NEWSLETTER
For as meaningless as that game was in terms of standings, that game was actually a lot of fun after a sleepwalking effort in the first few minutes of the game. The Bulls and Wizards were both without several contributors due to rest, injury, or illness in this one, but I think we were still able to learn about some players on this Bulls team.
This game felt a lot like a JV game. As I said, it didn’t mean anything in the standings, but it gave both teams – but mostly the Bulls – a chance to showcase some younger players and give them some legitimate game reps. And the Bulls had some significant standout performances. Let’s get to a few.
Let’s start with my favorite performer tonight – Adama Sanogo. Sanago was a BEAST on the boards, especially on the offensive end. Sanogo finished the game with an amazing 20 points and 20(!!) rebounds for his first career double-double. The 20th rebound was the one that put the game away on a missed free throw from Deni Avdija that would have tied the game. He became only the second rookie in the NBA this season to record 20 rebounds – Victor Wembanyama was the other. In 35 minutes he was 8-for-18 from the field as well, so he was fairly efficient in scoring.
Sanogo also became the first player in THREE YEARS to record a 20-20 game off the bench. He proved himself tonight. Maybe not as a full-time starter or anything like that. But with Andre Drummond’s ankle still very much a question, he showed he deserves a chance to take a few minutes here and there when Vooch needs a break. Sanogo was great on the stat sheet, but also did so many of the little things right tonight. Wildly impressed with his effort.
After Sanogo, while it’s not a young player, we have to talk about Javonte Green. Green had 24 points – 20 in the first half on 8-for-10 shooting – and grabbed seven boards. He was also 3-for-7 from deep. Now that he’s healthy, it’s really hard to believe he wasn’t on a roster. He’s a guy that’s going to play legitimate minutes in the Play-In and potentially playoff games and he’s earned every one of them. He’s been spectacular since coming back, and he’s provided a spark this team has been missing much of the year.
Dalen Terry had a nice night from the starting lineup as well. He recorded 17 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds in this one. He also threw down a highlight-reel poster dunk late in the fourth quarter. Speaking of energy, when Terry is playing well he provides a bunch of it.
The Bulls’ two free agent signings from last offseason both recorded double-doubles as well. Jevon Carter had 20 points and 12 assists off the bench while Torrey Craig had 11 points and 14 rebounds. It was nice to see them both have very good nights, but this is the type of game you’d hope they stand out in as seasoned veterans.
One more game on Sunday against the Knicks. It might not be to this extent, but I’d imagine we see Billy Donovan rest some players again. The Knicks will likely still be playing for seeding though, so they should be near full strength. I’m very excited to see how Sanogo follows up his performance tonight against one of the best teams in the East on Sunday.
Box Score: Bulls 129, Wizards 127
