Riser: Bones Hyland
We won't overreact to one game. We won't overreact to one game. We won't...
Bones Hyland made the most of his opportunity tonight in place of the injured James Harden 📈 pic.twitter.com/f21LvFJm8t
— GiveMeSport (@GiveMeSport) March 15, 2024
Only, we're not overreacting to one game. Sure, Hyland was electrifying against the Chicago Bulls. His 17 points and 11 assists made for one of the best stat lines of the evening. If you haven't noticed, Hyland has been making strides as a playmaker all month.
In a seven-point loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on March 10, Hyland had 12 points and 5 dimes. In a March 2 blowout vs the Washington Wizards, he finished with 7 helpers. Hyland's development as a passer is paying dividends for the Clippers.
After all, they're not sure how long they'll be without Russell Westbrook. Against the Bulls, James Harden was forced to sit - and Hyland filled in admirably.
For most of his career, Hyland has been seen as an undersized scoring guard. Suddenly, he looks like a bonafide combo guard. If nothing else, he's emerging as a beautiful insurance policy for a veteran Clippers team that needs to rest its best players.
For that reason, Hyland's stock is skyrocketing.