Chicago Bulls: 3 lessons learned from the 2020-21 season

1. Zach LaVine took finally became an All-Star with the Chicago Bulls

On the surface, Zach LaVine’s 2020-21 season doesn’t seem that different from his previous seasons with the Bulls. He still scored a lot, ranking ninth in the league in points per 100 possessions. His playmaking and gravity remained steady and near the upper-tier of the league. Turnovers were still a problem. Most advanced metrics still rated him as a terrible defender. This time around, though, it was enough to get LaVine his first All-Star nod.

A few factors outside of his play likely helped get him there. Unlike the previous three seasons, the Bulls were competitive and stayed in playoff contention. Plus, in a departure from the Boylen-led Bulls, the team looked like a competent offensive team for most of the year. That said, LaVine also stepped up his game, becoming a more efficient scorer across the board (career-highs in true shooting and effective field goal percentage). This wasn’t empty-calorie stuffing, either: Chicago’s offense improved by 6.4 points per 100 with LaVine on the floor.

None of this will make those who think LaVine isn’t a franchise centerpiece from changing their minds, but hopefully, those folks can at least admit that he has established himself as one of the best offensive players in the league.