Nikola Vucevic gets praised after incredible game versus the Golden State Warriors

Sunday night was, without a doubt, Nikola Vucevic's night. Apart from scoring 43 points, the 32-year-old veteran grabbed 13 rebounds, delivered four assists, and had four steals. While the big numbers were outstanding, what's even more impressive was the timeliness of his contributions. With the reigning champions Golden State Warriors in town and the Chicago Bulls reeling after a three-game losing streak, Vucevic's performance couldn't have come at a better time.

Got to his sweet spots

Vucevic is a two-time All-Star who has been one of the most solid and dependable big men in the Association. However, he is often overshadowed by Bulls wingmen DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, who often function as the team's main scoring threats. But on Sunday, Vucevic took center stage, showing off his impressive touch and feel around the rim as he got to his sweet spots with ease. He showed poise under pressure time and time again while also knocking down jumpers when the Bulls needed it the most.

"We really played aggressively offensively and I was able to get into my spots," said Vucevic.

With DeRozan still out due to an injured quad and LaVine struggling to find the mark early, Vucevic stepped up and scored 12 of the team's first 24 points. He later added 18 more in the fourth to push the Bulls past the finish line with the win.

Good start.

Nikola Vucevic: 12 pts (5-7 FG), 2 stl pic.twitter.com/hMbgEjiElR
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 15, 2023

“We weren’t stagnant like the game before, so it was much easier to play within the flow of the offense. A lot of my shots, I really didn’t have to work too much for it. Just open looks, threes, or inside, so when you play that way, the game’s much easier for everyone,” Vucevic added.

Keeping his rhythm going

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said he'll try to make the most out of Vucevic's fine play by putting him in more favorable positions. This will allow his big man to utilize his multi-faceted skills more and help his teams get into more advantageous scoring positions.

“I think we’ve got to try to establish him as much as we can,” Donovan said. “It’s not necessarily so much trying to get him to score, it’s establishing when the ball’s in his hands because he’s a really good facilitator, he doesn’t really force a lot of shots. There’s times when he gets up against the clock where he’s gotta force one, maybe, but for the most part, he’s a really good ball mover. I think the biggest thing is keeping him in rhythm is just getting the ball in his hands."

Gimme the hot sauce, Vooch!@NikolaVucevic | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/wt2OhmGeV0
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 15, 2023