In a very disappointing season for the club, in which hope no longer necessarily reigns internally as the clock ticks to save furniture, Bulls know that they have no room for error and must concretely win all the remaining games to move up the Eastern Conference standings.
In this, given that it is unrealistic to imagine that the Chicago club will win the 16 games they have left to play, last night’s victory at the Ball Arena in Denver, where the Nuggets had no lost only four times this season, is a big boost for confidence and a definite step forward in the quest for the “play-in”.
A real slap given to Nikola Jokic’s band, since the gap notably rose to +24, the victory was particularly tasty for Zach LaVinemain architect of the success of his people with his 29 points at 12/18 on shots, accompanied by 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.
Surprised by his family, who came by plane from Seattle to see him play, when entering the field, the rear of the Bulls had no choice: he had to pull out all the stops.
” I couldn’t lose, huh? he said with humor after the meeting.
The right formula in front of his own
But beyond the very good gross statistical production, it is above all the way in which Zach LaVine dominated the Denver defense that impressed: by applying the advice of Patrick Beverley, who encouraged him at the beginning of the month to thinking less and concentrating on his job as scorer.
” A guy like Zach is able to be efficient and score in different ways. It’s hard to defend. When he makes sharp and quick decisions, it makes the game easier for everyone » assured Nikola Vucevic, when Billy Donovan added that the outfielder had to understand that « this team needed him to be fast and aggressive. »
With 29 points, including an impeccable 9/9 in the racket where he operated with great ease, Zach LaVine thus delivered one of his most sober and effective offensive performances of the season.
” When we stop and run behind, I guess no one can really stop us » then added the back, author in particular of this huge “tomahawk”, culminating point of an effectively successful evening for the Bulls in counter-attack (19 points). ” Personally, I was able to run, attack the intervals to the circle and build play from there. That’s what I like. »
Thus, in the wake of their No. 8, the Bulls recalled that they knew how to play basketball very well. All that remains is to duplicate the formula collectively, and over several matches…
” At this point in the season, we forget what happened before concluded the Seattle native. ” We now try to win every game, because that’s the position we put ourselves in. We fried all our cartridges. »
| Zach LaVine | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2014-15 | MIN | 77 | 25 | 42.2 | 34.1 | 84.2 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 10.1 |
| 2015-16 | MIN | 82 | 28 | 45.2 | 38.9 | 79.3 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 14.0 |
| 2016-17 | MIN | 47 | 37 | 45.9 | 38.7 | 83.6 | 0.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 18.9 |
| 2017-18 | CHI | 24 | 27 | 38.3 | 34.1 | 81.3 | 0.4 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 16.7 |
| 2018-19 | CHI | 63 | 35 | 46.7 | 37.4 | 83.2 | 0.6 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 23.7 |
| 2019-20 | CHI | 60 | 35 | 45.0 | 38.0 | 80.2 | 0.7 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 1.5 | 3.4 | 0.5 | 25.5 |
| 2020-21 | CHI | 58 | 35 | 50.7 | 41.9 | 84.9 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 27.4 |
| 2021-22 | CHI | 67 | 35 | 47.6 | 38.9 | 85.3 | 0.3 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 24.4 |
| 2022-23 | CHI | 61 | 36 | 47.7 | 38.1 | 84.4 | 0.5 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 24.7 |
| Total | 539 | 32 | 46.3 | 38.5 | 83.2 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 20.4 | |
