Bulls guard Zach LaVine spent the first half of Friday’s game against the Hornets not looking like the player he was to start the season.
The two-time All-Star passed up multiple shots, drove to pass and was active defensively. Towards the end of the first half, LaVine started looking for his shot. He ran the floor hard and slammed home a two-hand dunk. Then, towards the end of the first half, he received a pass from forward DeMar DeRozan in the right corner and drilled a three-pointer.
LaVine’s first-half stint — he was a team-leading plus-10 in the half— is what the Bulls need for the rest of the season. Active. Engaged.
“I think that the film will be good to watch,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “I think Zach can play any kind of style. He’s a great transition player, obviously, he can shoot the three. I actually thought there were some opportunities he could have shot the ball a little bit more tonight, but I think he’s trying to make sure that the ball’s moving in and he’s making quick decisions.”
Whether or not LaVine is on the Bulls past the Feb.8 trade deadline is beside the point. It’s best for LaVine and the Bulls if he’s playing at a high level, demonstrating he can deliver the skills that would make him attractive to winning teams and trade suitors.
Friday’s 104-91 win over the Hornets was a solid start in LaVine rebuilding his trade value. LaVine assimilating to the Bulls’ fluid ball movement style and eradicating his ball-stopping ways is beneficial for both sides.
“It makes it easy for everybody,” LaVine said. “It’s not a burden to have somebody go out there and try to get 25, 30 [points] every night, but you know if you get a balanced attack I think that’s how you can beat a lot of teams. Every game is going to be different, but we got enough scores on his team to pick up the slack anytime needed.”
Quick, decisive passes are what LaVine needs to add to his game. He didn’t dominate the ball much, working mostly in an off-ball role. He attacked in transition and meticulously picked his spots in the half court.
The Bulls had 29 assists on 40 field goals. Five players finished in double figures, while three scored at least seven points. Friday’s game wasn’t aesthetically pleasing: The Bulls struggled to score offensively, shooting 35.7% from the three-point line.
Donovan said he was pleased with how LaVine handled closeout situations tonight.
“I think Zach is really good at that [closeouts] when he’s decisive like that,” Donovan said. “it opens up things for himself and for others because I think there’s more to Zach’s game than just him being this this scorer.”
Though it was against an inferior opponent, the Bulls showed they could play the style of basketball that revived their season from the dead with their max player. The ball was still in White’s hands, and guard Ayo Dosunmu still had his usual forays to the rim.
“A couple of times guys told me to shoot it,” LaVine said. “Obviously, they know what I do, but I just wanted to feel my way into the game.
“We moved the ball, played with pace and just competed I think that was pretty much it.”
This next stretch for the Bulls will be more telling than beating one of the NBA’s worst teams. The Bulls host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday and the Golden State Warriors on Friday. Against two quality opponents, LaVine can say a lot with his play.
Whether or not the Bulls and LaVine are headed for a divorce is undecided. But a temporary reconciliation is best for both sides.