Following an undefeated 3-0 start to the regular season slate, second-year head coach Billy Donovan and the Chicago Bulls are looking to stay hot as they hit the road to start the week off. The Bulls are set to take on the Toronto Raptors on the road on the night of Oct. 25, with the opportunity to move to 4-0 on the season before the schedule starts getting really difficult.
In the first three games of the season, the Bulls had some newer faces rise to the occasion in a big way. Some of those included new additions during the offseason, and some since the trade deadline last season. Among those that were brought in during a busy trade deadline last season that had an interesting start to this season were star center Nikola Vucevic and shooting guard Javonte Green.
Vucevic played some solid defense through the first three games on defense while struggling to get his offensive game going for the most part. That is very unlike Vucevic.
On the other hand, the former Boston Celtic and undrafted free agent Green was a revelation for the Bulls since the start of the preseason. In the wake of the injury to second-year forward Patrick Williams, Donovan gave Green a shot in the starting five for much of the preseason. And he stood out in that newfound role.
Despite Green moving back to a reserve role since the preseason finale and the start of the regular season, he’s still got a significant role in this rotation.
Chicago Bulls getting amazing production and efficiency from Javonte Green off the bench
Green has essentially occupied the role of a seventh man with the Bulls this season. Averaging nearly 17 minutes on the floor per game off the bench, Green is getting the second most playing time of any reserve Bulls player this season behind defensive standout point guard Alex Caruso.
Even though he’s not in the starting unit during the regular season, like he was throughout most of the preseason slate, Green has obviously still earned himself a bigger role than last season. Averaging 16.7 minutes per game off the bench this season, Green has more than five minutes more playing time per game than his previous career-high.
Green getting this increase in playing time is largely thanks to the versatility and defensive presence he brings to the table. He’s also a plus on offense on a consistent basis for the first time in his career really.
While he isn’t a high-volume scorer by any means, Green is contributing at an extremely efficient level on offense. He is shooting 70 percent from the field, 50 percent from beyond the arc, and is perfect on four attempts from the free-throw line, through three games.
Green has just as many offensive rebounds as he does turnovers this season. And he has three times the amount of assists as he does turnovers. This type of efficiency for Green has led him to post a sparkling 159 offensive rating and 2.9 offensive box plus/minus.
All the while, Green is still contributing at a high level on defense. He’s registered a solid 95 defensive rating and 0.4 defensive box plus/minus. Green is a very switchable defender that has played minutes from the one to the three. Most of his minutes have come at the two or the three, though.
The efficiency of which Green has contributed when on the floor for the Bulls is evident in his on/off-court plus/minus. He’s registered a plus/minus of +18.8, and his on/off-court plus/minus sits at +9.7. That is incredible for a two-guard/wing that is blowing his previous career-best out of the water.
All in all, Green has clearly earned the uptick in playing time this season. This type of efficiency off the bench is incredible for someone that was just a support piece of the trade deal last season at the deadline with the Celtics that namely landed the Bulls center Daniel Theis.
Green and the Bulls are off to an unscathed start through three games in the regular season, sporting a record of 3-0 following an Oct. 23 win at home over the Detroit Pistons. Next up for the Bulls is a meeting on the road with the Toronto Raptors on the night of Oct. 25.