Bulls Notes: Dosunmu, Stars, White, Play-In History

Second-year Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu is frustrated by his demotion to Chicago’s bench, but is trying to shine in his reserve role this year with the play-in tournament looming, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley notes that Dosunmu had been averaging 30.6 minutes per night as recently as February, while logging 9.3 PPG, 3.3 APG, and 3.3 RPG.. Dosunmu’s output took a nosedive last month, when he averaged just 6.3 PPG, 1.9 APG, and 1.1 RPG in 19.8 MPG.

“Everybody is a competitor and wants to start; that’s just the reality of it,’’ Dosunmu said. “But at this time of the year, it’s all about trying to get as many wins as possible. You really don’t have any time to worry about anything other than that because in about a week, we’re pretty much going into a [play-in] situation where you either win or lose, and your season can be over with.”

“There will definitely be an offseason plan” for his development, Dosunmu added, “but my mindset is focused on these last few [regular-season] games, then doing whatever it takes to secure us a playoff spot.’’

As Cowley notes, there’s a chance Dosunmu will have to wait for his opportunity to start elsewhere. He’s a restricted free agent this summer, as is fellow reserve combo guard Coby White. The Bulls might opt to just keep one.

There’s more out of the Windy City:

• While the Bulls are locked into the play-in tournament, head coach Billy Donovan would still like to see star players DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic participate in the club’s last game of the regular season against the Pistons, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
• Coby White believes that his game has reached another level as of late, writes Rob Schaefer of Bulls.com. “I think this is the best basketball of my career, high school, college,” White said. “I feel like, just overall — defensively, offensively, my voice, leadership, whatever you want to call it — I’ve taken steps in every category.”
• Chicago hopes to make NBA play-in tournament history this season. A tenth seed has yet to win a play-in game in the two-year history of the tournament, Johnson writes in a separate article. “You’d obviously at this point like to be in a situation where you know you’re one of those top-six seeds where you’re not trying to get into the playoffs,” Donovan said. “But having a chance to get in would be the next thing you’d want to have.”