Buzelis shows out as Bulls top Pacers |
Dustin Riese
· · 5 hours ago
LAS VEGAS - It may have taken three games, but the Chicago Bulls (1-2) found a way to win their first Summer League game of the season 114-105. It was a win that came against the defending Eastern Conference Champion Indiana Pacers (1-2), for what it's worth, but these games are all about the development of young players who are expected to contribute this season.
One of those guys is second-year man Matas Buzelis, who emerged as one of the Bulls' best players down the stretch. Buzelis showed a lot once he became a regular in the starting lineup last season, and the expectations for him this season are through the roof. Although he didn't make a ton of shots from the floor, Buzelis still led all scorers with 28 points, as that is the type of play they expect from the young man. Speaking of strong Summer League performances, Jevon Freeman-Liberty is starting to become a Summer League legend as he tends to put up some of the best numbers across the board. This season has been no different, as he has scored 20 points or more in each of the Bulls' first two games, but settled for just 18 points in this one. He added eight rebounds and five assists, showcasing his full arsenal on the floor. When the Bulls drafted Buzelis last season, it yielded mixed results for both the Bulls and their fans. Chicago is thrilled with their decision and hopes Noa Essengue will be the next breakout star in the city. Essengue has continued to improve from one game to the next, and with 21 points, he added to what was an already strong summer league showing. One of the players the fan base is hoping will stick around is Guard Yuki Kawamura, who has been putting on quite a show for the Vegas fans. That continued in this one as the small, but yet athletically gifted Kawamura led the Bulls bench with 15 points while dishing out 10 assists in what was a much shorter rotation for Chicago. Given the season the Pacers just had, it will be interesting to see how things pan out for them next year. Not only will Tyrese Haliburton be lost for the season with a torn Achilles, but Myles Turner has signed a massive free agent contract with the Bucks, thus taking away two of the team's best players. That alone will be tough to overcome, but this is an organization that has always built itself on player development and young talent. If young talent is what the Pacers are banking on in the future, tonight showcased the talent coming up, as Indiana has plenty of talented players who will be fighting for a roster spot in camp. Kam Jones and Ray Dennis were the big stars of the night for Indiana as they led the way with 20 points. Considering all five starters for the Pacers had at least 15 points, most of the team's offensive production came from their starting five, as the bench scored just 19 points. Kawamura alone had 15 points for the Bulls off the bench, and you could make the case that the production of the Bulls' second unit was the difference in picking up this win. Joining Jones and Dennis was Phillip Wheeler, who put forth a very efficient 4-7 night from the floor to finish with 16 points. Johnny Furphy and Enrique Freeman also got in on the act by scoring 15 points, with Freeman also pulling down 10 rebounds for the strong double-double. Expect him to be one of several players looking to land the final roster spot in hopes of landing a reserve role for this team in 2025-26. Chicago will close out its scheduled portion of Summer League play against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, before adding one more game to its slate.
