Chicago Bulls: 5 bold predictions post All-Star Break

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CHARLOTTE, NC – FEBRUARY 15: Lauri Markkanen #24 of the World Team stands for the nation anthem during the 2019 Mtn Dew ICE Rising Stars Game on February 15, 2019 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler /NBAE via Getty Images) /

1. Lauri Markkanen continues to emerge as a rising star

This isn’t so much of a bold prediction as something that Chicago Bulls fans might expect from Markkanen throughout the rest of the regular season. Markkanen had a nice showing for himself in his second consecutive appearances in the Rising Stars Challenge on Feb. 15. He finished up the game with a respectable 21 points and six rebounds.

Piecing it all together is one of the main tasks at hand for Bulls head coach Jim Boylen as we move down the stretch through the 2018-19 regular season. With the Bulls almost mathematically eliminated from a playoff spot in the East, developing the young talent currently on the roster is very important.

Markkanen is showing in his game right now that he is knocking on the door to stardom, but still has a while to go before he puts it all together. His first half performance in the Bulls loss to the Bucks just before the All-Star Break is a prime example of how far Markkanen still has to come. He lapsed in the second half against the Bucks, allowing Giannis to lead a late comeback for the win.

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So far this season, Markkanen is averaging 18.5 points per game, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. A few areas where he could improve his game, beyond just consistency, is with his distributing ability and hitting the glass hard on a regular basis. Markkanen has the potential to be a double-double machine with the physical tools he brings.

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