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Billy Donovan impressed by Dalen Terry's disciplined play on both ends

Dalen Terry is earning Billy Donovan's trust.
Nick Raguz|
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Chicago Bulls

Players picked 18th in the NBA Draft don’t usually struggle to get playing time. However, that has been the case with 6'7" guard Dalen Terry, who was a highly touted player out of Arizona. However, with Chicago leaning heavily on its veterans, Terry played only 38 games during his rookie season, posting nominal stats.

However, Torrey Craig is slated to miss as long as two months due to a sprained plantar fascia, thus opening the door for the 21-year-old to earn minutes on the floor. Terry has made the most out of every single second in his last eight games, doing whatever coach Billy Donovan asks of him to help the Bulls gain more wins.

Ready Terry

Donovan recently spoke about Terry, crediting the young player for knowing which aspects of his game need work and putting in the effort to improve. Donovan added that Terry’s discipline on both ends of the floor has been exceptional, resulting in better overall play.

“He knows he’s got to get better,” Donovan said.

“But I don’t want him totally focused on that. He’s going to play whether he’s missing or making shots. Even earlier on, when he was getting an opportunity to play, what impressed me was [that] his discipline has increased [his execution] on both ends of the floor.”

Improved play

Before anyone gets carried away, Terry isn’t stuffing the stat sheet—1.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game in 13 minutes of action in the last eight games—but that’s beside the point. After spending most of his rookie season watching and waiting for his time to come, the young guard is starting to make an impact on the court.

“He’s got a high motor,” Donovan said.

“He knows how to play the game. He’s a very good passer, but he’s got to stay disciplined, particularly in understanding personnel.”

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Nick Raguz
NICK RAGUZ

Nick's journey has been an exciting fusion of basketball and the written word. A former basketball player himself, he possesses an insatiable appetite for all things NBA-related, spanning from the captivating tales of old-school NBA to intriguing statistics and the latest updates from the association.

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