Chicago Bulls: 3 players helping elevate Patrick Williams’ game

Zach LaVine, SG

The Bulls have missed star shooting guard and former UCLA Bruin Zach LaVine for more than the past two weeks due to a violation of the league’s health and safety protocol. And the absence of LaVine has clearly impacted this Bulls team in a very negative sense. The Bulls are having a difficult time finding any semblance of consistency and offensive rhythm in the absence of the first-time All-Star selection LaVine.

But it shouldn’t be all that long before LaVine is able to return to game action once his mandatory quarantine time is over. That could be as soon as the Bulls meeting at home at the United Center with the Philadelphia 76ers on May 3.

Getting LaVine back in the starting five would have a positive impact on Williams down the stretch. Those two have added a good level of efficiency to the Bulls shooting stats this season. Individually, the shooting percentages this season for Williams and LaVine are solid.

Williams has shot 47.9 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, LaVine shot 50.6 percent from the field and 41.6 percent from beyond the arc.

When LaVine is feeding Williams this season, the latter of the two is shooting better than 47 percent from beyond the arc and better than 48 percent from the field. And Williams is helping LaVine when feeding him too. LaVine is shooting better than 47 percent from beyond the arc on passes from Williams.

The two-man combination of LaVine and Williams has also generated a positive net rating for the Bulls in terms of assists, assist percentage, rebounds, rebounding percentage, turnovers, and somehow free-throw attempt rate.