Billy Donovan wants Matas Bouzelis to ‘impact the win’ beyond incredible dunks

ByNBAUSA



Second night in 2026 Chicago Bulls started the new year on the right foot. Not only did they beat the Orlando Magic 121-114, but they secured a nomination for dunk of the year courtesy Matas Buzelis.

In the 7:34 minute of the second quarter, Bouzelis grabbed the ball and emphatically slammed him into the face of Magic guard Jalen Suggs, who wowed the crowd from the rafters to the floor seats. Overall, Bouzelis led the way with 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

After that, the head coach of the Bulls Billy Donovan took that to heartacknowledging the thrill of the dunk, while also saying that Bouzelis needs to “impact the win” in the future.

“The dunks were phenomenal, they were unbelievable,” Donovan said. “But it was only worth two points. To me, seven assists and rebounds was a lot more valuable to our team. The fans love it, I loved watching it for a moment, it was great. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t happen every night. It’s just his athleticism and talent. But that’s what affects other things, I think that’s what affects other things. why all I really want to see is how you really impact the team and impact the win?”

Furthermore, Donovan has seen growth in Bouzelis’ recent maturation as a complete player.

“I think he’s learning those things,” he said. “I really appreciate the way he’s approached those things to try to get better. Like I said before, he’s a great guy to work with. He’s a great guy to be around. He’s not afraid of the moment. He leans in, tries to get better and wants to be really good. As a coach, you have to admire that.”

Earlier in the year, Bouzelis spoke about goes for the best player of the year in the NBA. He is currently averaging 14.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.





2026-01-03 04:07:00

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