MINNEAPOLIS – Josh Giddey jokingly downplayed his excitement for his return before Thursday’s game.
It had been 11 games in street clothes because of a strained left hamstring, and he was on a minutes restriction, but with 5:30 left in the first quarter against the Timberwolves, finally the point guard checked in and was back in action.
Thirteen quick points, a rebound and a steal, like he had never left.
So what exactly did his presence mean for the Bulls? Considering they were 6-5 without him, maybe not much. Give it time, according to Billy Donovan.
Giddey has gone from newly-acquired player that was having trouble staying on the floor late in games early last season to potential All-Star with the numbers he’s now putting up, so Donovan was asked if Giddey still had a high ceiling he could reach.
“I think for Josh individual stats, he’s gotten better as a shooter, I think he’s gotten better defensively, those two things, but I do think he has a unique ability to raise the people around him,” Donovan said. “When most young players come in they want to do well, they’re focused on themselves, not that Josh is focused on himself but coming into a new situation he wanted to play well. Then he’s trying to adapt because he is such a unique passer for his size, and he’s trying to balance all that out. I think the ceiling for him really is he’ll keep getting better as a player individually, but I think the thing for him when the ball is in his hands is that balance between himself and his teammates and how well can he raise everyone around him by making the game easier.
“The really great players they start to understand how to influence and impact the group around them. I think he has the ability to do that. As he’s getting older and starts reading defenses, what they are trying to do, how to take advantage of them, that’s the next iteration.”
One that would be made easier if the Bulls continue to raise the talent level around Giddey. Because he has a pass-first mentality, his strength is still feeding the pieces on the chessboard. Unfortunately for the Bulls, the roster has more pawns than bishops.
“When you look at him offensively, defensively, he gets a lot of numbers in areas and I think he can affect the game in a lot of different ways,” Donovan added. “I think since the All-Star Break last year he’s played at a really incredible level.”
Chicago’s own
Ayo Dosunmu picked a really good time to be a free agent, entering the game against Minnesota with career highs in scoring and free throw attempts, but the number that really jumps off the page for Dosunmu was his three-point percentage.
The former Illinois guard has gone from 32.8% last season to 46.1% from three.
“Some of the shoulder (injury) stuff he had last year may have had an impact on him as he was trying to play through that,” Donovan said. “I always felt like he had a good touch. I know he had a low release, didn’t shoot it off the dribble much, but always had a pretty good touch. I felt like if he would put his mind to it he would get pretty good at shooting the basketball.”
Rocky road
Something executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas might want to keep in mind as the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches? The Bulls currently have the fourth-toughest remaining schedule in the league.