What we learned from the Chicago Bulls' encouraging win over the Detroit Pistons
There was much to dissect from the Chicago Bulls' 119-108 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Here are a couple of keynotes from that win.
Ayo Dosunmu steps up
The Chicago Bulls missed the services of defensive ace Alex Caruso, who sat the game out due to a left toe strain. While Caruso doesn’t offer much in the way of stats, his presence is often vital to the Bulls’ success.
Fortunately, the Bulls have another electric guard who was ready to take the reins: the third-year player from Illinois, Ayo Dosunmu. Ayo stepped up in a huge way on Sunday night, scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and dishing out three assists to go along with three steals in 27 minutes of action.
He showcased his athleticism and dynamic game, executing impressive drives to the basket in transition, including this beauty that put the Bulls up by six. He ended the game with the best +/- of +19.
Patrick Williams continues to slip
As terrific as Dosunmu was, the same couldn’t be said of young forward Patrick Williams. He scored just four points—all from the line—and added a steal and a block. He missed both his attempts from the field, including a three-pointer. After shooting 41 percent from three-point land last season, the Florida State product has seemingly lost his confidence and touch, shooting just 23 percent from long range this season.
More troubling was the fact that Williams did not grab a single rebound. In contrast, Torrey Craig—the veteran who replaced Williams in the starting five—hauled down 10.