Former Chicago Bulls draftee Ayo Dosunmu nearly outscored Nikola Jokic in a playoff game.
The situation is as crazy as it sounds, as ex-Bulls guard has become a pivotal piece of the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ playoff push.
Dosunmu was drafted 38th overall by the Bulls in 2021. This season, the two-way guard averaged a career-high 15 points in 48 games with the Bulls before being traded to Minnesota in February.
In Minnesota, Dosunmu is maximizing his opportunity. Entering with the series tied, Dosunmu had a big night off the bench.
The Wolves guard logged 32 minutes and scored 25 points with nine assists. Minnesota never trailed in Game 3 and boasted a double-digit lead the entire fourth quarter.
“I’m blessed to be here,” Dosumu told NBA on Prime postgame. “In the beginning of the summer, I said I wanted to be in the playoffs. This is an amazing organization, and I’m with a good group of guys.”
Chicago traded Dosunmu and forward Julian Phillips to the Timberwolves in exchange for guard Rob Dillingham, forward Leonard Miller, and four second-round draft picks.
Dosunmu, and primary defender Jaden McDaniels helped hold Jamal Murray to a quiet night at Target Center. Murray, who earned his first All-Star nod this season, finished with 16 points. He shot 29 percent from the floor.
Dosunmu pointed out the Wolves’ strong defensive effort in Game 3.
“We held them to under 100 points in the playoffs,” Donsumu said postgame. “They are the No. 1 rated offense, so that says a lot.”
Dosunmu Nearly Outscored Nikola Jokic
GettyJaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu held Jamal Murray to a quiet night at Target Center
Best known for his solid perimeter defense, Dosunmu thrived as a scorer on Thursday night at Target Center.
His 25 points and nine assists both set new playoff career-highs. Across the court, Jokic finished with a game-high 27 points in an uncharacteristically poor shooting night.
The Serbian star went 7-for-26 from the field with four turnovers. For Jokic, it is his lowest number of makes in games in which shoots at least 25 attempts. Furthermore, it is the first time this season that the floor general has had more turnovers than assists.
Jokic was also targeted relentlessly defensively, where he offered little resistance.
Bulls Are Still Searching For Franchise Point Guard
GettyThe Chicago Bulls have not had a top-five draft pick since the 2020 NBA Draft
While Dosunmu is enjoying playoff spoils with Minnesota, the Bulls are still searching for their franchise point guard.
The Josh Giddey experiment is losing its luster, and guard Anfernee Simons only played five games with Chicago after being acquired from the Celtics.
Perhaps fortune will shine on the Bulls in the upcoming draft lottery, allowing them to land a star floor general.
Chicago has a 4.5 percent chance to land the No. 1 overall pick and a 20.3 percent chance to secure a top-four pick. They own the ninth-best odds of landing the No. 1 pick.
The Bulls have not landed a top-five pick since the 2020 NBA Draft, when they selected forward Patrick Williams.
The team was linked to Grizzlies star Ja Morant earlier this season.
Former Bulls Guard Shines in Playoff Matchup Against Jokic