Billy Donovan on why playing through feelings doesn’t work in the NBA: “You can’t play off feelings because feelings come and go. You gotta eliminate feelings, and choose to do things.”

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan had an fascinating reply when requested if his staff got here out with low vitality in their 126-103 dwelling loss vs. the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

(by way of Jump View):

“I thought as the game went on, yes. But it’s hard for me to say that, because I believe energy is a choice. You can’t play off feelings because feelings come and go. You gotta eliminate feelings, and choose to do things. So when you sit there and say, ‘Well, did we come out with low energy?’ Yeah. If we did, that was our choice. We have a choice with what kind of energy we play with. I think circumstances cannot impact or affect our energy, so to speak. We’ve gotta choose energy because that’s all it is, is a choice. There’s choices you can make, and if you’re guided by feelings of how you’re feeling or how it’s going. If you’re guided by that, you’re gonna be on a roller coaster because that’s gonna change drastically. But if you choose to play with energy. If you choose to battle, compete, fight, and endure in the adversity. Those things to me are all choices.”