The Chicago Bulls became a team to watch for USC fans when DeMar DeRozan ended up there alongside Nikola Vucevic.
Now, the Bulls face the Toronto Raptors in the NBA play-in (and play-out) round on Wednesday. The winner moves on to face the loser of the Atlanta Hawks-Miami Heat game, and the loser’s season will come to an end.
Vucevic and DeRozan are a part of a dynamic trio in Chicago, with Zach LaVine as the other piece. Vucevic has been productive since coming to the Windy City on a purely statistical level. He is averaging 17.6 PPG with 11 rebounds, and he has played in all 82 games this season for Chicago. However, the Bulls — as a team — have not come together the way any of their fans hoped. The Bulls are stuck in NBA purgatory: not good enough to be a prime playoff threat, not bad enough to get a top-tier lottery pick.
Ever since the Orlando Magic traded him to the Bulls, Vucevic has become the central part of this core in Chicago. That core has not done well. Despite much optimism entering the 2022-2023 NBA season, the Bulls just snuck into the play-in round and have to win two games if they want a chance to get the 8-seed and face the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Raptors are not an easy team to beat by any means, especially at home. The Bulls need strong efforts from both DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic on Wednesday night.
Nikola Vucevic drives and STUFFS with the left!
He's up to 18 in the 1H on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/VJJljVDgQQ
— NBA (@NBA) April 6, 2023
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