© Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
Coby White gives Ayo Dosunmu his flowers: "He's the reason we won"
Young guard Ayo Dosunmu knew what he was in for when he re-signed with the Chicago Bulls in the offseason despite the cadre of guards in the team’s backcourt. The Illinois native exuded confidence in his abilities, knowing that the hard work he invested during the offseason would pay off given the chance to showcase his talent and shine.
When Alex Caruso went down with another ankle injury early in the game, Dosunmu was given a chance to take the floor for some extended minutes against the Miami Heat. By game’s end, Dosunmu had put up 24 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and a steal in 35 minutes of action.
A big reason for the win
Already without Zach LaVine, who’s nursing an injured foot, the Bulls also had to deal with Caruso’s absence as the team announced that he wouldn’t be able to return to the game. Bulls coach Billy Donovan chose to go with Dosunmu at the start of the second half, and the move paid dividends as the cat-quick guard used his speed to attack in transition and find big man Nikola Vucevic for easy baskets.
After struggling to find his rhythm in the last three games, where he missed 13 of his 18 shots, Dosunmu had it going against the Heat and went 10-of-12, making three triples, including two in the last two minutes to ice the game in the Bulls’ favor.
After the game, Bulls guard Coby White gave lots of credit to Dosunmu for his gutsy and efficient play, saying, “He’s the reason we won.”
Acknowledged the OGs
Up by seven, 118-111, and the seconds dwindling in the game, White found Dosunmu in the corner, who didn’t hesitate to hoist up and make the three-pointer to seal the win for Chicago. On his way back to the other end, Dosunmu flashed the “3” sign to Bulls legend Joakim Noah, who he credited with helping him cope in the NBA.
"That's my guy. He's been helping me throughout the whole process from when I was a rookie. I got nothing but love for him. He was talking to me the whole game, giving me little pointers. So that was just showing love to him," Dosunmu said.
