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Tony Snell is Only Getting Better as Bulls’ Season Progresses

By Matthew Price

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Tony Snell has been on fire.

The second-year forward from the College of New Mexico was drafted 20th by the Chicago Bulls in the 2013 NBA Draft. The Bulls drafted him because of his strong shooting from beyond the arc (39% as a Junior at New Mexico) and his defensive length. Last year, because of the Luol Deng trade and numerous injuries, Snell averaged 16 minutes per game, something that hardly happens for a rookie under Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau.

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In his 16 minutes per game last year, Snell didn’t do too well. Although he played some solid defense, he shot only 38% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc. Bulls fans couldn’t be too disappointed with him for his performances last year, as very few rookies have success in the NBA. Most players need a few years to adapt to the different style of the league, so after the end of the 2013-14 season, the majority of fans didn’t give Snell much thought.

This year is a completely different story.

With a roster full of both new and old players, the Bulls had a lot of depth entering the season. It was safe to say then that Snell would most likely get less playing time than he did last year. That’s exactly how the season started out for Snell: he averaged just 9.4 minutes in November, 5.8 minutes in December, and was averaging a measly 1.5 points per game during that span.

But everything changed once Mike Dunleavy, the starting small forward for the Bulls, injured his ankle on January 3rd. Dunleavy was unable to run, forced to wear a boot, and had to have an MRI on his ankle. Dunleavy did not play another game until February 10th.

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His injury was a blessing in disguise for Snell, who filled in for Dunleavy and began to start games for Chicago. As time went on, Snell continued to improve. The first seven games after Dunleavy’s injury, Snell scored 31 points in total (he did not play in one of the games). Snell’s defense and stamina allowed him to constantly be involved in the game, and although he didn’t play as well as Dunleavy, he was the best option the Bulls had.

The rest of January consisted of Snell getting more minutes which led to more contributionsa. He finished the month off with 22.3 minutes, 6.6 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. The more playing time Snell got, the more he improved. And then February came around…

The Bulls have only played five games thus far in February, and Snell has played in four of them. Suddenly, Snell transformed, and he started dominating. He is shooting 68% from the field and 60% from beyond the arc while averaging 18.3 points, 3 rebounds and 36 minutes per game. His jump shot is silky smooth (18-22 in his last two games), and he is doing it all. Defensively, he is never sagging off his man and is always making it more difficult for them. An example was in the Bulls’ game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. In an attempt to slow down and tire LeBron James, Snell played in a fullcourt press against him. The moment James touched the ball, Snell was glued onto him.

Tony Snell StatisticsPointsReboundsMinutesField Goal (%)Three Point (%)
2013-14 Season4.51.61638.432
2014-15 January + February*10325.4 (Season Average of 15.4)50.037.7

The Bulls will face off against the Phoenix Suns today, and Snell will most likely come off the bench. Either way, it will be interesting to see if Snell can continue his quality of play, even though he’s now coming off the bench. The Bulls have had a history of making “later” draft picks (not top 15 overall) into very good players, and Snell may be the next big player for Chicago.

*Statistics up to date as of February 19th, 2015.

All statistics courtesy of ESPN.com

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