Thad Young's reliability presents balancing act for Jim Boylen, Bulls

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The Bulls left for Indianapolis Saturday to play the Pacers Sunday. That’s where Thad Young finished last season starting games.

This season, he’s starting in a new reserve role with the Bulls but he’s currently finishing games.

Confused? Young isn’t. He keeps it simple, just like the low maintenance, two-way player has tried to do in his previous 12 NBA seasons.

“You just stay ready,” Young said. “When my name is called, I go execute and make sure the unit I’m on the court with is taking care of business. You may not like it sometimes. But it’s the hand you’re dealt. So you have to take advantage of any opportunity you’re given. That’s what I’m trying to teach these young guys. Any opportunity you get, you have to seize the moment.”

As vocal as he is, Young offered more leadership by example during Friday night’s home victory over the Pistons. The Bulls’ 16-point lead had vanished. And there was Young, never known as a 3-point shooter, stepping up to drill a 3-pointer that snapped a tie with 5 minutes left.

“Coach (Jim Boylen) has confidence in me. Believe it or not, they’re telling me to shoot. They’re like, ‘Look, you’re a good 3-point shooter. Shoot it.’ I was like, ‘Uh, but I don’t want to live and die by the 3.’ They’re like, ‘Shoot the basketball,’” Young said. “I still pick and choose my spots. When I’m open or I see an opportunity to get one up, I’ll shoot it. Especially if guys are going under screens or playing back in the paint. I have to shoot those and make them.”

Boylen loved the shot for on- and off-the-court reasons.

“It was the open shot in the moment, which is something we talk about. It was in the rhythm of the offense,” Boylen said. “He’s shooting the ball well. He’s starting to figure out where his shots are coming from. He’s getting chemistry with that second group of finding the open spots.

“The playing part is obviously tremendous for us. The leadership part to me is the bigger piece because that was a void on this team. It was something we needed. I said I’d like to have a player-coached team, guys who take ownership of the team and the success or failure. He does that.”

It’s early. But Young is attempting a career-high 4.5 3-point attempts and connecting at a career-best 40.7 percent. He’s a career 33.1 percent 3-point shooter.

“You have to be able to adjust with the game. That’s what I’m doing,” Young said. “I haven’t been known for being a 3-point shooter. But that’s not to say I can’t shoot them. I’ve had up and down parts of my career with the 3. It’s just adjusting to whoever the personnel, coaches and system is.

“Every day, instead of me working with the bigs, coaches are saying, ‘We know you can battle with the bigs. We know you can make hook shots and floaters. So go shoot with the guards.’ I’m getting as many reps as possible so I’m comfortable at the 3-point line.”

Young’s two-way reliability is a quality coaches love. In fact, Boylen has used it over Lauri Markkanen in two straight fourth quarters, although Markkanen experienced some discomfort in his left side that partially contributed to Boylen’s decision on Friday.

Both Boylen and Markkanen said he could’ve returned to Friday’s game if needed and Markkanen practiced Saturday and is scheduled to play Sunday.

So how does Boylen balance wanting to win games with developing players?

“We have established since Day One with this group, something I wanted to prepare for this summer, that we’re going to finish games with guys we need to finish games with, whether you’re a starter or a bench guy,” Boylen said. “One night it’ll be your opportunity. Maybe the next night it will be somebody else’s opportunity.

“It’s not a dilemma for me if you want to have a good team. It’s not a dilemma for me our guys understand that that’s how championship teams, playoff teams operate. You play your minutes. And you play them for the team. Finishing the game is open to how the game is going and what the situation is. I think we’ve established that pretty well.”

Boylen said Markkanen, or any player, can learn from watching from the bench.

“That may be the development piece,” Boylen said. “Maybe next time, you play a little differently. Maybe in the moments before he comes out, whoever it is, they raise their energy level, raise their awareness, raise their focus.

“I’m not saying that’s why it happened. It’s not punishment to have him sit there. But we are trying to develop and win. It’s very difficult.”

Young started all 236 of his games with the Pacers over his three seasons there. For his career, he has started 671 of 907 games.

“There were several teams saying that I would start or come off the bench,” Young said of his free agency process. “It’s understanding what you’re asked. Teams have been straightforward with me enough to tell me, ‘This is what we expect from you.’ It’s up to me to execute my job to the best of my abilities.

“I’m prepared for whatever is being asked of me. That’s how I’ve been my whole career. And I’m going to continue to be that way.”

The Bulls are the second-youngest team in the league. Learning how to close out games is an essential ingredient to making a jump as a team.

More often than not, Young will have some kind of role in that process.

“That’s why we brought him in – to fill in those moments and to establish that you’re ready to contribute, whatever the role, whatever the time,” Boylen said. “This is part of this learning to become a winning team. I’m excited about it. I think it’s what has to happen.”

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