Hoops Habit
Fansided

Chicago Bulls: 5 reasons for optimism despite poor record

By James D. Tillman III

MEMPHIS, TN - FEBRUARY 27: Lauri Markkanen #24 and Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Chicago Bulls high five during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 27, 2019 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - FEBRUARY 27: Lauri Markkanen #24 and Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Chicago Bulls high five during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 27, 2019 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 6
Next
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

1. Markkanen is the real deal

No one was sure what to expect from Lauri Markkanen during his rookie campaign. While being heralded as one of the better shooters in the 2017 NBA Draft, many wondered if his skill set would translate at the NBA level.

Despite being thrown into the starting lineup unexpectedly, Markkanen went on to average 15.2 points and 7.5 boards per contest on slash lines of .434/.362/.843.

Even more to the point, Markkanen exceeded expectations to such a great extent that former coach Fred Hoiberg was working towards making him more of a focal point of the team’s offense.

That didn’t come to fruition, however, as Markkanen sustained an elbow injury in training camp that kept him out of the mix for the first 23 games. Considering that the Bulls won just five games during that stretch, it was obvious that his floor stretching ability was missed.

Fast forward to the present and it’s more than fair to say that the second-year forward is flat out balling. During the month of February, Markkanen averaged 26 points and 12.2 rebounds per contest on 48.6 percent shooting from the floor and 34.8 percent from downtown.

Additionally, he recorded eight double-doubles during the month and has accomplished this feat in each of his last five outings overall, including a 31-point, 17-rebound effort in the Bulls’ 168-161 win against the Hawks on Friday night.

To bring the point home even further, Markkanen registered four 30-point games in February. The significance with this stat is he only had two such occurrences through his first 29 games.

When you take into consideration that his numbers (19.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest) are up from last season, you kind of get the feeling that Markkanen is a star in the making.

Next. The 50 greatest NBA players of all time (updated for 2017-18). dark

Yes, the Bulls will miss the playoffs for the third time in four seasons. On flip side of the narrative, Markkanen has All-Star potential and if the front office can put the right pieces around him, the Bulls have a chance to become a playoff team again within the next couple of years.

Home/Chicago Bulls