Feb. 20--The Bulls improved to 28-26 with their home victory over the Raptors. Here are three observations:
Outside shooting makes the offense hum so much better
Friday offered a glimpse of the Bulls' ideal offensive vision under Fred Hoiberg. The Bulls posted a season-high 32 assists. Derrick Rose pushed the ball upcourt. Sets were run crisply with ball reversal. Quick decisions were made.
And best of all, outside shots went in, most of them from Doug McDermott, who scored a career-high 30 points.
"When Doug is knocking down shots, everything looks a little better," Hoiberg said. "They have to hug him out there. It opens up driving lanes for Derrick and for Jimmy (Butler) when he gets healthy."
The Bulls own the Raptors
That's three straight victories this season against Toronto and eight overall. But before anyone starts dreaming of a No. 2 vs. No. 7 matchup, McDermott has a warning.
"The Raptors are pretty freaking good," McDermott said.
The Bulls do matchup well against the Raptors, who still have to prove they're more than a strong regular-season team. But the playoffs are a different animal. So stay tuned---assuming the Bulls make the postseason.
Derrick Rose continues to shine
That's four 20-point and one 30-point game in his last six for Rose, who is averaging 21.6 points and six assists this month. He's also showing a patience and maturity in his decision-making.
"I'm just taking what the defense is giving me," Rose said.
