Guards
Zach LaVine: Seriously? Everything
If Zach LaVine began this season without any lingering injuries, I have no doubt in my mind that he’d have secured his third consecutive All-Star appearance and would have finally dismissed his doubters. Since the All-Star Break, LaVine is averaging an unreal 28.9 points on 55% shooting from the field and 44.6% from deep. He’s locked in on defense, is committing fewer turnovers, and is playing some of the best basketball of his life. There’s no end to the praise LaVine deserves from Bulls fans right now, as he’s the primary person responsible for this end-of-season surge up the standings.
Patrick Beverley: Wins
More than anything else, Patrick Beverley’s presence has helped the Bulls begin playing winning basketball again. Posting a 10-6 record since he joined the squad, it’s hard not to imagine how things may have turned out differently if he had been here from the start. The Bulls are currently on a 51-win pace in games Beverley’s played, which is strikingly the same as Chicago’s 51-win pace in games Lonzo Ball played in just last season. Who knew having an actual point guard helps win games?
Alex Caruso: True Shooting Percentage
Although defense has always been where Alex Caruso hangs his hat, it’s been great to see his offensive game together over the last 16 games. By getting the rim more often, drawing more fouls, and hitting those foul shots at a dramatically improved rate, Caruso’s true shooting percentage has leaped to an exceptional 60.7%. This is largely due to the fact he’s gone from hitting 79.3% of his free throws to his current rate of 86.7% and is getting more quality looks inside.
Coby White: Three-Point Percentage
Patrick Williams may hold the highest three-point percentage among Bulls players since the All-Star Break right now, but Coby White is in direct competition with LaVine for being the most dangerous flamethrower from deep on this team right now. Coby is peaking at the right time right now, and despite an 0-for-3 performance in a back-to-back against the Clippers, he had been converting 43.8% of his threes on an average of 4.9 attempts over the previous 15 games. If Zach and Coby continue playing this well, there’s no team in the NBA this team can’t beat.
Ayo Dosunmu: Steal Percentage
Relative to the other guards on this page, Ayo Dosunmu has admittedly not been faring as well. While I’m still a believer he can right the ship and be a valuable piece for years to come, even I admit that he’s likely due for a minute reduction in the near future. That being said, it’s not all doom and gloom for Dosunmu, as Beverley’s ball-hawking has clearly begun to rub off on Ayo. Previously only forcing 1.2 steals per 100 possessions, Dosunmu has now more than doubled that with 2.7 steals per 100 possessions. If he can continue growing his game IQ while spending the summer re-working his shot, Dosunmu should be a fine role player.