Chicago Bulls: 2 studs, 1 dud from challenging win over Pacers

Chicago Bulls studs from challenging win over the Pacers: Ayo Dosunmu

How is a rookie former second-round draft pick finding all this success for Donovan and the Bulls at a critical point in the season you might ask?

This is a question that the former Illinois Fighting Illini star point guard and recent Rising Stars Challenge selection Ayo Dosunmu. Coming up huge when the Bulls need it most, Dosunmu is proving he has the clutch gene during his rookie campaign.

That is a rare trait for a rookie that is really getting a lot put on his plate early on in his NBA career. Dosunmu is thriving in the spotlight right now, though.

Dosunmu is really turning into a true facilitator and playmaker for this Bulls team. He had yet another double-digit assist night in this win over the Pacers. In this game, Dosunmu registered 15 points, no rebounds, a whopping game-high 14 assists, two steals, no blocks, and two turnovers. He did all that while shooting a solid 6-of-9 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 1-of-2 from the free-throw line.

What was the most important play of the night for Dosunmu was the “dagger dunk” that he had in the dying minutes of the fourth quarter. That put the Bulls up by more than one possession with less than one minute remaining in the game. This dunk for Dosunmu effectively sealed the win for the Bulls over the Pacers.

This was the third double-digit assist night of the season so far for Dosunmu. He’s now averaging 10 assists per game in his last four outings. It was also good for the third double-double of his career. This is a performance that you normally get from a proven veteran point guard. But Ayo is coming up with these types of performances before he even reaches 15 career starts.