Once the Chicago Bulls morphed from a half-court team to one that plays at a helter-skelter pace last season, it was painfully apparent that Nikola Vucevic was a square peg in a round hole. In a Dec. 12 matchup with the Charlotte Hornets, head coach Billy Donovan made the decision to bench Vucevic in favor of Zach Collins and Jalen Smith.
And it worked.
Sure, Josh Giddey finished the night with another near triple-double (26 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists). Coby White scored 20 points. Seven players finished in double figures.
Tre Jones returned from injury and scored six points to go along with five rebounds and just one turnover. Chicago shot 55.3 percent from the field and made 15 free throws, while Charlotte attempted eight.
But it was Collins and Smith who provided the boost necessary to end a seven-game losing streak.
Nikola Vucevic benched in favor of Zach Collins in crucial Bulls win
Vucevic had seven points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field in the first half. He contributed zero points in the second quarter when the Hornets outscored Chicago by 10 to take a 61-55 lead into the break.
After posting a -7 through the first seven minutes of the third quarter, Donovan sat his 35-year-old starting center for the final 19 minutes. Collins, along with Smith, helped carry the Bulls the rest of the way.
Playing just his third game of the season after working his way back from wrist surgery, Collins finished with 16 points. He was 5-for-5 from the field in the second half and hit a pair of 3-pointers.
Chicago finished the night with 11 offensive rebounds, nine of which came in the second half, with Smith grabbing four and Collins a pair. Collins alone gave the Bulls five second-chance points in his 11 second-half minutes — the Hornets had six total in the final two quarters of a game the Bulls won by three.
Vucevic finished the night as a -15. Collins was +11 and Smith +15 over the final two quarters.
It’s time for the Bulls to move on from Vucevic
Even in his 15th NBA campaign, Vooch’s importance can’t be overlooked. He’s started 23 of his team’s 24 games and is averaging 15.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists with shooting splits of 49/38/77. He’s as steady and consistent as ever.
But he can’t keep up with the likes of Giddey, White and Matas Buzelis in transition. He can’t protect the rim. He can’t guard on the perimeter.
While Collins isn’t Victor Wembanyama, he’s far more athletic than Vucevic and played with a level of desperation against the Hornets that Vucevic simply can’t reach anymore. Smith is the Bulls’ best offensive rebounder, and though he’s undersized for a center, he is one of the team’s best athletes.
Donovan is notoriously stubborn. Vucevic has been a mainstay in his starting lineup, and he’s earned that right over the past few seasons.
But he’s not the answer anymore. The win over Charlotte proved it.
