As the Chicago Bulls look to avoid another blowout loss this weekend against the Philadelphia 76ers, their G League affiliate is flipping the script.

The Windy City Bulls tipped off their season in Hoffman Estates on Friday night. Welcoming the Noblesville Boom into NOW Arena, they cruised to a 127-102 victory. All things considered, it was an encouraging night for a G League roster that features some interesting young talent, as well as one that is led by a first-time head coach, Quincy Pondexter.

What was most encouraging, however, is how the Bulls' No. 15 overall pick looked from the start. Dailyn Swain was sent to join the G League earlier this week. After an ugly showing at Summer League, it became clear that the former Texas swingman may need a little extra time to get caught up to NBA speed. The fact that Tiago Splitter chose not to make him a part of the early-season rotation, even amid a clear rebuilding year, further underscored that point.

In Swain's first quarter against G League competition, he looked like a first-round pick. He quickly put up 14 points on 5-9 shooting from the field, as well as corralled 6 rebounds. The first bucket of the night came on a transition dunk with two defenders on his back. Up next, Swain showed off the work he's put into his three-point jumper, drilling two pull-up triples. Swain also had a great offensive rebound that led to a powerful finish underneath the rim.

Now, it's worth mentioning that Swain would go on to score only two more points, but that doesn't mean he disappeared. After getting his team off to a hot start, Swain grabbed a couple more rebounds and ended the evening with 9 assists. For a Bulls staff that seemingly believes he can be a future primary ball-handler, that's a stat that will stand out.

It may not have been the kind of dynamic scoring outburst some likely wanted to see, but it's hard to complain about a near triple-double. If anything, this opening night performance may be an even better indication of why the Bulls had him so high on their draft sheet. Swain projects to be an extremely versatile player who can fill a handful of different roles. Do the Bulls hope he can settle in as a consistent scoring threat? Yes, but this isn't his only path to carving out a meaningful role in the NBA.

Houston Mallette Shines in Windy City Debut

Most eyes may have been on Dailyn Swain, but Houston Mallette walked away as the player of the game.

A former member of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Mallette signed an Exhibit-10 deal with the Bulls after going undrafted. He went on to play with them in Summer League before officially joining the G League roster. All things considered, his time spent on the floor in Las Vegas was uneventful. But we can't say the same about his first G League game.

Mallette finished with a team-high 26 points in what was a +21 showing. He needed only 24 minutes to go 8-10 from the field with a perfect 6-6 shooting from downtown. The three-point stroke is what he was known most for at the college level. Mallette shot 37.5 percent over his five-year NCAA career that took him from Pepperdine to Alabama.

To be sure, Mallette has a long road to go before he earns himself an NBA opportunity. But nights like these are going to go a long way toward grabbing the attention of Bryson Graham and fellow front office members. Every team wants a three-point specialist, and Mallette also provides some good positional size at six-foot-five. He'll be another one to keep an eye on as the G League season kicks into high gear.