Chicago Bulls: 3 early season takeaways from the first week
1. Zach LaVine is the face of the franchise
The majority of experts (myself included) expected Markkanen to be the franchise centerpiece following last season’s breakout performance. With LaVine sidelined most of the season, it was easy to reach that conclusion.
However, after four games, it’s easy to see that the Chicago Bulls’ go-to player is Zach LaVine. The fifth-year veteran is averaging 32.3 points per game on 57.1 percent shooting. Quite simply, he’s been a star early on and it appears that with the roster as is, it won’t end anytime soon.
It hasn’t been just his scoring either. LaVine has shown that he can be a playmaker as well and should fit well with Markkanen when he returns. The former UCLA star dished out five assists against the Hornets after taking over playmaking duties in the second half.
Zach LaVine has scored at least 30 points in each of the Bulls' first 4 games this season.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 25, 2018
He joins Michael Jordan in 1986-87 as the only players in @chicagobulls history with at least 30 points in each of the team's first 4 games of a season. pic.twitter.com/RLwI5NiCVW
When Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn return to full strength, the Chicago Bulls will be a stronger unit. While there are serious concerns about their overall team defense, with LaVine and Markkanen leading the squad, the future will look bright again.
Next. Week 2 NBA Power Rankings. dark
Four games is a little too early to hit the panic button, but a quick analysis shows that the road back to the playoffs is still a bit bumpy.