Nikola Vucevic praises the Chicago Bulls' poise in overtime against the Charlotte Hornets

"We didn't rush into things as much; we made good reads."

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The continued improvement of the Chicago Bulls this season was on display late in their match against the Charlotte Hornets. The home team wouldn’t go away, pushing the visiting Bull to the hilt. While Chicago might have panicked in previous years, this time, they showed poise and composure in overtime to come away with a 119-112 win.

Nikola Vucevic, who recently returned from an injured adductor, praised his team's ability to stay calm under pressure.

Held steady in overtime

Tied at 108-all at the end of regulation after DeMar DeRozan missed a jumper right before the fourth quarter buzzer sounded, the Bulls regrouped and rattled off eight straight points to take a 115-108 lead. It was all the cushion they needed to win their third in a row over the Hornets this season.

Vucevic said his team played smart and measured basketball in the extra session, resulting in clean looks for his teammates.

“I think in overtime we were just better,” Vooch said.

“Getting the ball side-to-side, making a defensive move. When we do that, all the offensive firepower we have, we’re going to get to a pretty good look.”

Got the dub in OT ✅@Plus500 | #SeeRed pic.twitter.com/ssFWCz5Z2D

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 9, 2024

Played with poise

Whereas the Bulls played like deer in headlights early in the season, they now exhibit a sense of poise and control on the court. This was evident in their recent victory, where they stayed calm and executed their plays even when faced with much adversity.

“I thought we played with poise, we didn’t rush into things as much, we made good reads. We did a really good job and got guys making big shots (in overtime),” Vucevic continued.

One thing the Bulls also excelled at late in the thrilling match was on defense, particularly on Hornets hotshot Terry Rozier. “Scary Terry” scored 39 points in regulation but was held scoreless in overtime, going 0-for-2 from the field.

“I think another thing that we did really well was defend in overtime, especially on [Rozier]. We did a great job and the whole team was helping. Also, the rebounding part that’s something we had issues with in the game. But all of it came together in those five minutes.”

Vooch going to work in the post.@NBCSChicago | @NikolaVucevic pic.twitter.com/8sJujGprhd

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 9, 2024

What we learned from the Chicago Bulls' third win over the Charlotte Hornets this season