Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine had a phenomenal 2018-19 season. Whose film should he be studying this offseason in order to take his game to the next level?
Zach LaVine broke out during the 2018-19 season for the Chicago Bulls. He averaged career-highs in points, rebounds and assists. He also went from simply being an athletic phenom to an elite all-around scorer.
The grind won’t stop for LaVine, though. He had a really good season, but there’s no way he’s satisfied. He’s only 24 years old, and there’s a lot more that he can add to his game on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court.
If LaVine wants to take another giant leap forward, he needs to study CJ McCollum.
What LaVine can learn from McCollum
It’s odd to think that LaVine, who averaged 23.7 points and 4.5 assists per game during the 2018-19 season, should be studying a fellow two-guard who averaged 21 points and three assists per game during the same season. During the playoffs, though, McCollum showed why he’s among the league’s best offensive players.
CJ doesn’t have a typical style of play for a scoring two-guard. He doesn’t rely on speed and leaping ability to finish at the rim and he’s relatively undersized.
LaVine is the opposite. He’s two inches taller and way, way, way, way, way more explosive. So how does a player like LaVine learn from a player like McCollum?
Despite having an elite offensive season, Zach LaVine still looked relatively predictable at times. It’s understandable since he’s a young player trying to find his way in the league, but he often relies on his athleticism in a negative way. He can beat almost anyone off the dribble (which is a good thing), but once he beats them off the dribble, he needs to develop a more consistent floater package. Basically, he needs to learn how to get his shot off one step sooner instead of taking the ball all the way to the rim.
McCollum showed NBA fans how effective this style of scoring can be during Portland’s Game 7 victory over Denver in the second round.
In the above play, McCollum spins into a hesitation dribble and then jumps off of his right foot and goes into a right-handed floater off the backboard.
Obviously, there’s no way to know how LaVine would’ve handled this situation, but my best guess is that LaVine would’ve gone right into Jokic’s body. Sometimes that type of play works, but it often turns into a wild attack on the rim – for better or worse.
It’s important to note two things:
- McCollum doesn’t have the athletic ability to put bigs on posters. LaVine does.
- McCollum has a deadlier pull-up jumper than LaVine. As a result, defenders always have to be ready to pounce on his step-back move.
So yes, herky-jerky dribble moves that lead to floaters are better suited for a guy like CJ McCollum than Zach LaVine. But that doesn’t mean LaVine can’t add these moves to his bag of tricks.
To LaVine’s credit, he’s already experimented with floaters a little bit. And guess what! He gets quality scoring opportunities when he uses them. His explosiveness puts opposing bigs on their heels as they wait for an all-out assault on the rim, leaving him open to slow down and pull into a floater.
I’m not suggesting that LaVine should turn into CJ McCollum Lite, but the 24-year-old guard could definitely learn a thing or two from one of the top performers in the 2019 NBA Playoffs.