The Chicago Bulls has again hit a rough patch that has seen its “Big 3” trimmed down to only one—DeMar DeRozan. With Zach LaVine recovering from a foot injury in late November and
starting big man Nikola Vucevic, sidelined for the last five games, recovering from an injured adductor, Deebo has had to carry a lot of the scoring load and leadership for the team.
And while DeRozan has been doing a stellar job, averaging 22.8 points and 4.6 assists in his last five games, he can’t help but express how much the Bulls misses Vucevic’s presence on both ends of the court.
Versatile presence
The veteran center has been a sentinel of consistency for the Bulls this season, averaging 16.7 points, 10.4 boards, and 3.4 assists per game. He played in all 82 games last season and his recent absence could not have come at a worse time, as the Bulls were on a roll before he went down with the injury.
In Vooch’s absence, the Bulls have gone 2-3, which includes a 116-100 beatdown at the hands of the New York Knicks on Wednesday. After the game, Deebo said Vucevic could have made the Knicks pay, both inside and outside.
“Stretching the floor, being able to have a post scorer, someone like in a game like tonight, we definitely would’ve fed it to the post into Vooch and let him go at their big. Given him some trouble,” DeRozan shared.
Changes the dynamics of the game
While a lot of credit for the Bulls’ turnaround in December goes to DeRozan and Coby White, Vooch has also played a key role in the team’s success. His ability to score inside and outside, as well as his passing skills, make him a versatile threat on offense. But it’s not just his offensive abilities that have made an impact. Vooch is also a strong rebounder, adding much-needed size and toughness to the Bulls’ frontcourt.
“With Vooch down there to be able to throw the ball, even coming off screens, guys like me and Coby [White] and the rest of the guys, you got to be able to pay attention to Vooch if you’re running or he is popping. Him stretching the floor. He kind of changes the dynamics of the game, so we definitely missed that a lot,” DeRozan added.
