyama discussion; league-wide implications
• 28:16 – Adam Silver’s NBA media critique and praise for Amazon Prime
• 30:50–43:32 – “Showdown” segment: basketball trivia, classic NBA bench scorers, fun contestant interplay

Conclusion & Takeaways

• The Bulls are showing signs of life on offense but are still haunted by deep systemic problems on defense—a theme the Bernsteins dissect with wit and basketball acumen.
• Player accountability and coaching strategies are repeatedly questioned, and optimism is muted by the team’s poor overall defensive metrics.
• The episode broadens out to league-wide trends, international developments, and classic NBA banter, remaining engaging for casual fans and die-hards alike.