© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
"We do need him taking them" - Billy Donovan on Nikola Vucevic’s shooting struggles this season
An NBA regular season runs long and features numerous ebbs and flows. There may be a week wherein a player seemingly can’t miss a shot but then follows it up with a stretch of games where he can’t buy a bucket. Such is the nature of the game, and Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan knows this all too well.
One player experiencing shooting struggles this season is All-Star center Nikola Vucevic. Known for his consistent scoring and long-distance shooting, Vucevic has seen a dip in his three-point shooting accuracy this season. But according to Donovan, there’s no need to worry about Vucevic’s shooting woes. In fact, he believes that these struggles are just a natural part of the long NBA season.
Trouble finding the mark
What makes the two-time All-Star unique is that he can stretch the floor and bring opposing big men outside their comfort zone. However, Vucevic has only shot 27 percent from beyond the arc this season, a significant drop from his career average of 34 percent. Despite the subpar numbers, Donovan has kept reminding his starting center to always launch from deep when the opportunity presents itself.
Vucevic has been more than happy to oblige, as against New Orleans, he went 2-of-5 from beyond the arc.
“We do need him taking them. Those are good shots for us,” Donovan shared.
Working to solve it
Vucevic is playing in his 13th NBA season, so this is likely not the first time he has gone through a shooting slump. Donovan is confident Vooch will turn things around soon.
“I know it bothers him, just because he prides himself on being an elite offensive player,” Donovan said.
“He has not shot the ball particularly well. But when you’re dealing with a player like Vooch, who has been in the league for a long time, he knows his shot, and he’ll put the work in to solve it.”
