Bulls Forward Buzelis' Growth Hinges on Development, Coach Says
Despite his show-stopping dunks and clutch three-pointers, Bulls forward Matas Buzelis's game is far from a finished product. The 24-year-old's uneven performance in Saturday's 112-99 loss to the Charlotte Hornets was a prime example of this.
Buzelis' athleticism and scoring prowess were on full display early on, as he wowed the United Center crowd with a vicious two-handed flush over rookie Kon Knueppel. However, it wasn't long before his inexperience showed, as he turned the ball over twice in the fourth quarter, including once that resulted in a turnover right into Collin Sexton's hands.
"Billy says Matas' body is going to continue to develop," said coach Billy Donovan. "He's going to get stronger, but there are going to be ups and downs."
Indeed, Buzelis had a decent game, scoring 17 points, but his lack of ball-handling skills was evident at times. When the Bulls tried to establish a paint presence, Buzelis often found himself under the microscope, struggling to navigate through defenders.
"We've got great ball-handling skills in him, really good," said Donovan. "But there are times he puts himself in harm's way where the defense is loaded up on him, and there's really a small crease to try to split."
The Bulls' struggles against the Hornets were a stark reminder that they have yet to find their footing this season. While Buzelis showed flashes of brilliance, the team's overall performance was lackluster.
"We've got to punch back fast and respond fast," said Buzelis, who acknowledged his part in the second-half collapse. "I feel like the ball got a little stagnant, and I was a part of that. I have to trust my teammates more."
Coach Donovan also echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that development is key for Buzelis. "Where he gets into trouble sometimes is when guys get under him because he's upright, and they really crowd him," said the coach.
Ultimately, the Bulls' fortunes hinge on Buzelis' continued growth and development as a player. If he can refine his ball-handling skills and become more reliable on both ends of the floor, the Bulls could find themselves in contention for playoff spots. Until then, it's up to Donovan and the front office to strike the right balance between short-term success and long-term development.
The question is: will Buzelis' growth be enough to propel the Bulls towards relevance?
Despite his show-stopping dunks and clutch three-pointers, Bulls forward Matas Buzelis's game is far from a finished product. The 24-year-old's uneven performance in Saturday's 112-99 loss to the Charlotte Hornets was a prime example of this.
Buzelis' athleticism and scoring prowess were on full display early on, as he wowed the United Center crowd with a vicious two-handed flush over rookie Kon Knueppel. However, it wasn't long before his inexperience showed, as he turned the ball over twice in the fourth quarter, including once that resulted in a turnover right into Collin Sexton's hands.
"Billy says Matas' body is going to continue to develop," said coach Billy Donovan. "He's going to get stronger, but there are going to be ups and downs."
Indeed, Buzelis had a decent game, scoring 17 points, but his lack of ball-handling skills was evident at times. When the Bulls tried to establish a paint presence, Buzelis often found himself under the microscope, struggling to navigate through defenders.
"We've got great ball-handling skills in him, really good," said Donovan. "But there are times he puts himself in harm's way where the defense is loaded up on him, and there's really a small crease to try to split."
The Bulls' struggles against the Hornets were a stark reminder that they have yet to find their footing this season. While Buzelis showed flashes of brilliance, the team's overall performance was lackluster.
"We've got to punch back fast and respond fast," said Buzelis, who acknowledged his part in the second-half collapse. "I feel like the ball got a little stagnant, and I was a part of that. I have to trust my teammates more."
Coach Donovan also echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that development is key for Buzelis. "Where he gets into trouble sometimes is when guys get under him because he's upright, and they really crowd him," said the coach.
Ultimately, the Bulls' fortunes hinge on Buzelis' continued growth and development as a player. If he can refine his ball-handling skills and become more reliable on both ends of the floor, the Bulls could find themselves in contention for playoff spots. Until then, it's up to Donovan and the front office to strike the right balance between short-term success and long-term development.
The question is: will Buzelis' growth be enough to propel the Bulls towards relevance?
so its like billy donovan has this super optimistic view of matas buzelis and hes just gonna magically get better 
im not saying its all on buzelis but dude had some major brain farts in that 4th quarter 
collin sexton literally got a turnover from him and then the bulls still lost lol. anyway, i guess if boston is gonna make a run for the playoffs we'll just have to see how much "growth" happens before then 
omg u guys idk wut's gonna happen w/ buzeli tho his growth is def important but he needs 2 work on dat ball handling lol coach billy d said hes got talent but u cant just rely on athleticism n scoring its all about developin skills n learnin 2 trust teammates 
. He's got the physical tools, no doubt about it, but his inexperience is still showing through. The fact that he turns the ball over twice in the fourth quarter was a big deal - you can't have your best player making careless mistakes like that and expecting to win games.
. Until then, I'm not sure how far they can go. But hey, I still got faith in him - he's only 24, after all! 
, he's literally the future of the bulls! his athleticism and scoring skills are on a whole other level, but you're right, he needs to work on his ball-handling skills 
. coach donovan is right, development is key for him to become a reliable player on both ends of the court 
. i'm loving how optimistic he is about his growth too 
. we just gotta be patient and see what happens as the season progresses 
. can you imagine if buzelis becomes a star player? 