Why Nikola Mirotic is the Man of March (and some April, too)

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Dec 26, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) and forward Nikola Mirotic (44) celebrate during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /

Nikola Mirotic 2015-16: Sophomore Slump?

Out with the Thibs, in with the Mayor. Yes, the Thibs-Gar Forman separation became official and in came the mild-mannered Hoiberg – a coach that was supposed to revolutionize the very jilted Chicago offense. What happened? Well, Gar and friends gave Fred the wrong roster. The team finished 23rd in offensive rating and 15th in defensive rating. The team finished 42-40 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. It was ultimately the final season in a Bulls uniform for Gasol, Rose and Noah – a true changing of the guard as Butler was once again the team leader in win shares while everything else around him fell apart.

Mirotic Season Line: 66 G, 24.9 MIN, 40.7 FG%, 39 3PT%, 5.5 REB, 1.5 AST, 11.8 PTS

Niko got better. He started significantly more games than his rookie season, but appendicitis sidelined the shooter until their game on March 5, 2016. Initially, he had been expected to return from the procedure that took place at the end of January by the end of the All-Star Weekend festivities. Complications kept him out of action for an additional eight games and the whole affair sounded pretty grizzly. Not ideal or under his control.

Partially due to this, it wasn’t a full-on scorching month of March and never as consistent as his incredible rookie season month of March.

Mirotic March/April Streak: 9 G, 31.4 MIN, 48.2 FG%, 48.6 3PT%, 5.1 REB, 2.1 AST, 18.9 PTS

Unlike the rookie March outburst, this streak of consistent play started at the very end of March and continued through to the end of the season in April. He capped it with 32 points in Game 82, a win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Four games before this streak started, Mirotic actually put up 35 points in a loss to the Knicks on March 23. However, the three games after that were all low-scoring affairs, Mirotic seeing his minutes reduced in each consecutive outing. Until the streak started.

Much like his rookie campaign, if he could have managed something much closer to these numbers over the course of the season, he’d be the next best thing. However, both health and confidence escaped him.

During that streak of games, Gibson played just one game. Gibson missed eight of those March/April Mirotic games. He only missed one other game the entire season.

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