Daniel Theis started tonight in place of Al Horford in Chicago versus the Bulls, and to say he filled the void would be an understatement.
His opportunity to be injected into the starting five arose thanks to injuries sidelining both Aron Baynes and Horford, traditionally the two big men above Theis on the depth chart.
Baynes missed the game due to an ankle injury that occurred in the first quarter of their win against the New York Knicks, while Horford dealt with left knee soreness.
Theis missed time in November with a tear in his right plantar fasciitis, but that is clearly no longer a concern.
The German native dropped a career-high 22 points en route to a 133-77 thrashing of the Bulls. He went 8-for-15 from the field, secured 10 boards, and dished out five assists.
Furthermore, Theis also set a career-high for minutes played with 32. It will be interesting to see the battle between him and Baynes, who have both proven their ability to play at a high level when given legitimate time on the floor.
