(670 The Score) Given how splendid his play has been in his rookie season, it’s no longer a surprise anymore when 22-year-old guard Ayo Dosunmu makes history.
But for history’s sake, we’ll note that he did it again Monday.
Dosunmu made his first nine field-goal attempts in the Bulls’ 111-110 win against the Thunder at the Paycom Center, setting the franchise rookie record for the most makes without a miss to start a game, according to team research. Dosunmu broke the Bulls record previously held by Orlando Woolridge, who had eight straight field goals without a miss to open a game in 1982.
“I didn’t know what I was,” Dosunmu said of his hot start. “I knew I didn’t miss, I knew I didn’t miss a shot. But I didn’t know like what was the exact percentage.”
Bulls fans will certainly forgive Dosunmu’s verbal slip-up – he knows well that making every attempt means 100% shooting. And while he eventually missed a few shots, Dosunmu still went on to score a career-high 24 points on 10-of-14 shooting overall while adding eight assists and five rebounds before fouling out with 3:58 left.
“I was just trying to stay focused,” said Dosunmu, whom the Bulls drafted in the second round at 38th overall last summer. “I was trying to stay in the moment. I felt like I was in a good zone offensively and defensively, and I just wanted to continue that. I think at times when you’re in a zone and then you celebrate too much, you can easily take over that takeover, the zone you’re in. So I tried to just stay laser-focused because I knew this was a much-needed win.”
Dosunmu’s contributions were well-timed because Bulls star forward DeMar DeRozan was resting as the team looks to manage his workload, and Chicago had also lost six of its previous seven games.
Dosunmu is averaging 7.5 points in 22.5 minutes across 42 games while shooting 54.5% overall and 45.1% on 3-pointers this season. Dosunmu is averaging 15.0 points in his past six games, a stretch in which star guard Zach LaVine missed the first five before returning Monday.
“He was a two-way player tonight,” coach Billy Donovan said of Dosunmu. “He was really good offensively, and he was good defensively.”
Cody Westerlund is a sports editor for 670TheScore.com and covers the Bulls. Follow him on Twitter @CodyWesterlund.