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It’s been an up-and-down season for Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, who has had his fair share of shooting troubles dating all the way back to preseason.
Over the past three games, however, Vucevic has delivered mightily, averaging 20.3 points, grabbing 12.7 rebounds, and dishing 5.3 assists all while hitting 60.5% of his shots from the field, including 42.9% of his nightly 4.7 three-point attempts.
Return to Form Most Welcome for Shorthanded Bulls
It’s no secret the Bulls have suffered a ton from injuries this season, with Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso and Derrick Jones Jr all out for 6-to-8 weeks, and with numerous injuries or Covid cases having affected DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Javonte Green, and Vucevic himself.
The Bulls are 30-18 on the season, and spent a fair share of time at the first seed in the Eastern Conference before dropping to second. Their injuries and lack of continuity, because of those injuries, have seen their Finals odds slip to fifth, per FanDuel Sportsbook. This is where Vucevic’s recent success could help the Bulls regain their footing and move back upwards in the rankings.
If nothing else Vucevic’s production, pending it stays the course for now, will assist DeRozan and LaVine in taking less responsibility during the next few months, while the team waits for their injured players to get back. DeRozan is currently averaging 19.2 shot attempts per night, and LaVine isn’t far behind, attempting 18.4 per game. Getting those down a smidge should help extend the All-Star duo’s efficiency, while lessen their overall burden.
Vucevic is currently averaging 16.6 points on the season, which is a far cry from the 23.4 points he netted last season. That said, Vucevic’s points are exceedingly necessary, as are his spacing and passing capabilities as they open up driving lanes for LaVine and DeRozan to utilize.
With the February 10 trade deadline fast approaching, there’s also the chance of the Bulls making external upgrades, with the hope of giving the above trio more help.
Using Vucevic More
With Vucevic experiencing a return to form, at least for now, the Bulls should make him a bigger priority. That doesn’t necessarily mean they should force-feed him more shots, or that he should be asked to shoot more. For Vucevic, it’s about making decisions with the ball in his hands and getting more comfortable being a player who can dictate where the offense is going.
That said, should Vucevic feel comfortable taking more shots, that should be by no means a closed option.
What’s crucial for the Bulls is that they don’t just give him assignments on the low block. Much of Vucevic’s value lies in his ability to make reads from the perimeter, whether that’s shooting the ball, drawing out big man defenders, or simply passing the basketball. Finding a balance of having him produce near the rim, but also operate in space, is outright crucial for his continued success.
Remember, the Bulls are among the heaviest users of the mid-range area this season. Removing Vucevic from the perimeter, only to clog the lane, isn’t going to help anyone down the line.
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