Billy Donovan left little doubt on the subject.
“Zach LaVine deserves to be an All-Star,” said the Bulls coach on Saturday night.
Donovan stated this after yet another masterpiece by LaVine, a 38-point display of efficiency that featured 15 out of 20 shots and led the Bulls to a 122-114 victory over the Kings at the United Center.
“ÇWhen you look at players who are All-Stars, you are saying that they are playing at a high level individually and are also raising the bar for the team, “said Donovan.” I think Zach did that. “
All-Star reservations are announced on Tuesday. They are voted on by the coaches. At this point, the surprise would be if LaVine did not make his first All-Star game. This is the level of your game – at both ends.
LaVine scored his 15th game of 30 points and his seventh in eight games. He did this by not settling for the jumpers and repeatedly attacking the hoop, shooting 9 of 9 in the restricted area. And he continued to exhibit defensive growth through improved engagement, especially in his ability to navigate through screens and remain active outside the ball.
“I’m just working. I improved a lot with that, especially just awareness, “said LaVine about his defensive improvement.” I was always able to defend the ball. In sporting terms, I don’t think many guys more athletic than me will walk away from the dribble. But just getting stuck in covers, watching movies and knowing what the other team is going to do and the player you are defending, try to get what they do well. You will not always be good at this, or it will not always work. But at least try to get him to do something he’s not good at. “
LaVine ended with three steals, his third game in a row with several steals. He bravely worked his fight against the fast and talented ship owner De’Aaron Fox.
LaVine may not yet be mistaken for a consistent positive advocate, but he does pass the vision test with respect to engagement and activity.
“A lot of that is learning. Everyone learns at their own pace,” he said. “It could be the system. It could be the players around you. And then, for me personally, you get to the point where you’re tired of losing. And you have to find that you can’t just blame other people. To look at yourself and find out what you have to do better to help. I have it all. I have all the skills to be a really good two-way player. And I want to show that. “
Given the responsibility it carries offensively, LaVine’s improvement in the defensive end is even more remarkable. He also does not withdraw games, playing 36 minutes to finish a consecutive set in his 29th game.
Yes, that’s all the Bulls played.
“I play through many injuries that are not always on the report. You are never really playing at 100 percent,” said LaVine. “For me personally, after I left ACL (torn), I was never a guy who lost a lot of games. And I feel that when you have this type of injury, you have a reputation for being injury prone And that was never me .
“Every year, I try to fight some things and make sure that I’m playing. Even last year, I suffered a minor hip injury at the end and was trying to get through it. So, this year, as long as I can be effective and not harm the team, I will play. It means a lot just being there for your team. I think it shows a little bit of your behavior and how much it means to you. “
Playing at the elite and efficient level that LaVine is, and with the attitude, mentality and commitment that he has, it is no wonder that Donovan is missing out on his guard’s All-Star chance. It is no wonder that LaVine’s sixth coach in seven NBA seasons continues to praise him.
“It’s growing,” said LaVine of his relationship with Donovan. “I am open with him and told him to be open with me. We have had an ongoing dialogue. We send text messages. We get calls. We have meetings. It has been good. He wants the best from you and he challenges you. I like that. I think I respond well to that. I appreciate and support you. “
The feeling is mutual.
“I attribute that to him,” said Donovan. “Since I got here, all he wanted to do was win … And I think he wants to be told what are the things he needs to do to rise to a different level because he didn’t win.
“I think that, to be fair to him, some things were circumstantial. With six different coaches, it’s difficult. But I think he wants to take a step, ‘OK, what can I do?’ Because I think there was a time in his career when he thought, ‘OK, I’m just going to take the team on the attack and I’m going to try to do 30 or 40 every night and that will help us overcome the obstacle.’ And I think he realized that this is not the answer.
“He has to be a two-way player. He has to lead by setting an example every day in practice, putting a lot of effort where he can keep himself to a high standard, allowing him to keep his teammates at a high I think these are all the things he wanted to do. For him, doing what he’s doing this year in terms of numbers and his career, the best and all of those things, I think it’s a great compliment to the commitment that took over with the game. For himself and his teammates. “
Click here to subscribe to the Bulls Talk Podcast for free.
Download
Download MyTeams today!
