Alex Caruso-Patrick Beverley to play a key role in Play-in game vs. Toronto Raptors

Donovan is happy to have two battle-tested veterans with plenty of playoff experience on his team.

Alex Caruso / © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls gave their disjointed season a lifeline as they made it to the NBA Play-in tournament as the 10th seed. On Wednesday, they’ll be taking on the Toronto Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena in a do-or-die game that may very well decide the fate of the franchise moving forward. 

To that end, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said that the backcourt duo of Alex Caruso and Patrick Beverley will have a huge say on whether they’ll move on to the next round of the Play-in.

Elite defenders

The Raptors pose a difficult challenge for the Bulls, especially with their gifted perimeter players, such as Fred Van Vleet, Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby, and Scottie Barnes. Fortunately for Chicago, they employ two of the best perimeter defenders in the league today in Caruso and Beverley. 

With those two on the floor, the Bulls can rest assured that they have the defensive chops to contain the outside shooting of Toronto’s guards.

“I do think for PatBev and for Alex, there are two things that stand out. One is they’re very high IQ players. They know the league very well. And they’ve established themselves as being elite defenders,” said Donovan.

While the two may not be not offensively-inclined, combining for an average of less than ten shot attempts per game, they fit with the Bulls’ “Big Three” of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic.

“I think with Zach and DeMar and Vooch out there alongside those two guys, they understand how to play offensively,” added Donovan.

The numbers back up this claim as the quintet of the “Big Three,” along with Caruso and Beverley, have generated the best net rating of any five-man unit that has played 100 or more minutes this season. In the 267 minutes of shared court time, this group boasts a plus-14.7 net rating and a stellar offensive rating of 115.6.

Grizzled veterans

The postseason is a whole different animal, and Donovan is glad he has two battle-tested veterans with plenty of playoff experience that can help the rest of the squad adjust.

“They’ve got the experience. Alex played with LeBron James. Pat Bev, throughout his career, has played alongside a lot of elite scorers—Harden, different guys with the Clippers. They know how to function and flow. That experience, their IQ and savviness, and what they bring defensively has allowed that group to be good,” Bulls' head coach concluded.