Top five teams with the best bench in the NBA
The Chicago Bulls have suffered injury after major injury this year from some of their key players. Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose have missed most of March. And Joakim Noah has had his troubles with soreness causing him to miss a few games here and there. But all of these injuries to their starters may have been a blessing in disguise for the Bulls.
They have found perhaps one of the most surprising and prolific scorers at the end of their bench in Nikola Mirotic. Even though they went 7-7 in March, Mirotic has averaged 20.6 points per game. His size alone is enough to take advantage of smaller guards on the block, and his shooting ability forces defenses to respect his outside game. With Jimmy Butler being injured this past month, Mirotic has established himself as the fourth best scorer on the roster and when the Bulls are healthy he will be a huge asset in the playoffs.
Aaron Brooks has done something similar to Mirotic. With Derrick Rose out, he has thrived. His 11.6 points and 3.1 assists per game make him one of the best back-up point guards in the NBA. Also, the addition of Pau Gasol this off season has allowed Taj Gibson to continue coming off the bench. Gibson could be the starter just about anywhere else in the NBA, as his defense and athleticism put him above most power forwards in the league.
Coach Thibideau will have plenty of options to choose from come playoff time when it comes to resting his starters. And with the past Derrick Rose has had with injuries, this will be huge especially for the Bulls. Even though the biggest question for the Bulls has been whether or not they can get healthy and remain that way, their bench is primed and ready for some quality minutes in the playoffs if their starters start producing like they are capable of.
Next: 2. Atlanta Hawks