Chicago Bulls second year forward Doug McDermott had a career high 30 points Friday night in the Bulls win over the Toronto Raptors. ’90s Night ended up being Dougie McBuckets night as a man who was born in the 1990s stole the show.
Well, McDermott and C&C Music Factory (or C&C Music Manufacturing Plant, as Borat calls them). Y’all want this party started, quickly, right?
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Indeed ’90s night was “the Doug McDermott Game.” Friday night was a nice win considering how down the team has been and how much flak they’ve taken locally from fans and media alike.
“Even though some things aren’t going our way, we’re finding a way to win these last couple, we’ve just done a really good job with being unselfish,” McDermott said after a December win over New Orleans.
Doug McDermott is seeing his minutes and his production increase, in this his NBA sophomore year.
Chicago Bulls Head Coach Fred Hoiberg, earlier this season, on McDermott’s increased role:
“He continues to be more comfortable. He’s obviously shooting a very great percentage from the three point line, but he’s also turning the corner, getting in the lane, shooting his floater. We posted him up a couple times last game. He led us in field goal attempts with 16 in 23 minutes, so that’s a sign of confidence and comfort. He’s had increased playing time because of what he’s done at the other end of the floor.”
McDermott didn’t get much playing time during his rookie year, and that was unexpected and unfortunate given what a highly acclaimed and well publicized player he was in college.
The Creighton product, drafted 11th overall in 2014, is filling that need the Bulls have for a wing scorer and three point shooter.
No doubt McDermott can light it up, and he’ll have to, in order to compensate for his suspect defense. In order for McDermott to stay heavy in the rotation, he’ll need to keep embracing the Bulls’ ball rotation, ball sharing philosophy.
Said McDermott:
“It’s ball movement, guys were touching it in .5, that’s what we stress, get rid of it in .5 seconds.”
As long as McDermott and company keep moving the ball faster than opponents’ defensive rotations and adjustments, they’ll be fine.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram