Well, the losing streak is over. It's not necessarily a good thing, at least for the Chicago Bulls' draft positioning. Prior to last night's victory, the Bulls had a 30 percent chance of earning the 10th seed. Following the 32-point win against the Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago is now 43 percent likely to retain 10th. Basketball Reference gives the Bulls an even higher probability—55.2 percent.
Morale is higher, but at what cost? Fast-forward a month and a half, and a vision of the Bulls losing to the Atlanta Hawks or Miami Heat in the opening round of the play-in tournament immediately comes to mind. Nonetheless, Chicago's recent contests and blowout of Philadelphia have highlighted several younger players' talents.
Not enough praise can be given to Josh Giddey. The 6-foot-8 guard has performed tremendously in February. Giddey averages 19.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.7 three-pointers per game in nine contests thus far. Over the same stretch, rookie Matas Buzelis has shined. In an expanded role, the 20-year-old averages 14.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game.
Dalen Terry enjoyed a career-best outing against Philadelphia
Numerous Bulls performed above expectations in February. However, not all have seen stable success throughout the entire month. Former first-round pick Dalen Terry saw his playing time diminish as 2025 came about. Following January, where Terry suited up for 10.2 minutes per game, he played eight minutes over the Bulls' first three contests in February—including two DNPs.
Even after Patrick Williams' injury diagnosis, Terry's playing time waned. He didn't appear in Chicago's overtime loss to the New York Knicks on February 20 and only played four minutes in the Bulls' four-point loss versus the Phoenix Suns two days later.
Terry's breakout performance came against the 76ers. The 22-year-old guard entered the game in the first quarter, with Ayo Dosunmu out of the lineup and Lonzo Ball exiting after merely eight minutes due to a head laceration. In the first quarter, Terry scored seven points, grabbed two rebounds, and knocked down three free throws in the four and a half minutes.
The Arizona product saw only three minutes in the second, but he finished with a plus/minus of plus-9 and converted his only field goal attempt. Terry's third quarter was arguably his best. The 6-foot-7 guard scored eight points, grabbed a rebound, dished out two assists, and added two steals and a block. Terry, once again, finished the stanza with an impressive plus/minus of plus-11. The fourth quarter was nondescript. It was more of a waiting period for the game to end.
All in all, Terry contributed 17 points, a career-high. He finished with four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block. Terry converted 75 percent of his field goals and drilled all five of his free throw attempts. The latter stat is perhaps the most intriguing.
Terry's foul-drawing ability is an intriguing attribute
The Bulls average the 29th most free throws per game and rank last in attempts. Chicago's lack of trips to the foul line is disappointing. The Bulls rank fourth in the NBA in free throw percentage at 80.6 percent. Only one Bulls attempts more than three free throws per game—Coby White at 3.3. Furthermore, only two, Giddey and Nikola Vucevic, get to the foul line at least once per contest.
There's no singular resolution to this issue, but Terry's attacking nature is certainly a remedy. Terry's 33.1 percent free throw rate ranks first on the Bulls by a wide margin. His free throw rate ranks 40th of 242 qualified players this season. In 51 minutes played in February, Terry has attempted 12 free throws.
The former Wildcat has yet to display a reliable outside stroke. It's not a prerequisite, but on a squad that launches the second-most three-pointers per game, Terry's need to attempt and make a bevy of triples is nonessential. His driving and foul-drawing abilities are far more essential.
Terry averages merely 2.8 drives per game, seventh on the Bulls. However, he ranks fourth on the squad in field goal percentage, fifth in free throw attempts, and fifth in points percentage off drives. He's a strong driver who doesn't penetrate nearly enough. Terry adds a different dimension to the Bulls—one that should be prioritized over the final 24 games of the season.