The Chicago Bulls are on a slump. But, they are slowly solidifying themselves as a strong team in the play-in race. Coby White has gotten to fully develop. Veterans Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan have been doing a little bit of everything to keep their squad afloat. However, one key player that they have not fully utilized is Lonzo Ball. The former UCLA star and second-overall pick has been sidelined for quite a long time because of injuries. At this point, only members of his family like LaVar Ball know when he'll make a return.
LaVar Ball noted that Lonzo Ball is not yet ready for full-contact five-on-five basketball, per 670 The Score. The Bulls guard's timeline to return to said activities is in four to five months. This is perfect timing because the Bulls' training camp is likely to start in the next month of his expected return.
Lonzo Ball has been nursing a knee injury for the longest time. The Bulls chose to sideline him for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. This is so that he can fully recover from surgery. Moreover, his ability to stay on the court has been slowly withering in the past years. Back in 2021-22, he only got to play and start in 35 games with the Bulls. The year before that, he saw action for 55 games.
It is worth noting that the Bulls guard plays sees the court an average of more than 31 minutes per night. Fatigue does get to him at times. It especially hits when he leads the transition with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan who are hyperathletic guys. Hopefully, Ball will adjust his style of play to calm the game down and thrive better on half-court sets to increase his longevity.
Furthermore, the adjustment to his jump shot was one of the biggest changes in his offensive arsenal. The Bulls have not been able to see his outside shot much but when they did, it was spectacular. His three-point percentage skyrocketed to a highly efficient 42.3% clip which was a big improvement to the 37.8% that he clocked in the year before. This outside threat mixed with him dropping a little bit over five dimes per contest is exactly what the Bulls need to thrive.
Bulls jockeying to get into the playoffs
With only six games remaining in their regular season campaign, the Bulls look to have locked a spot in the play-in race. They sit at ninth with 36 wins and 40 losses but they should not be complacent. The DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine-led squad has only won four out of their last 10 games. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks, who are 10th and have the same record, have won seven out of their last 10.
The Bulls quickly need to pick the pace up to notch a winning momentum heading into the postseason. Their next games will have them battle it out with the New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, and Detroit Pistons. All they have to do is close the season out strong and that might prompt a deep run in the playoffs.
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