Chicago
Bulls

Nikola Vučević’s midseason stretch was defined by a stark demotion to the second unit and wildly erratic efficiency. Thriving initially in his new reserve role, he completely dismantled the opposition on 02/27 vs BKN. He poured in 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in just 25 minutes, earning a massive +34.1 Impact by pairing flawless 3-for-3 perimeter shooting with relentless interior finishing. Even when his scoring volume plummeted, the veteran big man occasionally found ways to anchor the bench. During his first game off the pine on 02/06 vs MIA, he managed only 11 points but secured 12 boards and dished four assists, generating a +16.5 Impact through crucial second-chance hustle plays and crisp offensive facilitation. Relying on him every night remained a serious gamble, however. His shot selection completely unraveled on 04/07 vs CHA. He bricked all five of his three-point attempts and shot a dismal 1-for-10 overall, dragging down the offense to the tune of a -8.1 Impact.

This late-season stretch was defined by a blistering offensive hot streak that transformed Tre Jones from a steady floor general into a lethal scoring threat. He peaked during the 04/09 vs WAS matchup, pouring in 31 points on a crisp 9-for-14 shooting night to generate a massive +26.7 Impact score. That elite rating stemmed directly from his aggressive shot selection and relentless downhill drives that bent the defense. Yet, raw scoring didn't always translate to overwhelming value. Despite dropping 21 points on a near-perfect 10-for-11 from the floor on 03/13 vs LAC, he managed a surprisingly modest +5.8 Impact. His tunnel vision yielded just two assists and a single rebound, allowing hidden defensive costs to drag down his overall footprint. The consequences of one-dimensional play were even more severe during the 03/03 vs OKC game. He tallied 15 points on 50 percent shooting, but a sheer lack of playmaking and poor point-of-attack defense tanked his value to a -3.2 Impact.

This late-season stretch was defined by extreme volatility, oscillating wildly between masterful triple-double orchestration and disastrous shooting slumps. On 03/01 vs MIL, Giddey was an absolute force, logging 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. His blistering 5-for-11 shooting from deep and relentless rebounding fueled a massive +25.2 Impact score, driving winning basketball through sheer offensive efficiency. Yet, his massive playmaking numbers often masked severe inefficiencies, as seen on 03/19 vs CLE. Despite dishing out a staggering 19 assists, he posted a brutal -11.0 Impact score because his erratic 4-for-11 shooting and poor shot selection actively dragged the offense down. The floor completely fell out on 03/28 vs OKC. He bricked all eight of his three-point attempts en route to a dismal 1-for-11 shooting night, resulting in a -14.0 Impact score that exposed his glaring limitations as a scorer. When his jumper fell, he looked like a dynamic engine, but his frequent clunkers made him a frustratingly unreliable offensive hub.

This late-season stretch was defined by a violent shift from an actively harmful chucker to a highly adaptable offensive engine. Early on, his poor shot selection was a glaring liability, perfectly captured on 02/26 vs POR when he posted a brutal -14.1 Impact score by forcing up nine shots to score just 10 empty points. The turning point arrived on 03/05 vs PHX, where Sexton erupted for 30 points and five assists. He generated a massive +25.2 Impact score in that matchup through hyper-efficient 11-for-19 shooting and smart distribution. Yet his most fascinating evolution occurred when his jumper completely abandoned him on 04/07 vs WAS. Despite clanking his way to a highly inefficient 15 points on an abysmal 5-for-16 shooting night, Sexton still managed a strong +10.8 Impact score. Instead of compounding his shooting woes, he salvaged his value on the margins by crashing the glass for nine rebounds and dishing out seven assists. It was a refreshing sign of maturity from a guard who previously bled value whenever his primary weapon misfired.

This late-season stretch was defined by wild, high-variance scoring swings that revealed a young forward discovering his offensive ceiling while battling erratic shot selection. When his jumper fell, he looked absolutely unstoppable. He peaked during a marathon 45-minute effort on 03/10 vs GSW, pouring in 41 points on 16-of-28 shooting to generate a staggering +35.0 Impact. That massive rating stemmed directly from his willingness to aggressively attack the interior rather than settle, converting at a high clip inside the arc. Conversely, his cold nights were punishingly bad. On 02/19 vs TOR, he managed just 4 points on 2-of-10 shooting, yielding a dismal -17.7 Impact because his refusal to stop forcing contested perimeter looks actively killed offensive momentum. Yet, he slowly learned how to salvage his value when the touch vanished entirely. On 04/10 vs ORL, Buzelis missed all nine of his three-point attempts but still scraped out a +0.9 Impact by crashing the glass for 8 rebounds and relying on pure defensive hustle to stay afloat.

A mid-March promotion to the starting lineup completely resurrected Ayo Dosunmu's season. While coming off the pine early in this stretch, he looked hesitant and actively dragged the second unit down on 02/20 vs DAL, forcing bad looks during a 5-point, 2-for-9 shooting night that yielded a brutal -12.8 impact score. Even when his jumper started falling, hidden costs ruined his overall value. He dropped a highly efficient 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting on 03/10 vs LAL, but a complete lack of playmaking and porous defense saddled him with a -3.7 impact. Everything flipped once he moved into the starting five. Given the keys to the offense, he exacted revenge on 03/30 vs DAL by orchestrating a brilliant triple-double with 18 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists. That monstrous +28.9 impact score stemmed directly from his relentless effort on the glass and unselfish passing, transforming him from a bench liability into a two-way engine.

Leonard Miller spent this fifteen-game stretch wrestling with his identity, bouncing between the starting lineup and the bench before finally forcing his way into heavy minutes. Even when his offensive volume dipped, his motor ran hot, perfectly illustrated on 03/16 vs MEM. Despite scoring just 10 points on five shot attempts, Miller generated a +9.8 impact score by focusing on relentless defensive effort, crashing the glass for seven rebounds, and refusing to force bad looks. He eventually found his scoring rhythm as a starter and unleashed a monster double-double on 04/09 vs WAS. Torching the Wizards for 26 points and 11 rebounds on 11-of-14 shooting, he posted a massive +21.0 impact score by combining hyper-efficient finishing with active interior presence. Yet, his final outing on 04/12 vs DAL revealed the lingering flaws in his game. He tallied a highly efficient 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting, but a -1.8 impact score exposed the hidden costs of his performance, stemming from quiet defensive breakdowns and missed rotations that bled points on the other end of the floor.

Jaden Ivey spent this midseason stretch battling his own irrelevance, floating through empty-calorie bench minutes before a brief starting promotion forced him to actually engage. During a dismal reserve outing on 01/25 vs SAC, he tallied 11 points on an efficient 4-of-6 shooting, yet dragged his team down with a -6.5 Impact score. That stark negative rating stemmed from his complete tunnel vision and poor defensive effort, as he failed to record a single assist while giving up easy looks on the other end. The slump hit rock bottom on 01/29 vs PHX with a scoreless, seven-minute cameo that yielded an abysmal -9.2 Impact. Given a sudden lifeline in the starting lineup, Ivey finally flipped the script on 02/09 vs BKN. Despite shooting a lackluster 3-for-8 from the floor for 13 points, he posted a stellar +8.0 Impact by crashing the glass for six rebounds, distributing three assists, and locking in defensively to generate crucial value without the ball.

Jalen Smith’s midseason stretch was defined by a volatile tug-of-war between his rebounding utility and his defensive inconsistency. He often found ways to tilt the floor without filling it up, like during the 02/19 vs TOR matchup where he managed just 9 points but generated a massive +7.7 impact. Despite the quiet scoring night, Smith dominated the glass with 10 rebounds and provided relentless hustle to anchor the interior. He pulled off a similar trick on 03/10 vs GSW, posting a +6.2 impact despite an ugly 3-for-13 shooting night. Rather than letting his broken jumper ruin his shift, he simply outworked everyone for 12 rebounds to keep possessions alive. Yet, his value could plummet just as quickly when he traded grit for empty calories. Look at the 03/23 vs HOU game, where an efficient 15-point scoring outburst was entirely negated by a -1.9 impact score. He knocked down shots effortlessly, but a complete lack of defensive resistance and passive rebounding allowed Houston to exploit him on the other end.

Coby White spent this stretch operating as the ultimate boom-or-bust microwave off the bench. When his jumper was dialed in, he was an absolute terror. Look no further than the 03/24 vs SAC matchup, where he erupted for 27 points on a blistering 6-of-8 from beyond the arc. That hyper-efficient shot selection translated to a staggering +24.3 Impact score. However, his overall value plummeted when his game became entirely one-dimensional. During the 04/05 vs MIN contest, White dropped 17 points but still posted a -1.6 Impact because he failed to grab a single rebound and logged just one assist, rendering his buckets empty calories. Even when he stuffed the stat sheet on 03/21 vs MEM with eight rebounds and seven assists, his clunky 4-of-11 shooting dragged him to a -4.4 Impact, exposing the hidden costs of his volatile offensive diet.

Guerschon Yabusele’s mid-season stretch was defined by maddening inconsistency and a wildly fluctuating role that saw him bounce between the starting five and the bench. During the 02/22 vs NYK matchup, he scored a modest 11 points but dominated the glass with 13 rebounds, driving a massive +12.1 Impact score through sheer physical rebounding and stout defensive effort. He reached his absolute peak shortly after on 03/03 vs OKC, pouring in 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting while grabbing 12 boards to generate a stellar +17.4 Impact. Yet, that momentum vanished almost immediately. Look at his 03/05 vs PHX performance, where he managed 16 points but posted a disappointing -1.1 Impact. His raw scoring totals in that Phoenix game masked the hidden costs of his erratic shot selection, as he needed 15 field goal attempts to get those 16 points while offering little resistance on the defensive end. When Yabusele commits to doing the dirty work in the paint, he is a genuine difference-maker. When he falls in love with inefficient jumpers, he becomes an active detriment to the lineup.

This midseason stretch was defined by a chaotic pendulum swing between brilliant bench scoring and inefficient struggles as a starter. Operating as a reserve on 01/16 vs MIA, Simons erupted for 39 points on 13-of-28 shooting. He generated a massive +28.2 Impact score that night simply by burying the defense under an avalanche of seven three-pointers. However, his aggressive shot selection frequently betrayed him. This flaw was glaringly obvious during a brutal 01/24 vs BKN matchup where he clanked his way to 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting, posting a dismal -12.1 Impact score due to his heavily wasted offensive possessions. A brief hot streak eventually earned him a starting nod in early February, though his overall efficiency immediately tanked against tougher defensive assignments. Yet, even when his scoring output dipped to a modest 15 points on a rough 5-of-15 shooting night on 02/07 vs DEN, he still managed to scrape out a +1.8 Impact score. Rather than forcing more bad looks, he kept the offense humming with six assists, creating enough non-scoring value as a distributor to completely offset his cold perimeter touch.

Nick Richards spent this fifteen-game stretch devolving from a highly effective bench bruiser into an overexposed spot-starter. Operating primarily as a reserve early on, he routinely dominated the glass to generate immense value without demanding offensive touches. During a gritty tilt vs PHX on 03/05, Richards scored just 9 points but still posted a +3.8 impact score by swallowing up 11 rebounds and doing the necessary dirty work inside. Unfortunately, his overall effectiveness cratered whenever his scoring volume increased at the expense of his rebounding. Look no further than his outing vs LAL on 03/12. He tallied 15 points on highly efficient shooting, yet registered a dismal -5.4 impact score because he grabbed a meager four boards and gave up easy baskets on the other end. By the time he was thrust into the starting lineup in late March, the physical toll was obvious. A brutal start vs PHI on 03/25 yielded just two points and a disastrous -13.9 impact score, forcing an early hook after a mere nine minutes of action.

This late-season stretch was defined by maddening inconsistency, with Huerter oscillating wildly between detrimental bench stints and sudden bursts of offensive brilliance. His erratic shot selection often sank the second unit, a flaw glaringly evident during the 04/04 vs PHI matchup. Despite logging six assists in that contest, his abysmal 2-for-9 shooting and forced perimeter looks dragged his Impact down to a dismal -10.3. Yet, when he stopped settling for bad threes and attacked with purpose, his overall value skyrocketed. During the 03/19 vs WAS game, Huerter missed both of his deep attempts but shot an efficient 6-of-10 overall, pairing 14 points with active rebounding to post a massive +19.8 Impact. He even found a rhythm when thrust into the starting five. On 03/26 vs NOP, he exploded for 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, generating a +11.7 Impact simply by catching fire and punishing sluggish defensive closeouts.

This midseason stretch was defined by maddening offensive inconsistency that constantly swung Okoro's overall value. Look at the 03/03 vs OKC disaster, where he logged 32 minutes but managed just four points on a miserable 1-for-9 shooting night. That complete inability to space the floor or convert open looks resulted in a brutal -19.8 Impact score. Yet, when his shot actually fell, he looked like a completely different wing. During the 03/28 vs OKC rematch, Okoro poured in 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, forcing defenders to respect him on the perimeter to drive a stellar +10.9 Impact score. He also found ways to be a net positive even when the jumper vanished entirely. In the 02/09 vs BKN matchup, his steady passing and rebounding earned him a +3.8 Impact despite taking only seven shots from the floor.

Jevon Carter's late-season stretch was defined by erratic offensive production that routinely sabotaged his team's momentum. When handed a rare starting nod on 03/23 vs IND, he completely flatlined. He managed just two points on 1-for-5 shooting across 24 minutes, resulting in a dismal -13.3 Impact score as his inability to space the floor bogged down the half-court offense. The bottom fell out entirely on 03/31 vs PHX. Chucking up five missed threes and finishing scoreless, Carter posted a brutal -14.1 Impact score because his rushed shot selection actively fueled opponent transition runs. He occasionally found his rhythm off the bench, notably serving as a flawless spark plug during the 04/08 vs MIN matchup. By hitting all four of his shots—including three triples—he generated a +5.1 Impact score, reminding everyone that his current NBA value hinges entirely on whether his perimeter jumper is actually falling.

Lachlan Olbrich’s late-season stretch shifted violently from irrelevant garbage-time minutes to a stunning playmaking breakout. Early on, he was bleeding value in brief cameos, hitting rock bottom on 03/30 vs SAS with a brutal -13.0 Impact score after posting zero points and a single rebound in just four minutes of action. However, a sudden promotion to the starting unit completely changed his utility. Thrust into a massive 32-minute role on 04/10 vs ORL, he managed a positive +0.6 Impact despite scoring just six points because his nine rebounds and five assists kept the offense flowing. Two nights later, he delivered an absolute masterpiece on 04/12 vs DAL. Olbrich racked up a 10-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, generating a massive +15.4 Impact score by dominating the glass and picking the defense apart with his passing. It was a remarkable turnaround for a guy who could barely get off the bench two weeks prior.

This late-season stretch was defined by a maddening offensive slump that largely relegated Patrick Williams to a volatile bench role. Even when his shot occasionally fell, like his highly efficient 11-point outing on 02/24 vs CHA, his -4.9 Impact score betrayed a lack of defensive resistance and poor rotational awareness that actively hurt his team. The bottom completely fell out during a miserable spring run. He hit rock bottom on 04/01 vs IND, posting a catastrophic -26.2 Impact score after missing all four of his shots and looking utterly invisible in just 13 minutes of action. Yet, Williams still managed to occasionally salvage his minutes through sheer grit, grinding out a +2.5 Impact score on 03/18 vs TOR despite scoring just seven points on ugly 2-for-7 shooting because he crashed the glass and fought hard defensively. Out of nowhere, he erupted on 04/07 vs WAS for 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. That brilliant +16.4 Impact performance highlighted exactly what makes him so frustrating; when he actually attacks the rim and creates for others, he looks like a completely different player.

Dalen Terry spent this sixteen-game stretch fighting a losing battle for rotational stability, plummeting into a deep mid-season slump. He briefly flashed value as a connective bench piece on 02/01 vs MIA, where his modest eight points were elevated by six rebounds and three assists to generate a +3.5 Impact score. However, that peripheral hustle quickly vanished as the weeks dragged on. Even when he managed to find the basket, hidden costs ruined his shifts. He tallied eight points on 03/12 vs DET, but a lack of perimeter spacing and minimal playmaking across 23 minutes dragged him down to a dismal -7.0 Impact. Things completely bottomed out during a brutal, invisible stint on 03/19 vs SAC. In just four minutes of action, Terry missed both his shot attempts and recorded zero rebounds or assists, resulting in a staggering -13.3 Impact score. For a wing desperately needing to carve out an NBA niche, these empty-calorie shifts and frequent disappearing acts only pushed him further down the bench hierarchy.

Julian Phillips spent this mid-to-late season stretch marooned at the end of the bench, battling severe inefficiency during his rare moments of extended run. His lone bright spot arrived on 02/01 vs MIA, where he managed a +2.0 Impact score despite an ugly 3-for-11 shooting night. He salvaged his overall value by flying around the floor, using raw defensive energy and hustle to compensate for a broken jumper. Outside of that anomaly, his fleeting appearances were actively harmful. He bottomed out entirely on 04/07 vs IND, posting a catastrophic -12.4 Impact score while running around for three scoreless minutes. Even when given a massive 26-minute leash on 04/12 vs NOP, the underlying metrics rejected his box score. Phillips poured in 16 points, yet his -4.8 Impact score exposed the illusion. A clunky 1-for-5 mark from deep and constant defensive lapses bled away any real value his scoring provided.

This brutal late-season stretch was defined by erratic shot selection and a catastrophic inability to positively influence the game. Even when his shots actually dropped, hidden costs routinely dragged down his overall value. Look at his performance on 03/19 vs CLE, where he scored 17 points but still posted a -1.8 Impact score because his tunnel vision—yielding just one assist—and defensive lapses bled points on the other end. He finally put together a complete game on 04/07 vs WAS, pouring in 26 points and grabbing seven rebounds to earn a rare +9.5 Impact score. The relief was fleeting. On 04/09 vs WAS, he immediately reverted to his worst habits, clanking his way to a 2-for-10 shooting performance that yielded a staggering -22.6 Impact score. For a bench guard expected to provide a reliable spark, these massive negative swings made him a severe liability to the second unit.