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

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.

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

Cody Westerlund of 670 The Score provided video:

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.

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

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.