After a 122-117 loss against the LA Clippers, the Chicago Bulls are 2-8 in February. Following a woeful stretch of games prior to the All-Star break, the Bulls have been far more competitive as of late. Chicago lost by two to the New York Knicks, four to the Phoenix Suns, then defeated the Philadelphia 76ers by 32.
The Bulls played well against the Clippers, despite missing Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu, Patrick Williams, and Jalen Smith. Zach Collins started in place of the injured Vucevic. The former San Antonio Spur scored 21 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, and dished out six assists—all-season highs.
Chicago's other recent additions, Kevin Huerter and Tre Jones, also enjoyed standout performances off the bench. Huerter scored 13 points, his third straight game in double digits. The 6-foot-7 forward drained three triples against LA. Jones dropped 16 points, converting 7-of-9 field goal attempts. 16 points were a season-high for the 25-year-old guard.
Besides the unexpected contributors, a usual suspect stood out for what seems like the 100th time in February. Josh Giddey led the Bulls in points, scoring 21 in the loss. Giddey added eight rebounds and recorded 12 assists. The 22-year-old is the third guard in franchise history to record four straight 20-point double-doubles, joining Michael Jordan and Clem Haskins.
Josh Giddey's three-point stroke makes him a complete offensive player
Aside from his usual stat-stuffing efforts, Giddey has a newfound penchant for three-point shooting. The 6-foot-8 guard knocked down all four of his three-point attempts against the Clippers. Giddey has knocked down seven consecutive three-pointers and converted 17 of his last 22 attempts from beyond the arc.
Following the Wednesday night affair, Giddey is now shooting 38.1 percent from three on the season. Prior to this year, the Aussie's career-high in three-point percentage in any season was 33.7 percent, albeit on lower volume—3.0 per contest. Giddey is averaging 1.5 makes and 3.9 attempts in his first season in the Windy City.
Giddey's improved shotmaking is even more evident this month, post-Zach LaVine. Giddey is shooting an absurd 54.2 percent from three on 5.1 attempts per game this month. The 22-year-old has drilled at least two or more three-pointers in all but one contest throughout February.
While he's always been a superb playmaker, Giddey's shooting has always held him back. The Dallas Mavericks notoriously played Giddey out of the Thunder's rotation in last season's Western Conference Semifinals after defending the combo guard with a center. Giddey's opposition was essentially a help defender, allowing the former sixth-overall pick to shoot as he pleased.
The Bulls' decision to re-sign Giddey is becoming easier by the day
Leaving Giddey unguarded from beyond the arc is now unthinkable. He hasn't just upped his efficiency; his volume is now on par with several of the league's stars. Following Giddey's trade request and subsequent trade to the Bulls in the offseason, his looming contract was contingent on how he played this season.
After a slow start, Giddey has lived up to his draft pedigree and more. With restricted free agency in the future, the Bulls surely feel much better about handing Giddey a sizable contract considering his newfound three-point marksmanship. There's no true weakness to the point guard's offensive game. He's even shooting north of 85 percent from the free throw in February and has improved his free throw percentage and frequency in three straight months.
The only criticism to be had is Giddey's defense. However, he's averaged 1.1 blocks and 1.4 steals per game in February. Giddey's defensive activity is noticeable. While his individual defense remains so-so, the Bulls are only slightly worse (plus 0.1 points per 100 possessions) with Giddey on the floor—that's a big deal for the fifth-worst defense in the NBA. Despite a less-than-stellar athletic profile, Giddey is 6-foot-8 and nearly 220 pounds. He'll be more than capable of defending wings going forward.