Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine established himself as one of the best young scorers in the NBA in 2018-19.
LaVine, who has completely recovered from the ACL tear he suffered during the 2016-17 campaign with the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaged 23.7 points per game this past season while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Bulls, though, won only 22 games and finished in the 13th spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
After a breakout season, LaVine vows to use his 2018-19 season as a stepping stone. The high-flyer also wants the Bulls to play in “meaningful games.” In a wide-open Eastern Conference, Chicago has a chance to be a lower-seed playoff team if it can stay healthy and play smart basketball on both ends of the floor:
“I took a step last year, but I feel like that was a stepping stone for what I want to do and what I envision myself doing,” LaVine told Sam Smith of Bulls.com. “Everything comes with winning. I haven't won since you know college and high school. I want to play in meaningful games. Every NBA game is meaningful, but you want to go to the playoffs and play where big plays are made.
“I consider myself someone who can make those big plays and I want to be able to go out and do that.”
Chicago hasn't made the playoffs since 2017. The Bulls' projected starting lineup in 2019-20 is Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, Otto Porter Jr., Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr, though Dunn has been on the trade market.
Let's see if LaVine can lead the Bulls to the postseason next year. It's going to be a hard task for the two-time Slam Dunk champion, but LaVine seems eager to attack it.
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