It was a challenge for Nikola Vucevic to adjust to playing alongside a second big man. The chemistry between he and Serge Ibaka didn’t flow as hoped when they were paired in the frontcourt together.
The shift to a small-ball lineup helped Vucevic return to familiar form and he played far better after Ibaka was traded to Toronto for Terrence Ross. He averaged 16.5 points and 11.3 rebounds after the deal (13.9 and 10.1 before).
In particular, he shot it more with confidence from just inside the 3-point line. Between 20-24 feet out, Vucevic shot 44.4 percent after the All-Star break and 34.