Matas Progress Tracker

[WesPeace]

I hope Matas will get 15 shots per game on regular basis, maybe even more, especially when he is hot.

[sco]

I hope Matas will get 15 shots per game on regular basis, maybe even more, especially when he is hot.

My concern is that with Coby back and Vuc still starting, there will be 5-6 shots/per game that should otherwise be going to Giddey and Matas. It's a big reason why I don't Vuc starting.

I still worry about Matas' tendency to disappear in second halves. Not sure if it's an endurance thing or teams adjust at halftime.

[WesPeace]

I hope Matas will get 15 shots per game on regular basis, maybe even more, especially when he is hot.

My concern is that with Coby back and Vuc still starting, there will be 5-6 shots/per game that should otherwise be going to Giddey and Matas. It's a big reason why I don't Vuc starting.

I still worry about Matas' tendency to disappear in second halves. Not sure if it's an endurance thing or teams adjust at halftime.

I hope that changes this year, it was probably Billy D tactics to lean more in 2nd half on vets..

[coldfish]

Buzelis finished the preseason:
27 points per 36
70% ts
57%fg
39%3p
80%ft

Fair number of blocks and rebounds to go with.

[League Circles]

Matas is going to be a star, and quick. Pretty confident he'll be in our top 2 in scoring with Coby.

[cruwinas]

Didn't post here for a LONG TIME. Wasn't even following sports - real life is funny like that sometimes
Anyway, as a Lithuanian and a seasoned bball fan (other sports too) - watching Matas now is a pleasure.
Matas experimented with the Ignite and it went as bad as it can be. Last season, before Matas became a starter, who knows in what kind of shape he was. Sure, insanely athletic. Can shoot. Can dribble. Can drive and finish. Though those were just sample size.
Everybody got excited and Matas didn't drop the ball when he became a starter.
We all know that.
In 5 preseason games Matas was, well, like 2 years ago, elite in his class. I expect him in regular season to bust his butt on the floor. I don't see any weaknesses in his game. 2 years ago in the mock drafts guys were saying that "if someone wants an elite wing to be built in lab - that's Matas". For the modern NBA.
Enough that. Just stay healthy and fly high
I noticed one thing that Matas does that I can't remember anything or compare to. The way he finishes his lay-ups. He gets up so high, top of the head almost at the rim's level, extends his arm and banks the shot. That's unguardable. Take Giannis for example. He runs, jumps and dunks. For him to run, jump and make a lay-up is hard cause his shooters touch is so-so.
OK Bulls, play well, get a winning record at the end of the season and play well in the play-offs. Come play-off time all top NBA players, mostly veterans, will be tired and hurt. Bulls on the other hand, the longer they play this season, the better they will play (I hope)

[Chi town]

https://www.bleachernation.com/bulls/2025/10/20/matas-buzelis-pre-nation/

National guys are now talking about Buz.

[Indomitable]

I hope Matas will get 15 shots per game on regular basis, maybe even more, especially when he is hot.

Then Coby injury should make you happy

[WindyCityBorn]

I hope Matas will get 15 shots per game on regular basis, maybe even more, especially when he is hot.

Then Coby injury should make you happy

Don’t want him injured, but I wish was Vuc out instead.

[Indomitable]

I hope Matas will get 15 shots per game on regular basis, maybe even more, especially when he is hot.

Then Coby injury should make you happy

Don’t want him injured, but I wish was Vuc out instead.

I do not believe anyone does and Vuc is blocking no one. Plus he serves a purpose.

[WindyCityBorn]

Then Coby injury should make you happy

Don’t want him injured, but I wish was Vuc out instead.

I do not believe anyone does and Vuc is blocking no one. Plus he serves a purpose.

He is blocking shot opportunities. He will continue to take 12 to 15 shots that could go to someone that has a future here.

[Indomitable]

Don’t want him injured, but I wish was Vuc out instead.

I do not believe anyone does and Vuc is blocking no one. Plus he serves a purpose.

He is blocking shot opportunities. He will continue to take 12 to 15 shots that could go to someone that has a future here.

They are not running plays for him and he is a relief valve. He is not taking shots away, creates space, and makes passes.

[WindyCityBorn]

I do not believe anyone does and Vuc is blocking no one. Plus he serves a purpose.

He is blocking shot opportunities. He will continue to take 12 to 15 shots that could go to someone that has a future here.

They are not running plays for him and he is a relief valve. He is not taking shots away, creates space, and makes passes.

If he is so good then why doesn’t anyone else want him?

[Indomitable]

He is blocking shot opportunities. He will continue to take 12 to 15 shots that could go to someone that has a future here.

They are not running plays for him and he is a relief valve. He is not taking shots away, creates space, and makes passes.

If he is so good then why doesn’t anyone else want him?

Salary, need, age, and no rim protection. Most teams are capped out and desire better rim protection. If he was blocking a young prospect. I would see your point.

He offers the ability to spread the floor on a team where the shooting is questionable. He will allow Matas to have space if he is capable of shooting at least 35%.
Bulls 3pt percentage
Tre Jones 31%
Giddey 33%
Ayo 36.1
J. Carter 37.1
Okoro 35.1
Juilian 31.5
Jalen Smith 33.2
Patrick Williams 39.2
Coby White 36.9
Dalen Terry 29.8

Who is going to help create room for Matas to succeed. Without Coby we are short on 3pt shooting. Vuc who shot 40% will help. I am not saying resign him but use him in an area the Bulls lack.

Matas development is my biggest concern. Vuc in my opinion can help.

[dougthonus]

He offers the ability to spread the floor on a team where the shooting is questionable. He will allow Matas to have space if he is capable of shooting at least 35%.

He doesn't create space, no one guards him on the perimeter. He does help with scoring when he's able to shoot well, but he shoots only undefended shots, and he doesn't move around the perimeter, he's undefended because he isn't worth defending. In his last four seasons, he's been out of the league bad as a shooter in 2 of the 4, he's been barely ok if you squint real hard once, and he's been decent once (which to be fair, was last year, and recent data is always the most valuable).

Who is going to help create room for Matas to succeed. Without Coby we are short on 3pt shooting. Vuc who shot 40% will help. I am not saying resign him but use him in an area the Bulls lack.

The answer is no one. Including Vuc, because again, no one guards Vuc on the perimeter. However, the guys who will help him most are Coby White and Kevin Huerter from a spacing perspective. Possibly Ayo, whom has been okay but inconsistent, and over his career, Pat Williams has been much better as a shooter than Vuc over the same time frame (if Pat could ever stay healthy).

But in the end, the Bulls are terrible as a shooting team and aren't going to create a lot of space through the threat of shooting. Instead, we'll have to try to create efficiency through running and getting more plays in early offense.

[Indomitable]

He offers the ability to spread the floor on a team where the shooting is questionable. He will allow Matas to have space if he is capable of shooting at least 35%.

He doesn't create space, no one guards him on the perimeter. He does help with scoring when he's able to shoot well, but he shoots only undefended shots, and he doesn't move around the perimeter, he's undefended because he isn't worth defending. In his last four seasons, he's been out of the league bad as a shooter in 2 of the 4, he's been barely ok if you squint real hard once, and he's been decent once (which to be fair, was last year, and recent data is always the most valuable).

Who is going to help create room for Matas to succeed. Without Coby we are short on 3pt shooting. Vuc who shot 40% will help. I am not saying resign him but use him in an area the Bulls lack.

The answer is no one. Including Vuc, because again, no one guards Vuc on the perimeter. However, the guys who will help him most are Coby White and Kevin Huerter from a spacing perspective. Possibly Ayo, whom has been okay but inconsistent, and over his career, Pat Williams has been much better as a shooter than Vuc over the same time frame (if Pat could ever stay healthy).

But in the end, the Bulls are terrible as a shooting team and aren't going to create a lot of space through the threat of shooting. Instead, we'll have to try to create efficiency through running and getting more plays in early offense.

My point being Matas will not lose shots to Vuc.

If Vuc hits a couple of 3s. Then he creates space.

People with brains understand that this a development year. I am fine with Nikola leaving but I want space on this team.

In my opinion the Matas development is the only thing that really matters. Everything else is just a placeholder.

[dougthonus]

My point being Matas will not lose shots to Vuc.

I agree with this.

If Vuc hits a couple of 3s. Then he creates space.

I may be being overly semantic, but no, this doesn't create space. People guarding Vuc because they think he will hit threes if they don't guard him creates space, but that has generally not happened much at all over Vuc's time here.

He could hit 100 3s in a row, but if the defense didn't go out to guard him, doing so would still not create space, it would create punishment for not guarding him, but that is different.

There is this assumption that if you shoot threes at a higher percentage you create more space, but that often isn't a one to one. A lot of guys who can fire up threes in volume, fire up contested 3s, fire up 3s on the move, create a ton more space and movement by the defense despite lower percentages, because if someone guarded Coby like he was Vuc he'd shoot like 60% from the three point line, but that's why teams guard Coby.

People with brains understand that this a development year. I am fine with Nikola leaving but I want space on this team.

In my opinion the Matas development is the only thing that really matters. Everything else is just a placeholder.

I generally agree. Just that things don't work exactly like you are stating.

[Indomitable]

People with brains understand that this a development year. I am fine with Nikola leaving but I want space on this team.

In my opinion the Matas development is the only thing that really matters. Everything else is just a placeholder.

I generally agree. Just that things don't work exactly like you are stating.

Okay clearify

[dougthonus]

Okay clearify

Was only referencing the idea that Vuc isn't making Matas's life any easier because no one guards him. He may score, that may make the team offense better, but it won't draw attention away from Matas (and of the last four years, only one of those years did he score efficiently, so it's not like him scoring well is a given or even likely).

Guys who move more or can shoot contested shot or draw coverage would make Matas's life easier. Ie, Zach Collins being mobile probably presents more of a threat to making the opposing defense move than Vuc being stationary camped out behind the three point line, and thus Zach Collins probably creates more space / needs more attention.

I think Vuc is generally an irrelevancy one way or the other relative to our other centers.

[Indomitable]

Okay clearify

Was only referencing the idea that Vuc isn't making Matas's life any easier because no one guards him. He may score, that may make the team offense better, but it won't draw attention away from Matas (and of the last four years, only one of those years did he score efficiently, so it's not like him scoring well is a given or even likely).

Guys who move more or can shoot contested shot or draw coverage would make Matas's life easier. Ie, Zach Collins being mobile probably presents more of a threat to making the opposing defense move than Vuc being stationary camped out behind the three point line, and thus Zach Collins probably creates more space / needs more attention.

I think Vuc is generally an irrelevancy one way or the other relative to our other centers.

Would be nice if Vuc could roll to the basket.

You are saying since he stands there the rotation is simple. If he moved it could create chaos.