The following statement was completelty unexpected just a month ago. The Chicago Bulls are one of the hottest teams in the NBA. Yes, you read that right. The team that traded its best player at the trade deadline to improve its draft positioning is 8-2 in its last 10 contests—two games behind the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic.
The Bulls have won three in a row, all coming on the road. First, Chicago defeated the Sacramento Kings 128-116, without Josh Giddey. Next, the Bulls dropped a season-high 145 points on the Los Angeles Lakers, spoiling LeBron James' return from injury. Most recently, Chicago held off the Denver Nuggets 129-119, behind 37 points from Coby White.
White has been an absolute star in March, averaging 29.8 points per game, while converting 50.0 percent of his field goals and 36.1 percent of his three-pointers. The former North Carolina Tar Heel has been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for a second consecutive week.
White and Giddey have reshaped the Bulls' future endeavors in a matter of weeks. However, the star duo hasn't been the only catalysts. Rookie Matas Buzelis has seen his fair share of full-on, and semi-breakout performances. Tre Jones transformed into the Bulls' third-best guard before going down with an injury, and Dalen Terry has made some real, under-the-radar strides as of late, averaging 9.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 three-pointers per game over Chicago's
Dalen Terry has majorly improved his three-point marksmanship
The third-year guard saw a career-high in minutes in Chicago's win against Denver. He suited up for 29 minutes, scoring 14 points, converting 5-of-10 field goals, and, most importantly, 4-of-4 three-pointers. Four triples were a career-high for Terry, who had only connected on 52 threes prior to the March 24 affair.
Terry's career-high in minutes came at a crucial juncture in a road environment. Head Coach Billy Donovan displayed his trust for Terry, allowing the 22-year-old guard to close the game and suit up for the final 17 minutes of the contest. The Arizona product had never been a part of a closing lineup in a tight-knit contest before.
Dalen Terry played the final 17:22, including closing an important road game: "It was a surreal moment, obviously. This is probably my first time in a real, real (NBA) game to do that. I thought I was playing good."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 25, 2025
Terry shot 10-16 from 3 on the trip.
While Terry has put his two-skillset on display through his two-plus seasons in the Windy City, he's never seemed to put it all together or flashed enough of a singular skill to become a rotation regular. The former 18th overall pick has averaged merely 3.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 0.5 steals in 162 career games.
Perhaps most notable, Terry's outside shooting, or lack thereof, has held him back. He's a career 30.1 percent three-point marksman who totaled 24 triples across his first two seasons in the association. Terry has proven to be a proficient driver, but has failed to make defenders commit with an unreliable three-point stroke.
That is, until recently. Terry cashed in on 10-of-16 three-point attempts over his last six games. He went 3-for-3 against the Houston Rockets on March 15, 2-for-3 against the Kings on March 20, and 4-for-4 most recently. With a more reliable three-ball comes an increased scoring average. Terry's 59 points over Chicago's road trip was his most over any six-game stretch in his career.
Terry's three-point shot is certainly his biggest swing skill and the most contingent upon earning a full-time role. He's never been a mainstay in Donovan's rotations, but with Jones, Lonzo Ball, and Ayo Dosunmu on the shelf, Terry has a chance to solidify his role moving forward. Early returns have been positive, but continued success from beyond the arc will ultimately determine whether Terry is a keeper.