LaVine’s return off to great start for Bulls
Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine drives to the basket past Houston Rockets’ Alperen Sengun during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Chicago. The Bulls won 124-119 in overtime.
Three games into the return of Zach LaVine from injury, the Bulls have gotten a sense of maybe this might work after all.
The Bulls made a sudden turnaround for the better when LaVine left the lineup on Nov. 30, so there was reason to wonder if he’d fit back in, especially with all the talk about LaVine’s camp seeking a trade.
So far, though, the Bulls are 3-0 since the return of LaVine and Nikola Vucevic and are starting to close in on a .500 record after starting the season 5-14.
Even better, Coby White’s performance has risen. In these three games White averaged 26.3 points, 6.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds.
“I’ve known Coby for what, six years? (Actually five),” LaVine said. “The way he’s playing right now, the growth in his game is incredible. He’s hot right now. That’s my guy, I want to keep him in that space. We’ve been through a lot these last (five) years in Chicago.”
LaVine played it low-key during his first two games coming off the bench. Back in the starting lineup Wednesday against Houston, LaVine took a step forward with 25 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals.
It could easily have been more. Early in the game, he launched three explosive drives to the basket, only to watch the ball roll off the rim.
“I don’t think I’ve overthought (the return) at all,” LaVine said. “It’s just me getting comfortable condition-wise and knocking a little bit of the rust off. It’s nothing we haven’t been practicing from training camp on.”
With White already playing his way into all-star consideration, now if LaVine fits in with the group and plays well, the Bulls can match weapons with most any NBA team. The outlook for the rest of the season could be brighter than anyone imagined in late November.
Wednesday’s game had its flaws. The Bulls blew a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter. From the 4:15 mark of the fourth quarter and half of overtime, the Rockets went on a 15-2 run.
Then with the Bulls trailing by 5, LaVine did something about it. He drove to the hoop for a three-point play, then drained a long 3-pointer to put the Bulls ahead to stay.
“Big-time players make big-time plays,” White said. “He was just making the right plays. He was aggressive.”
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