What’s the best use for Zach LaVine
The Chicago Bulls needed LaVine’s offense last night, but playing him 38 minutes after missing two games prior with a knee sprain to his non-surgically repaired leg. Is a win that important? Especially when he’s dealt with little hiccups with his ankle’s already this year.
The Bulls are trying to build chemistry. Boylen said to Chicago Tribune report K.C. Johnson that “We’re building something positive here,” coach Jim Boylen said. “We need everybody on the floor we can to keep playing together and have a feel for each other. We’re playing, man.”
I do understand the rationale behind Boylen wanting to play LaVine as much as possible. Heck, LaVine wants to play as much as possible as well.
More LaVine: "I'm not somebody that's going to sit out. If I'm hurt, there's no reason to try to risk anything. But if I'm not, I'm going to play. I've already missed enough games I feel like for my career. I missed a whole year and a half because of that (ACL tear)."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 14, 2019
It’s important that players get a feel for their teammates and their tendencies. However, with so many players in and out of the lineup year; chemistry is still going to be needed to get figured out next year anyway. This season was always about building continuity among the core of LaVine/Dunn/Markkanen/Carter Jr. Markkanen and Dunn both got hurt early on, but LaVine-Carter Jr. showed some promising two-man game out of the PnR.
Then, injuries to WCJ and LaVine have kept that 4-man lineup to only 191 minutes played this season. It’s becoming clear that Dunn isn’t the PG of the future, but the 3-man lineup of LaVine-Carter Jr.-Markkanen have only played 297 minutes together.