As hard as it may be for us older fans to believe, it is now over 25 years since the now legendary Michael Jordan was doing his thing as arguably the greatest ball player in the history of the game and playing such a major part in an era of dominance that saw the Chicago Bulls net six NBA titles between 1991 and 1998. Ever since then, however, the United Center has struggled to make a return to such heady heights.
Things might look to be changing soon, though, as this season Billy Donovan’s team is making a real play for reclaiming their previous glories by starting the season on very impressive form. For the first time in years, the Bulls look to reverse a trend of four straight losing campaigns and reclaim their former crown as one of the NBA’s heavyweights. It’s hardly a guaranteed path to victory as the season has only begun, to be very sure, but this may just be the year that Bulls fans have been waiting for, for so very long.
Key to their 28-17 start to the season has been star player, Zach LaVine, who has top-scored in a whopping 18 of their matches this season. It’s an incredible hot streak that we seldom see in professional sports these days, let alone from the bulls, and one that has already earned him the status of being one of this season’s major standouts.
Unfortunately, all hot streaks come to an end eventually and that is, sadly, what has happened recently. As fate would have it, after helping carry the Bulls to new heights in this early part of the season, the 26-year-old has suffer a knee injury that has reduced his involvement of late. Fortunately, it looks to only be a minor setback. Things are looking up for LaVine as he has apparently responded well to treatment and, all things being equal, will hopefully be back on the court in the near future to help bring the Bulls the victory that is so tantalisingly within reach.
After all, for the past decade, it has been rare to consider the Bulls as a genuine title contender so the fact that they may be once again is an exciting development not just for Chicagoans but for all fans of the underdog finally rising up to make good on their promise. Chicago would usually look to its baseball teams to lead the odds on sidelines.io instead of their basketball outfit, but nonetheless, the Chicago Bulls have shown they are capable of making a real impact and a spot in the post-season is on the cards and then it’s up for grabs.
LeVine, along with DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, is key to Donovan’s hopes of bringing an NBA title back to Chicago, and he provided an update on his knee condition in a recent press conference.
“He hasn’t done any running, jumping, anything like that. He’s been able to shoot free throws; he’s been able to do some strength training and those kinds of things,” the team’s representative explained. “He has responded well. I don’t have a return date for him at this point, but certainly, he feels a lot better today than he did coming out of Golden State.”
LaVine, who was born and raised in Washington state, is into his fifth season in the cultural hotspot that is Chicago, having moved to the Bulls from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a move that saw Jimmy Butler move in the opposite direction. Last season he posted his best number for the team, averaging 27.4 points per game, and thus far, this season, he’s running at a solid 24.9 PPG, placing him just outside the top ten.
There’s no denying the importance of LaVine to the Bulls’ continued success, and as such, it’s right that Donovan doesn’t look like he has any plans to rush him back into action for fear of aggravating any potential knee issue. Short term benefits could end up with a major long-term loss that the Bulls can scant afford.
Donovan has been full of praise of LaVine this season:
“He is the ultimate team guy; he really is. He tries to play the right way. He realizes there is more help around him than he has had… he just plays the right way. He’s a great teammate; he’s a great guy; he wants to win and do the right things.”
This appreciation for his ability on the court is clearly backed by Donovan’s feeling on LaVine as a person too. “I have a lot of respect and admiration for the way he approaches it every day professionally. He’s great to work with. He is as great of a guy as you can imagine being around. And a game like today speaks to me of his greatness as a player.”
The NBA season is, as we know, a long and arduous one. Unlike many other sports where their seasons are short and intense, playing the long game is crucial to victory for any basketball team. However brilliantly the Bulls have performed in these (many) opening games, things can go sideways very quickly if the players are pushed to hard. An NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint, so Donovan would therefore be wise to take good care of LaVine and hope to welcome him back for a further push towards the post-season and the NBA playoffs.
So far, that does seem to be exactly what is happening as rather than relying on LaVine to maintain the Bulls’ early competitive edge before his knee has properly healed, Donovan has kept his eye on the prize by, paradoxically, keeping his star player on the bench until he can be used to maximum effect. It’s a move that is compassionate and humane, while also being smart, strategic, and a testament to the management and coaching of a team that for so many fans, represents the NBA at its very best.
