LaVine's big second half kept Bulls alive, may have changed future outlook
Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh popularized the phrase, "Born on third base," which is meant to describe someone who drops into a fortuitous situation.
Bulls guard Zach LaVine was born in last place, one could say.
The description sounds harsh, but it's all about his circumstances. LaVine was drafted by a Minnesota team in 2014 that went 16-66 during his rookie season. Three years later, he was traded to the Bulls to be part of a stumbling, bumbling rebuild.
His NBA training featured lessons in how to lose, rather than win. He's had some decent mentors as Bulls teammates, but was stuck in a confusing team culture that made losing part of the long-term strategy.
Now, with some veterans around him, LaVine, 28, has gotten healthy after last season's knee surgery and is blossoming - finally. He's played arguably his the best basketball since the all-star break, averaging 27 points with a .645 true shooting percentage.
"Obviously a month before all-star break, I started feeling like myself," LaVine said after Wednesday's victory in Toronto. "Numbers show it, I wanted to take that into these play-in games."
It's a stretch to say LaVine's performance against the Raptors will be career-defining or anything. He scored 30 of his 39 points in the second half as the Bulls rallied from a 19-point deficit to win the 10 vs. 9 play-in game. They'll face Miami on Friday with the No. 8 playoff seed at stake.
Now imagine if LaVine didn't deliver that huge second half. Let's say he matches his first-half output, finishes with 18 points and the Bulls lose by 20. Then what happens in the offseason?
A bad loss in Toronto would have closed the book on a huge disappointment of a season. With that big second half, LaVine showed how the Bulls might have a relatively bright future after all.
Lose in Toronto and Bulls management might be curious about what LaVine could fetch in a trade this summer, from say Portland or the Lakers. This will be a complicated offseason for the Bulls, but now there's an argument to let the LaVine-DeMar DeRozan duo play it out for another season - with a veteran point guard to run the show.
"I've always been a fan of him even before I came to Chicago," DeRozan said Wednesday. "It's definitely dope to see it. There's not too many people in this league that have the talent he has. It felt good to see him get appreciated."
Asked about LaVine after the game, Bulls coach Billy Donovan switched off his analytical mode to give a more passionate description of his star guard's path.
"He's a great person, he's a great guy, he's a team guy, he's incredibly unselfish," Donovan said. "I do think his heart is always in the right place in terms of wanting to do what's best for the team.
"He tries to read the game and make decisions that are best for the team, and I always admire that about players. People can have opinions about anybody. I'm with him every single day and I see where his heart's at."
Donovan acknowledged there's pressure that goes with being the team's highest-paid player. The five-year, $215-million deal LaVine signed was the largest in Chicago sports history.
"His summer was so unique," Donovan said. "He signs this big contract, he misses four of the first eight games. He's really trying to get his legs back under him. There's a portion of the season where he's probably playing at a level he's never been accustomed to playing in a long time.
"The work, the coming in at night time, the extra treatment, physical therapy, working with strength and conditioning. Just the confidence that he's going to get back; just put his nose down and worked."
Of course, for that contract to pay off for the Bulls, Wednesday's second half needs to be a frequent occurrence. Miami awaits.
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