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Chicago Bulls: Otto Porter Jr.’s sharpshooting exactly what’s needed

By Andrew Miller

CHICAGO, IL - FEBRUARY 13: Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Chicago Bulls shoots the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 13, 2019 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - FEBRUARY 13: Otto Porter Jr. #22 of the Chicago Bulls shoots the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies on February 13, 2019 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The skill set that the former Washington Wizards small forward Otto Porter Jr. brings to the table for the Chicago Bulls shined in a big Feb. 13 win.

On a huge night for the newly acquired 6-foot-8 sharpshooting small forward for the Chicago Bulls, Otto Porter Jr., a potential glimpse into a successful future was provided for the fan base. Porter Jr. posted a career-high 37 points and also 10 rebounds in the 122-110 win over the drowning Memphis Grizzlies at home at the United Center on Feb. 13.

The acquisition of Porter Jr. is paying immediate dividends for the Chicago Bulls, and his production is sparking the scoring immensely. In just his fourth game suiting up for the Chicago Bulls, Porter Jr. lifted his team past a decent opponent that could also impress a future trade target in point guard Mike Conley.

Since joining the Chicago Bulls from the Washington Wizards, Porter Jr. is averaging 22.5 points per game, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. All of those numbers exceed either the career highs or career averages for Porter Jr. He is also posting a crazy good player efficiency rating above 23 in those four outings.

The area in which he’s making a real difference in the Windy City is with his shooting. For the past four or five years at least, the Chicago Bulls had a big weakness with its facilitating and outside shooting on offense. While Porter Jr. isn’t the best facilitator in the NBA today, he does help the guards command the floor better.

Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine is seeing a spike in his assist numbers since Porter Jr. was acquired and the floor spacing is much improved. LaVine posted seven assists for the second straight game in the win over the Grizzlies yesterday.

Moreover, Porter Jr. shot 16-of-20 from the field to amass his 37 points in last night’s 14th win of the 2018-19 season. He’s shooting around 58 percent from beyond the arc in his four games with the Bulls too. That’s not the only area where Porter Jr. is excelling, though, since he’s shooting better than 62 percent from the field in general and 78 percent from the free-throw line.

Granted, Porter Jr. doesn’t tend to get to the free-throw line that much. Just two of his 37 points last night came from the free-throw line.

There’s a few numbers that really indicate how valuable Porter Jr. is for the Bulls in the past few games. The offensive box plus/minus he’s registered at 4.5 is by far the best on the team of late. The next best on the team in general for that stat this season is LaVine, who registered an offensive box plus/minus at 1.4.

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The player efficiency rating also speaks for itself for Porter Jr. He’s making a huge difference for a team that needs another building block for the future. The Bulls don’t need a boost to get into the playoff picture this season, but he is establishing himself as a valuable piece for this franchise heading into the future.

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