After a sluggish start, the Chicago Bulls found themselves in contention with the Atlanta Hawks. Fortunately, Josh Giddey, who was listed as questionable due to a finger injury, was in the starting rotation and finished with a double double (18 points, 13 rebounds). Additionally, Matas Buzelis came around in the second half to come away with 16 points and five rebounds.
Nikola Vucevic had another double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds. Plus, Isaac Okoro and Tre Jones found themselves in the starting rotation and scored 10 and 14 points, respectively.
The result: the Bulls won 128-123 to start the season 3-0. They came back from as many as 13 points down to win dramatically. In the process, the Bulls are 3-0 for the first time since 2021.
However, while the starters stepped up their game in the second half, it was the bench that was their anchor throughout. Altogether, the bench outscored the Hawks 53-46. The core of their second unit was Ayo Dosunmu, Patrick Williams, and Kevin Huerter.
Ultimately, Huerter finished the game with 15 points while shooting 6/8 from the field. Huerter was initially acquired by the Bulls from the Sacramento Kings as part of the Zach LaVine trade. Meanwhile, Dosunmu was lights out as he was 7/10 (70%) from the field and led all scorers with 21 points. Plus, Williams was solid all around with 12 points and three rebounds.
It's a good thing the bench contributed, especially considering the Bulls were a meager 16/43 (37.2%) from the three-point line and started rather lethargically. Plus, for the second game in a row, the Bulls' bench stepped up in a big way, per Reuters. Last Saturday, the Bulls defeated the Orlando Magic on the road 110-98. The bench was a significant factor, as they outscored Orlando 58-35.
A far cry from being outscored 50-35 against the Detroit Pistons in their season opener on Oct. 22.
The Chicago Bulls' bench can't be overlooked or underestimated.
When looking at the totality of the second unit, the Bulls have plenty of assets. They have the depth and versatility to leave the starting unit feeling secure. For instance, Dosunmu serves as a veteran catalyst on a bench composed mainly of young players. Last season, he averaged 12.3 points per game before his season came to an end due to shoulder surgery.
So far, he is averaging 14.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Plus, he can switch from starter to reserve.
As for Huerter, he comes off the bench to shoot the ball, particularly from three-point range. After joining the Bulls, he averaged 13.2 points per game, as well as shooting 37.6% from beyond the arc. So far, Huerter is averaging 13.0 points per game and 20% from the three-point line, but those numbers will likely increase over time.
Then there is Williams, a trifecta of rebounding, scoring, and defense. Last year, he averaged 9.3 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Thus far, Williams is averaging 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds a game. He is coming off an ankle injury sustained during training camp.
Additionally, Jones and Okoro will come off the bench from time to time, depending on the situation. Jones is a valiant playmaker and a rugged nose defender. The latter of which was a huge reason why the Bulls got him in the LaVine trade. Recently, Chicago signed him to a three-year $30 million contract.
The same rules applied to Okoro, another defensive threat the Bulls acquired after trading Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then, to round it all out, there are Jalen Smith, JeVon Carter, Julian Phillips, Zach Collins, and Delan Terry, who possess a combination of athleticism, versatility, and youthful energy.
To sum up, the Bulls got some exquisite pieces in place coming off the bench. If they keep this momentum up, we may be in for quite a surprise.
