The Chicago Bulls are still fighting for a playoff spot in the top-heavy Eastern Conference. Can they get a spark from an unlikely source?
The Chicago Bulls are extremely thin on the wing. Otto Porter Jr. hasn’t played since November 6 due to a foot injury, and Chandler Hutchison has struggled with his own health issues. Now, Hutch is finally healthy and playing at a high level. If he continues to contribute in big ways, he could be the guy to push this team over the hump and help them reach their goal of making the playoffs.
Hutch gave the Bulls really solid minutes in the comeback win over the Cavs. He played nearly the entire fourth quarter and was extremely impactful on defense. He did a really nice job of getting his hands in passing lanes and understanding where to be and when to be there. He only scored four points, but he was one of the main reasons the Bulls were able to make a comeback and earn a quality win.
Jim Boylen got a little creative with how he used Hutchison against Cleveland. He rolled out a small-ball lineup with Hutch at the four and Lauri Markkanen at the five. Boylen does a lot of stupid stuff, but going small when the team was struggling was a really smart move. The spacing was better on offense and the defense was flying around. It was really fun to watch.
Hutchison and Markkanen were joined by Tomas Satoransky, Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine for almost the entire fourth quarter. This was the group that went on a big run and got the Bulls back in the game.
That five-man lineup has been insane in it’s 14 total minutes this season. That’s an incredibly small sample size so the following numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but that lineup has posted a 56.7 defensive rating and a 46.6 net rating. Obviously, those numbers aren’t sustainable, but they’re proof that the small-ball lineup has the potential to be useful in the future.
Dunn and Hutch make up for a lot of LaVine’s defensive inadequacies on the perimeter and Sato’s 6-foot-7 frame gives Chicago the freedom they need to go small. Hutchison is also a really skilled defensive rebounder, which is key for a small-ball four and is one of the most underrated aspects of his game.
No one knows exactly how much this lineup will be used going forward, but I’m guessing Boylen will start going to it more, especially in late-game scenarios.
Hutchison has had an iffy start to his professional career. His jumper isn’t where it should be, he sometimes looks out of control, and he’s had a hard time staying healthy. But it finally looks like the Bulls found a way to take advantage of his skill set.
Despite sitting at an uninspiring 16-28, the Bulls are currently only 3.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the East. Hutchison’s ability to impact the game next to Markkanen in small lineups could be the thing that pushes the Bulls over the hump. He’s the biggest X factor for Chicago right now. If he can play well for 20-25 minutes per game, this will start to look like a very different team – one that could make a playoff appearance.
I don’t feel comfortable trusting Boylen to make smart lineup decisions, but hopefully, he had a lightbulb moment during the Cavs game. The Bulls need to continue going small and rolling out Chandler Hutchison at the four.