It's no secret that Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine hasn't had much team success in the NBA. LaVine started his career with the rebuilding Minnesota Timberwolves and was then traded to the rebuilding Bulls. He hasn't sniffed the playoffs since coming into the league in 2014.
But did you also know that LaVine hasn't even won four consecutive games as an NBA player? That's a pretty wild stat, even knowing how bad his teams have been.
While playing for Team USA isn't the same as playing in the NBA, LaVine finally did just win his fourth game in a row thanks to the Americans' 97-78 victory over Australia in the semifinals of the Tokyo Olympics. It's the first time he has won four games in a row since his lone year at UCLA in 2013-14.
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LaVine played a key reserve role for Team USA in the comeback win over Australia, playing stellar defense in the second half and throwing down several dunks. His defense, not known as a strong suit, drew praise from the announcers and even Kevin Durant during his postgame interview.
If LaVine can bring improved defense to the table in the 2021-22 season, that should only help the Bulls actually go on a four-game winning streak, especially now after their big haul in free agency. Chicago has added Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, DeMar DeRozan and Tony Bradley so far, with more moves in store. The Bulls are generating quite a bit of hype now thanks to their roster overhaul, with LaVine at the forefront after making his first All-Star Game last season. The Bulls shooting guard is certainly excited about finally having better teammates to play with in the NBA.
Chicago should be a playoff team in 2021-22, with hopefully a number of winning streaks to its name. That should then easily convince LaVine to stick around for the long haul when he hits free agency in 2022.