Miami did a number on the big man in the Saturday Bulls loss, but in turning things around, there’s another Nikola he can watch some film on.
One quick fix that Nikola Vucevic might want to explore?
The Bulls big man should throw in the film of the Denver-Miami game from earlier Monday evening when he has some down time.
Not that Vucevic is in the status of league MVP Nikola Jokic, but he’s at least in that category of a poor man’s Jokic. They are both pass-first big men that can also play the role of stretch-fives.
The Heat tried that same switching defense with Jokic that they threw at Vucevic all night Saturday, but one major difference. The 6-foot-11 Jokic didn’t hesitate and wait for help to come. He made the switch, especially when it was a smaller defender, pay.
In just nine minutes played in the opening quarter, Jokic had nine points on 3-for-3 shooting. Vucevic finished the Heat game 3-for-9 with seven points in 30 minutes of work.
It was nice to see the Bulls All-Star hit his first shot of the night against Charlotte, but Charlotte doesn’t play the defense Miami does or the type of defense that Vucevic will experience in the postseason.
That’s why Bulls coach Billy Donovan reiterated the importance of not only getting Vucevic going with his own offense, but getting him more involved in syncing up with the big two of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
“We’ve got to make it a little easier for him, especially in pick-and-roll situations where I think guys are cognoscente of getting the ball to him, but I think sometimes we’ve got to manipulate things better for him to get his feet set,’’ Donovan said of Vucevic. “He’s a very prideful guy. I think he takes it hard in the way he’s shot the ball from the free throw line, from the field, and from the three-point line. He’s finding his way, and I think the hard thing for him is just being out, missing seven games [with the coronavirus], try and come back and find his way back after being out for a period of time.’’
Back to school?
Forward Patrick Williams has remained around the team and the practice facility since undergoing left wrist surgery, likely missing the remainder of the regular season.
According to Donovan, his spirits remained good, and he’s even kicked around some plans to keep him busy while he is working through the injury.
“I think the biggest thing for him is going to end up being once he leaves the facility, picking up other things to do and being productive,’’ Donovan said. “I know he’s talked a little bit about trying to even enroll in some classes at Florida State and doing some different things academically. I think that will be important for him as he works toward his degree.’’
Zone busters
Miami wasn’t the first team to have success against the Bulls by dropping a zone on them this season, and they undoubtedly won’t be the last, especially with how well it’s worked. The Hornets busted it out with just under five minutes left in the first quarter.
Donovan, however, sees the solution to breaking the zone in just a few easy adjustments.
“One of the challenges of our team, man or zone, we’ve got to play more downhill than we do,’’ Donovan said. “I thought the shots against Miami, I didn’t think they were necessarily bad shots or we got hung up against the shot clock. It was just too much perimeter oriented, passing around the perimeter.
“Zone is generally to get you to stand, get you a little stagnant, ball doesn’t move as much, but we’ve got to find ways.’’