Chicago Bulls: Takeaways From Win Over Cavaliers

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Nov 30, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) dribbles the ball against Los Angeles Lakers center Tarik Black (28) during the first half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

Nikola Mirotic Comes Up Big In Crunch Time

With a revamped second unit, Nikola Mirotic was expected to be a major contributor off the bench this season.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case thus far as the third-year forward has struggled to play well on a consistent basis. This game didn’t do much to boost his value as he scored just two points on 1-for-9 shooting from the field in 22 minutes of action.

Ironically, Mirotic’s contributions to the Bulls’ victory came on defense. After the Bulls took a 107-101 lead, Mirotic stole the ball from James, which eventually led to a put-back basket for Wade.

Moments later, Mirotic blocked a three-point attempt by Kyrie Irving that led to a shot clock violation with just over a minute left to play. This all but helped the Bulls put the game on ice.

When the jump shot isn’t falling, players have to be able to find different ways to have an impact on the game. For one night at least, Mirotic did exactly that.

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