Chicago Bulls rookie Dalen Terry makes the most of his minutes against the Toronto Raptors

Dalen Terry finally got some playing time and showed a glimpse of what he can do.

© Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Minutes can be hard to come by on a team loaded with veterans, which has been the case with rookie guard Dalen Terry. However, with Zach LaVine and Coby White sitting out Sunday's game against the Toronto Raptors, Terry took full advantage of his opportunity, logging a season-high 10 minutes and chipping in four points, one block, one steal, one assist, and one rebound.

Stayed ready

Young guys in the Association are often told to stay ready, as their opportunity could come anytime. That has certainly been the case for Terry, who only averages 2.4 minutes per game in his rookie campaign. However, the 20-year-old was hopeful he could see the floor more against the Raptors, with his team missing several rotation pieces.

"I knew that we were short a couple of guys. So I was like, 'Maybe today is the day,'" Terry said.

It certainly was and Terry responded by immediately making an impact. 

He first stole the ball away from Raptors wingman OG Anunoby and then scored a layup off a great feed from DeMar DeRozan for his first basket in the NBA. He later drew a charge on Raptors big man Chris Boucher, showing he is not to put his body on the line. The rook even saw a few minutes in the fourth quarter and sank a long jumper that beat the shot clock buzzer with 9:59 remaining on the game clock.

Dalen Terry at the buzzer 🌈 pic.twitter.com/Sko0haxqpK

— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) November 7, 2022

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said Terry had his moments but also had some things he could improve on.

"He was fine. It's hard for him because he hasn't got consistent minutes. But he's going to play with energy and make something happen. He no question had some blown assignments. But that's normal and to be expected. I was happy he got a chance. I love his competitive spirit," Billy Donovan said.

Win that got away

Afterward, Terry was happy he got to showcase a little of his talent but was also pissed the Bulls weren't able to pull off the road win.

"I think I played pretty good. We didn't get the dub, so I'm bummed about that. But I thought my overall performance was pretty good, and I'm just going to build on what I did," the rookie point guard said.

Dalen Terry in one of his first real rotational stints with the Bulls, looked great defensively. Moving his feet and hips really well, staying solid on a bunch of different assignments. pic.twitter.com/nyKH1iwsb1

— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) November 7, 2022

The Raptors visit Chicago for a rematch on Monday, as Terry remains hopeful of getting another opportunity after finally logging his first significant NBA minutes.