Andre Drummond bats for more opportunities to team up with Nikola Vucevic

Drummond hopes the Bulls would consider using him and Vooch together on the court more.

© David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bulls big man Andre Drummond loved how he and Nikola Vucevic worked together against the Minnesota Timberwolves that he’s keen on getting more opportunities to team up.

Drummond started with Vooch for the first time in his career on Tuesday and the pairing worked wonders against the Wolves frontline in a 129-123 overtime win.

Vucevic had 24 points, while Drummond added 16 points and 16 rebounds. The two former All-Stars had four blocks apiece, more than holding their own against Minnesota’s twin-tower combo of Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Long time coming

With the Bulls’ frontline lacking several rotation players, coach Billy Donovan has used the big-man pairing more than usual. However, Minnesota’s humongous frontline forced Donovan’s hand, and he opted for a change-up.

The result? An impressive performance by both Vucevic and Drummond, showcasing their versatility and chemistry on the court. It was a long time coming for Drummond, who has been waiting to play alongside the talented Montenegran.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Drummond said.

“I’ve looked forward to playing alongside of him. We’ve done it a few times already, so it was good to see it in a full-game stint.”

Iso Drum 👀@NBCSChicago | @AndreDrummond pic.twitter.com/2VrBpYbrOs

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) February 7, 2024

Can they do it again?

Drummond shared after the game that they hadn’t practiced playing on the same side until Tuesday morning. He added that with more court time, their combination could do much damage.

"With practice and real time together, I don’t see why it can’t work," Drummond said.

"Vooch has played with bigs throughout his career. And I’ve played with other bigs throughout my career. So it’s not a shock factor or nothing new."

However, Vucevic understands Donovan’s apprehension regarding playing the two centers on the floor together. While it may have worked with Minnesota, it might not against a team that employs more versatile big men.

Nikola Vucevic tonight:

24 PTS
6 REB
4 BLK
10/16 FG
2/6 3P

🍿🍿🍿 pic.twitter.com/37FeQCJFLR

— BullsMuse (@BullsMuse_) February 7, 2024

"If it's a team that plays with a power forward who's really good at handling and shooting, that's hard because we can't guard fours like that as well," Vooch explained.

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