Without Victor Wembanyama, injured in the back, the Spurs had decided to play “small ball” against the Bulls, with Jeremy Sochan and Harrison Barnes responsible for holding the fort inside. A strategy which quickly showed its major limits, while Nikola Vucevic abandoned the 3-point line for small hook shots in the racket…
“I don’t think people understand how hard this guy works.” explained Zach LaVine after the game. “We all made sacrifices when we arrived, me, DeMar and Vooch (in 2021). We all had to sacrifice a little bit of our game to try to improve the team, but it was Vooch who made the biggest sacrifice during these years. But he still works hard, despite the ups and downs. »
With the departure of DeMar DeRozan to the Kings last summer, the Montenegrin found more opportunities in attack, enough to post his best points average (21.7) since his arrival in Illinois. Above all, he does it with great efficiency, with a 59.2% overall success rate including 46.8% behind the 3-point line.
But this night, against Spurs who were too small (Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan…) or too limited (Zach Collins, Charles Bassey…), it was in the racket that he insisted on finishing with 39 points at 16/ 22 including 2/6 from distance, 8 rebounds and 5 assists, in the victory (139-124) for his team on the San Antonio floor.
It's the fifth best mark of his career, and his second best with the Bulls.
“Vooch is an All-Star, an incredible international player” continues Zach LaVine. “He’s not an average player in the NBA. He's a top level guy. And to see him continue to improve his game, adjusting it for the good of the team, and now showing so much efficiency… I appreciate his work and his dedication to the game.”
| Nikola Vucevic | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2011-12 | PHL | 51 | 16 | 45.0 | 37.5 | 52.9 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 5.5 |
| 2012-13 | ENT | 77 | 33 | 51.9 | 0.0 | 68.3 | 3.5 | 8.4 | 11.9 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 13.1 |
| 2013-14 | ENT | 57 | 32 | 50.7 | 0.0 | 76.6 | 3.2 | 7.7 | 11.0 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 14.2 |
| 2014-15 | ENT | 74 | 34 | 52.3 | 33.3 | 75.2 | 3.2 | 7.7 | 10.9 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 19.3 |
| 2015-16 | ENT | 65 | 31 | 51.0 | 22.2 | 75.3 | 2.7 | 6.2 | 8.8 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 18.2 |
| 2016-17 | ENT | 75 | 29 | 46.8 | 30.7 | 66.9 | 2.3 | 8.0 | 10.4 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 14.6 |
| 2017-18 | ENT | 57 | 30 | 47.5 | 31.4 | 81.9 | 1.8 | 7.4 | 9.2 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 16.5 |
| 2018-19 | ENT | 80 | 31 | 51.8 | 36.4 | 78.9 | 2.8 | 9.2 | 12.0 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 20.8 |
| 2019-20 | ENT | 62 | 32 | 47.7 | 33.9 | 78.4 | 2.3 | 8.6 | 10.9 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 19.6 |
| 2020-21 * | All Teams | 70 | 34 | 47.7 | 40.0 | 84.0 | 2.1 | 9.6 | 11.7 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 23.4 |
| 2020-21 * | ENT | 44 | 34 | 48.0 | 40.6 | 82.7 | 2.0 | 9.8 | 11.8 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 24.5 |
| 2020-21 * | CHI | 26 | 33 | 47.1 | 38.8 | 87.0 | 2.3 | 9.3 | 11.5 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 21.5 |
| 2021-22 | CHI | 73 | 33 | 47.3 | 31.4 | 76.0 | 1.9 | 9.1 | 11.0 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 17.6 |
| 2022-23 | CHI | 82 | 34 | 52.0 | 34.9 | 83.5 | 1.9 | 9.1 | 11.0 | 3.2 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 17.6 |
| 2023-24 | CHI | 76 | 34 | 48.4 | 29.4 | 82.2 | 2.8 | 7.8 | 10.5 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 18.0 |
| 2024-25 | CHI | 22 | 32 | 58.2 | 47.6 | 84.3 | 2.0 | 8.0 | 10.0 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 20.9 |
| Total | 921 | 31 | 49.7 | 34.7 | 77.0 | 2.5 | 8.0 | 10.5 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 17.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
