Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic proving critics wrong

Critics don’t always live in reality.

Sometimes they choose to traffic in perception and false narrative.

That way, they can more easily avoid the facts and continue to point the finger at a player such as Bulls center Nikola Vucevic.

To say that Vucevic is often the target of the blame game that has gone on since the Bulls’ 2021-22 rebuild underachieved is an understatement.

Guard Zach LaVine primarily catches heat because of his max contract. Forward Patrick Williams gets chastised for being too passive in his fifth season. But it’s Vucevic who often feels like the dog Bulls fans want to kick.

But Vucevic, 34, arguably has been playing like a top-five NBA center so far this season. And, at least for now, the critics have to stay quiet.

Need proof?

Entering play Tuesday, Vucevic was third among centers behind the Lakers’ Anthony Davis and the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic in scoring at 21.7 points per game; second to Jokic in three-pointers made at 2.3 per game; sixth in three-point shooting percentage at 48.5%; first in free-throw percentage at 95.7%; eighth in assists at 3.7 per game; and 11th overall in rebounds at 10.9 per game.

Blend that all together, and the list of centers playing better than Vucevic right now is a short one.

And as he did after the loss Friday to the Nets, coach Billy Donovan again asked teammates to find Vucevic more often offensively after the loss Monday to the previously winless Jazz.

‘‘That’s a job we’re not doing good enough on offense,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘There are too many times [Vucevic] gets missed, and it’s not so much he needs to shoot it. Him against close-outs usually generates good offense for us. We’ve got to find ways to get it to him a little bit more.’’

That’s because Donovan has been seeing the same thing opposing defenders have. With Vucevic shooting what is now a career best from three-point range, when he gets the ball behind the arc, especially in transition, defenders have to close out on him hard.

That has allowed Vucevic to use his creativity and turn the possession into attacking the paint or finding an open teammate. It was no coincidence that Vucevic had six assists against the Jazz.

‘‘I know it’s early in the year, but he’s really played well on both ends of the floor,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘He’s been great. He’s been great with the young guys. He’s shot the ball well both inside the line and outside the line. I think the thing with him, with the way we’re playing, he’s getting a lot of close-outs. Guys are running at him, and he’s really a good passer.

‘‘A lot of his creativity has been off of him facing up, shot-faking and putting it on the floor. He’s generated offense for us by putting the ball on the floor and attacking close-outs. That’s been good for us.’’

And better for Vucevic.

For the last few seasons, he has asked to have the ball in his hands more from a playmaking standpoint. So while he’s not thrilled about the Bulls’ 3-4 start, he at least likes that he is more involved offensively.

‘‘I just want to continue to play at a high level,’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘I think I can help the team win, and we’ll see where it takes us.

‘‘The style we’re playing this year with the players we have, I’m able to do more — handoffs, create actions, things like that. It’s something I’ve done most of my career; I’m really good at it. So far, I’ve been happy with the way I’ve been involved.’’

Even if his critics aren’t.