Last Week: Beat Houston Rockets 120-100, Beat/OT Minnesota Timberwolves 133-126, Lost to Phoenix Suns 106-97
This Week: 2/28 at Toronto Raptors, 3/1 vs. Denver Nuggets, 3/3 at New Orleans Pelicans
The wait and arguments are finally over. Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls has been named an All-Star reserve and deservedly so. LaVine is the key driver for a young team making a playoff push and has changed the narrative surrounding him.
If you are not paying attention, you probably think LaVine is just a chucker. Man are you wrong. LaVine is averaging 28.7 points (seventh in the league), 5.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game but the efficiency is key. LaVine boasts a 65.3 true shooting percentage, tied for sixth in the league among starting players. These are good shots and LaVine is only getting better as his opportunities increase.
Having a player like Wendell Carter Jr. back in the lineup does not hurt. The numbers look almost pedestrian (12.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.7 blocks per game this week) but he does everything for the Bulls and is acquitting himself well in Lauri Markkanen’s continued absence.
This roster is slowly starting to make more sense together. Thaddeus Young is the ideal veteran presence for this team and makes so many winning plays that any potential playoff team should love to have him. Coby White continues to be a scoring threat if an inefficient one. Patrick Williams makes a few plays a game that takes your breath away. The Chicago Bulls may actually be good.