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4 takeaways from Bulls’ showing at NBA Summer League originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Bulls wrapped their NBA Summer League schedule with Saturday night’s 107-81 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, who played without draft picks Dalton Knecht and Bronny James.
Matas Buzelis did play, returning to the starting lineup after a one-game experiment bringing him off the bench. He finished with 10 points for the Bulls, who finished 2-3.
Here are four takeaways from the Bulls’ experience in Las Vegas:
Buzelis plays with an edge
Summer league play can be ragged and is more about process than results. Numbers matter less than nuance.
So while Buzelis certainly needs to improve on his 33.7 percent shooting, including 21.4 percent from 3-point range, the first-round pick drew widespread raves for his competitive edge and not-afraid-of-the-moment play.
He threw down monster dunks, some in traffic, including two on Saturday. He stared down opponents. He talked trash. He sought out contact, getting to the line 27 times. He also played all five games, a rarity for a first-round pick these days.
And while he obviously needs to build strength and fill out his frame to more properly play through contact, the fact he didn’t back down from much of anything throughout summer league spoke volumes.
Defensively, Buzelis showed strong instincts with shotblocking and a willingness to switch onto smaller players on the perimeter. He has said becoming a two-way force at the next level is his goal. He blocked 10 shots in summer league.
“When I’m on the court, I want to kill you,” Buzelis said on a recent appearance on the Bulls Talk Podcast.
It showed.
That’s a compliment, not a criticism.
In his first action since a foot sprain cut short his rookie season, the second-year forward continued to display subtle play and a nose for the ball that will help make his case for rotational minutes.
Phillips, who sat out Saturday, isn’t a lead player yet and may never be. But between his cutting ability, his habit of generating extra possessions with offensive rebounds and his…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/4-takeaways-bulls-showing-nba-005806418.html
Author : NBC Sports Chicago
Publish date : 2024-07-21 00:58:06
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