If there's one thing Chicago Bulls fans expected heading into the season, it was that new head coach Fred Hoiberg was going to get the offense more free flowing and faster paced. As shown in Game 1 of the year, a 97-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers; Nikola Mirotic gave us a glimpse at what's to come from him during the rest of the 2015-16 NBA season.
Mirotic was terrific all game long. In just over 25 minutes, he scored 19 points, shooting 6-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 from deep. He was able to get out in transition quite a bit, and showed off the range on a couple of threes well beyond the arc.
That's what Hoiberg's offense gives the Bulls the freedom to do this year, and they looked drastically different on that side of the ball. Whoever got a quick rebound or steal was able to start the break and get guys running. We saw a lot more movement on offense without the stagnant half court sets that under Tom Thibodeau were designed to use the majority of the shot clock. In the new scheme, if you have a lane right away, take it. If you get an open jumper, take it. In that case, it doesn't matter if you're Derrick Rose or Jimmy Butler. Hoiberg is clearly preaching for the entire team to be aggressive and take a chance or two if the situation warrants it.
Another thing to factor in with Mirotic's growth is that he's now entering his second full season in the NBA. Last year, it took him a while to put together some impressive performances. Tonight, in the first game of the year, Mirotic looked like a veteran. He knew what he wanted to do, and executed.
His game was stellar, and it wasn't just offensively either. Mirotic was active on the boards, pulling nine down, and consistently outplayed Cleveland's big names for the ball.
The confidence he showed against the defending Eastern Conference champions was impressive, especially since he struggled in the series loss to them back in May. What a difference only five months or so and a coaching change makes. Bulls fans should be excited for what's to come from him, as well as a Bulls team with a lot of potential.
