Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine played well during Saturday's win over the Utah Jazz, but head coach Billy Donovan still couldn't help but worry about his superstar.
LaVine recorded 26 points on top of five rebounds and five assists to help lead the Bulls to a 107-99 win over the then-undefeated Jazz. He also shot pretty decently, going for 9-of-19 from the field even though he is dealing with a thumb injury in his non-shooting hand.
Donovan, however, claimed LaVine doesn't appear to be his usual self because of the injury. While he did credit him for playing through the pain, the Bulls head coach was clearly concerned.
“I don’t think he’s himself personally,” Donovan shared, per KC Johnson of NBC Sports.
For what it's worth, Zach LaVine doesn't plan to stop and rest as long as he is medically cleared to play. He hinted as much after he sustained the injury–a small ligament tear–during Monday's game against the Toronto Raptors, and he doubled down on that stance on Saturday.
LaVine reiterates if he’s medically cleared, he plans to keep playing. https://t.co/6H4aQ1419B
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) October 31, 2021
It's understandable why LaVine is opting to play. The injury is not on his dominant shooting hand, so he should still be able to perform at a high level despite some limitations. The Bulls and their medical staff will also likely stop him from playing if he is not deemed to be ready and there is a huge risk of aggravating the issue even more.
By the looks of it, LaVine seems to be doing well despite the injury. For sure, though, no one can blame Billy Donovan from being worried since he himself understands that it's a long season and it might be better for the explosive guard to rest and recover instead of risking a potential long-term injury.
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