Coby White played really well for most of Monday's game at Footprint Center.
This is impressive, especially in Phoenix, where White was competing with Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, along with his teammate, DeMar DeRozan.
White was unstoppable for 36 minutes, scoring 10 out of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, trying to counter Kevin Durant's strong performance.
However, in the final two minutes, DeRozan, not White, took most of the game-winning shots for the Bulls. The Bulls lost 115-113 in the last 128 seconds of the game..
The end of Monday’s game raised a key question: When will White have earned the right to have the ball in his hands in the final seconds?
DeRozan believes White has already earned that right.
DeRozan said White has definitely earned it.
The Bulls led by 23 points in the third quarter but then struggled and eventually lost to the Suns. The Bulls didn't rely only on DeRozan for the equalizer in the clutch moments.
The final shot of the game was more about Durant's skill than any mistakes by the Bulls.
It's important to keep redefining this dynamic as the Bulls progress. The team's identity has changed because of White's breakout season. White's breakout season has paved the way for Chicago's future. But in crucial moments, it seems that experience wins over youth.
The Bulls have played a lot of clutch minutes this season. They have a good record in these moments, going 13-10 and shooting 48.9% from the field.
The Bulls tend to approach these moments differently in various games. Sometimes the ball goes to other players, like Alex Caruso, but they usually go back to DeRozan quickly.
This is true for most teams. DeRozan is one of the most clutch players in the NBA and has a strong track record in clutch shooting.
DeRozan has proven himself to be a reliable player for making crucial shots, but if the Bulls are planning for the future with White, they'll likely start trusting him with more of these important moments.
How can the Bulls achieve that goal?
White has attempted 32 shots in clutch situations during 23 games this season, which is fewer than DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vučević. Although his 3-point shooting has decreased to 29.4% in these moments, he continues to shoot 50% from the field in clutch situations.
White has taken significant shots in crucial moments, often when his experienced teammates are absent. For example, he made 3-pointers in a win against the Milwaukee Bucks in November while LaVine and DeRozan were sidelined.
DeRozan mentioned that White is not hesitant to speak up during the final minutes, even requesting a change to one of the last plays in a recent loss in order to set up a play that he preferred.
DeRozan stated, "He altered the play and Coby was assertive, making something out of it. That's the confidence we have in him, whether it's taking the final shot or executing a play, whatever it might be."
Given this existing dynamic, it seems that these pivotal moments are now White's responsibility. His shooting percentage in clutch situations is almost the same as DeRozan's, and he has become more self-assured as the season has advanced, both from long range and in his ability to bypass defenders to reach the basket.
To advance in his development, White needs to start improving himself in these crucial moments when the game is on the line. DeRozan mentioned that White simply needs to do one thing to achieve this: Request the ball.
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