After Zach Lavine was missing entirely from the first return of the fan vote for the 2022-23′ All-Star Game, he’s played with a newfound chip on his shoulder that could bring him to Utah’s showcase of the league’s best talent in February. Released on Thursday, DeMar DeRozan was the only Bull featured on the top ten list of either the forwards or the guards for the Eastern Conference. Nikola Vucevic and Lavine being two-time all-stars in the last several years, it’s quite the indicator of how poorly they have performed this year to be missing entirely from the first voting return. Lavine seemed to take exception to not seeing his name, or at least his play would have suggested so.
Stephen Curry, Zach Lavine, End of List
In the first game following the all-star voting return, Zach Lavine joined Stephen Curry in rare air, being the second player ever to have 11 three-point makes on 80% or better shooting from deep. Any time a player can be mentioned with a surefire Hall of Fame, four-time world champion, and widely considered the greatest shooter ever to play this game, that’s a pretty good thing. In the same breath, Lavine also became the fifth player in the history of the NBA with ten or more threes made in at least three games. The former UCLA guard scored 41 on over 70% from the field, leading the Bulls to their second straight win against an Eastern Conference playoff team.
All-Star Caliber Trio
In Saturday’s victory over the Utah Jazz, Lavine and DeRozan combined for 71 points, surpassing 30 each in the same game for the first time all season. Both shot over 50% from the field and scored or assisted on 32 of the Bulls’ 42 fourth-quarter points. Lavine knocked home three straight threes inside of five minutes to play, effectively burying the Jazz and ex-teammate Lauri Markkenan’s 28-point outing for good.
Nikola Vucevic’s impact over the past week cannot be understated. With the offense now effectively running through the Bulls’ big man, it’s opened up more opportunities for guys like Patrick Williams, who’s scored 20 points per game in his last two, and allowed Lavine and DeRozan to operate with space. In Chicago’s 19 wins this season, Vucevic sits fourth in the league in post-ups per game, and in the 21 losses, he drops to seventh. He’s also been a steadily improving sniper from downtown, shooting over 53% in January on over three attempts per contest.
“It’s Good To Feel Like Me Again”
After becoming the first Chicago Bull in the franchise’s illustrious history to score 35 or more points and have six or more made three-point baskets, Zach Lavine put it best, “It’s good to feel like me again.” There have been downward-spiraling rumors surrounding Lavine, and with his upcoming trade eligibility date on January 15th, many were calling for him to skip town. His last week alone may have saved him, but he’s held his own since the implosion in Minnesota that fellow all-star DeRozan called ‘beyond embarrassing. If he can keep up his offensive production, and DeRozan can stay the stable MVP candidate fourth-quarter closer that he’s been, the Chicago Bulls may be back for good.
Chicago is 8-3 in their last 11 games and riding their second win streak of three or more games. They’ve got no time to pat themselves on the back. Up next is the first-place Boston Celtics and MVP frontrunner Jason Tatum. Luckily for the Bulls, most of their success has come when facing the league’s elites, carrying an 8-1 record against the Celtics, Bucks, Heat, and Nets this season. Bulls’ fans are starting to murmur signs of optimism, and if the offensive firepower can remain potent and the effort-based defense can stay steady, they may have a good reason. Can Zach Lavine make that final push to all-star status and keep the Bulls in the playoff hunt, or will his hot stint be short-lived and he be shipped before the deadline?
