PHILADELPHIA – The campaign is appreciated.
Last week, the Bulls Public Relations department started the hype machine for Matas Buzelis to collect votes and receive NBA All-Rookie Team honors.
Buzelis saw it, but was also hoping his play on the court since the All-Star Break will equally speak volumes.
“Any type of award in the NBA I’d like,” Buzelis said on Sunday. “To be here is even a great blessing. Yeah, I think I belong on that All-Rookie Team for sure. It would be an honor to grab something like that.”
It’s also become a reality for the forward.
Since the break, Buzelis came into the season finale fifth in scoring in the rookie class (13.2 points per game) and was sixth in total blocks in that time. However, call it a late surge by the 20-year-old, as he’s been the third best scoring rookie the last month (16.5 points per game), with only Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher (16.6 points per game) and Rookie of the Year leading candidate Stephon Castle (18.2 points per game) ahead of him.
Not only concrete proof that Buzelis’ game is evolving but changing for the better.
What hasn’t changed? The king-sized chip on his shoulders.
Buzelis still remembers all 10 teams that passed on him on draft night last June, and the players that were all selected in front of him. The only difference now that he’s played 80 games with the Bulls? He wouldn’t change a single pick or selection from the draft order.
“Honestly, I couldn’t imagine being anything else than a Bull,” Buzelis said. “I love this team. I love the coaching staff, the players, just everything that is involved in being with this team. When I dropped to No. 11, as soon as that happened, yeah, I’m taking it personally. I always play with a chip on my shoulder where I feel like I have to prove something to somebody, (bleep), even myself honestly.
“But looking back I think it was the best situation for me, what happened that night.”
Ball game
The latest news wasn’t great on Lonzo Ball. It seldom is.
According to coach Billy Donovan, he had a talk with Ball (right wrist) before the team headed to Philadelphia, and it now sounds like the best-case scenario for the veteran guard is to try and have him ready for a Round 1 meeting with Cleveland if the Bulls can get out of the play-in tournament.
“The challenge for him is he needs to let the wrist calm down and I do think some of the shooting, the passing and the ball-handling, I don’t want to say it’s set him back because it hasn’t, but it has irritated it,” Donovan said. “So the next step is he’s been in a brace with the wrist, is to let it calm down. The issue is he hasn’t really picked up a ball and done anything, so the hope is starting on Monday, he can get back in the gym and he can start to ramp up to see how he feels with his wrist.”
The Bulls host Miami on Wednesday, and if they win that they would head to either Orlando or Atlanta to play the loser of that game.
“If he can get through that week, and we’re fortunate enough to get through the play-in, that would be the goal,” Donovan said.
Ball hasn’t played since Feb. 28.
Giddey down
Josh Giddey (right forearm) missed his second consecutive game – third total – on Sunday, but all signs point to him being ready by Wednesday.
“Obviously, there is a high level of optimism that he’ll be available with this rest for him,” Donovan said.
The coach better hope so. Giddey has been a Heat killer this season, averaging a triple-double against them in three games.