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Zach LaVine is out for the Chicago Bulls in Game 5 of their playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks, and by the looks of it, the explosive guard isn't doing well.
According to head coach Billy Donovan, LaVine is feeling “pretty sick” after he entered the league's health and safety protocols, per KC Johnson of NBC Sports. It is already his third time in the protocols, having tested positive for COVID-19 back in April and December 2021.
Billy Donovan said Zach LaVine is “pretty sick” in the health and safety protocols.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 27, 2022
Zach LaVine's absence couldn't come at the worst possible time for the Bulls. Down 3-1 to the Bucks with the threat of elimination very real, Chicago will now have to face the defending champions without their most important player.
The burden to carry the scoring load without LaVine falls on DeMar DeRozan, but the likes of Nikola Vucevic, Patrick Williams and Coby White need to step up if they want any chance of coming back from the series.
Even if the Bulls win Game 5 on Wednesday, it is unlikely that LaVine will be available for the rest of the series considering the length required to recover and be eligible to play after contracting COVID-19. It is also worth noting that the 27-year-old guard is reportedly facing knee surgery in the offseason, meaning he wouldn't even be at 100 percent if he's available to play.
LaVine is playing in his first playoffs, so it is undoubtedly frustrating for him to see it end abruptly. If there is one thing going for him, it's the fact that the Bulls are trending in the right direction to becoming consistent postseason contenders in the years to come.
