It was Nikola Vucevic’s turn to dunk on Matas Buzelis, and no basketball was even required.
In the deadpan, dry-humor world of Vucevic, how could he pass up the opportunity?
The Bulls’ veteran big man was asked about both Buzelis highlight-reel, fourth-quarter dunks in Wednesday’s win over Detroit, including the poster Buzelis put Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart on, and sarcastically responded, “I’m very proud of Matas. He became a man (Wednesday). He got his first legit poster (dunk). He tried to claim he dunked on D’Angelo Russell last year, but I’m like, ‘C’mon Matas, you’re like two feet bigger than him.’ This is the first one and he’s finally a sophomore, no more rookie.”
No, no more rookie indeed.
And the Bulls couldn’t be more excited about it.
Listed at 6-foot-8, Buzelis’ athletic ability makes him feel more like a 7-footer, especially at the rim. Stewart, who was having a block party all night against the Bulls, found that out with 9:26 left in the game. Buzelis cut when he saw Isaac Okoro dribble out of the corner, caught the pass, and went right at Stewart without fear.
“I’m not really worried who’s there,” Buzelis said afterward, when asked if he knew it was Stewart. “I’m athletic enough to finish over anybody, so I don’t really care who’s there.”
An attitude and swagger that a Bulls roster has needed for years, and one that the players and fans appreciate.
That was evident a few minutes later when Buzelis again had a key dunk in a close game thanks to a Tre Jones pass on a back-cut.
“Those are big plays, dunks, blocks, anything like that,” Vucevic said of the Buzelis airshow. “They bring energy into the crowd, bring energy to the team.
“He has great physical attributes, and I think he enjoys taking on that challenge.”
Call it the continued education of Matas Buzelis.
“I just read the game honestly,” Buzelis said of his plays on the way to a 21-point night. “I never really was a cutter, but it opens up the floor, it creates movement, so I started to do it.”
He’s started to do a lot of things since becoming a starter midway through last season, and it’s been appreciated. In the coach-him-hard world of Billy Donovan, however, there’s a lot more for Buzelis to give. Dunks are nice, but it’s still only two points, even on a force like Stewart.
“Matas is fearless in a lot of ways,” Donovan said. “He just is. He’s not afraid. He’s competitive, he’s driven, and I think that’s why he’s got a great opportunity to realize his potential and ability.
“He said to me, ‘I never heard you yell at me so loud.’ There were two or three possessions where he was standing there spectating and I was telling him he’s got to get to the glass. I think there’s so much to him that he can do. I am not taking away (from those plays). Those were highlight, spectacular, athletic plays, but the other things I try to look at is – God gifted him with that and he’s fearless – but how else can he impact the game when the dunks get taken away? He’s got to keep growing out, growing out.”
Not that Buzelis continuing to develop at a high rate is a question. Yes, Vucevic took a jab at the youngster, but the center also knows what Buzelis is and what he can become.
“What I like about him is he has a cockiness about him but not in a bad way,” Vucevic said. “He just has belief, which all the great ones do. He has all the potential in the world to be a great player, and I mentioned that last year that the Bulls got a great one. It’s up to him now.”