Goran Dragić is getting acclimated to life in Chicago, which generally is a little bit of a tradition shock for a 15-year NBA veteran who spent most of his NBA profession in Phoenix, Miami and Houston.
“Every city is different, and I’ve had luck for most of my career to be in warm places,” the Bulls guard mentioned earlier than a current sport. “So this is one of the big differences this season, being in Chicago.”
Dragić hasn’t seen the true Chicago but.
The temperature outdoors the United Center was within the 60s after we spoke, and there had but to be frost on the bottom. The unseasonably heat climate was offering false hope that the dreaded Chicago winter was overrated — till heart Nikola Vučević assured him it was solely a mirage.
“So far it has been amazing, but everyone has been telling me it’s going to get worse,” Dragić mentioned with a smile. “I like the town. It has an enormous Serbian group, so it’s like being residence a bit bit. I nonetheless must discover a bit bit, however ‘Vooch’ and Marko (Simonović) are right here, and so they’re going to point out me round a bit.
“So far, so good. We’ll see about winter. I still have to buy a jacket.”
No jacket?
“Not yet,” he mentioned.
So far, so good additionally has been the response of Bulls followers to the beginning of Dragić’s season on the West Side. The 36-year-old Slovenian has helped fill the void at level guard created by Lonzo Ball’s harm, capturing 46.7% from 3-point vary, making some eye-popping assists and customarily solidifying the Bulls bench, which has turned from a weak spot to a power.
A tricky early-season schedule lastly eased up a bit this week with three off days earlier than the Bulls return to motion Sunday, taking up the Denver Nuggets on the United Center.
The signing of Dragić to a one-year, $2.9 million deal in July didn’t transfer the needle a lot in Chicago. Dragić did his homework and preferred what he heard. He knew Bulls government vice chairman of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas from his stint in Houston, the place Karnisovas was the Rockets director of scouting and was associates with Ivica “Duke” Dukan, the particular assistant to Karnisovas and the Bulls director of worldwide scouting. Dragić then spoke with former Bulls ahead Toni Kukoč, who advised him nothing however good issues in regards to the group.
Dragić performed solely 21 video games final 12 months in Toronto and Brooklyn and figured to play a minor position for a Bulls crew that returned most of its starters and prime bench gamers. That modified with Ball’s setback from a left knee harm and an unsure timetable for his return, sending Ayo Dosunmu right into a beginning position.
Still, Dragić averaged solely 17 minutes of enjoying time within the first 10 video games after enjoying for Slovenia in EuroBasket 2022 in September and never having a lot time to relaxation earlier than the beginning of Bulls camp.
“I’m good,” he mentioned. “I think that helps me prepare for this season. I’ve been in a good mental state and a good physical state. I know this season is long but I feel the coaching and medical staff already have the plan in place for me.”
So no load administration for the 36-year outdated?
“When I need it we’ll use it,” he mentioned. “But so far it’s not an option.”
Coach Billy Donovan has turned to Dragić extra typically the final three video games, andv he has averaged 24 minutes and shot 53.3% (16-for-30). Dragić, Alex Caruso and Javonte Green have supplied a much-needed activate the bench for a crew that ceaselessly has began chilly.
The Bulls nonetheless want of some consistency, particularly late in video games. DeMar DeRozan final season nearly single-handedly received shut video games down the stretch, incomes the title “King of the Fourth” for his means to take over video games, together with back-to-back buzzer-beaters towards the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards.
The 2021-22 Bulls had a 25-16 “clutch record,” outlined as video games through which the scoring margin is 5 factors or much less with 5 or fewer minutes remaining. That 61% win share ranked fourth within the league behind the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies and Wizards. But this seaon they’re 0-6 in that class, the one crew within the league with no win.
Dragić feels it’s beginning to come along with extra observe time and an opportunity to get snug with one another.
“It’s really easy to fit in here,” he mentioned. “We nonetheless must work on some stuff on the ground, attempt to get on the identical web page. It’s getting simpler on a regular basis. We’ve had lots of video games back-to-back and 4 video games in six nights, and we didn’t have lots of observe to develop that chemistry, so that you attempt to develop that in a sport.
“Now we have eight days and only two games, so we’re going to be able to work a little bit and jell.”
Dragić’s playmaking abilities have been one of many extra satisfying features of the younger season. Whether it’s a no-look cross to Vučević within the nook, a lob to Andre Drummond for a dunk or a behind-the-back cross to Zach LaVine, Dragić has displayed some showmanship within the custom of NBA legend Pete Maravich. One factor we’ve discovered about Dragić is to anticipate the sudden.
“He was next level,” Dragić mentioned of Maravich. “I simply attempt to learn the sport. Sometimes the simple cross is just not there, so you need to cross it behind the again, and it’s only a studying state of affairs.
“I always try to do something for the public, for the fans, as long as it’s not a turnover.”
It’s too early within the season to make any actual assertion in regards to the Bulls, who could possibly be 8-5 with just a few extra clutch photographs on the finish of video games. But they’re assured they will compete within the East regardless of their so-so begin, and when Ball returns the bench might be even deeper.
Maybe they’ll begin heating up as the times develop shorter and colder.
By then Dragić ought to have that jacket.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com