Chicago Bulls Midseason Grades: Butler shines, Wade and Rondo shrug

Doug McDermott

Stats: 25.1 minutes, 10.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 43.8 FG%, 36.9 3PT%, 90.6 FT%

Grade: B-

I’m still a McDermott optimist. What can I say?

Doug McDermott has spent this season continuing to be good at what he’s good at and bad at what he’s bad at, which may not seem like grounds for a B-, but a confidence has emerged on the offensive end that I can’t quite describe. Nonetheless, it’s encouraging.

He dropped 31 against Memphis, a game in which he scored 14 straight points for the Bulls in the second quarter. McDermott’s post-up game peeked its head around the corner for a brief spell in the fourth quarter against the Hornets earlier this month. And he’s sunk at least one 3-pointer in eight of his last nine games. That’s saying something for this Bulls team.

McDermott will still get eviscerated on a backdoor cut and left wondering what happened one to two times per game, and that fact lowers his grade, but I’ll take that deal at this point in the season. He’s the best 3-point shooter on the team (never mind that Bobby Portis has a higher 3-point percentage), and he’s crucial in making the offense run.