Chicago Bulls: Why the rebuild still won tonight despite win

The Chicago Bulls didn’t get any nearer to the first-overall pick in the draft, but Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn made the win worth it.

Sure, in a strict sense, the Chicago Bulls would have been better off losing tonight’s game against the Detroit Pistons.

As of now, the Bulls are flirting with dropping out of the bottom ten of the league, which could cost them a shot at a franchise-changing talent at the top of the draft. And as competitively as they’ve played at points this year, they won’t compete for a title without such a talent.

That said, despite the Chicago Bulls’ 107-105 anti-tank win over Detroit, the rebuild still won. Why? Because the three biggest pieces of the rebuild were on the court healthy together for the first time. Oh yeah, and they all played well.

Zach LaVine, playing his first game with the Bulls and his first since tearing his ACL last year, drilled a 3-pointer on his first field goal attempt. In his first 19 NBA minutes in nearly a year, he scored 14 points on 3-of-4 from long range.

Wow.

I know it’s a small sample size, but LaVine showed everything (aside from the monster dunks) that made the Bulls covet him. His confidence as a scorer after missing about 11 months can’t be overstated. And boy, does he have a smooth shooting stroke from the outside.

I’d be completely alright with that kind of play at shooting guard for the next decade.

Lauri Markkanen kept up his impressive rookie season, scoring 19 and hitting four 3-pointers of his own.

And Kris Dunn just did everything one can do in a basketball game, seemingly. He had 18 points, eight boards, eight assists, three steals and three blocks. I mean, come on: he’s everywhere right now.

https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/952350502725062657

Just look at the final seconds of the game for a glimpse into the bright future the Chicago Bulls have.

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When Justin Holiday gave up the ball while driving to the basket, Dunn sprinted back to contest what would’ve been a game-tying layup from Reggie Bullock. His excellent defense forced a missed shot, and Markkanen came hustling up behind to grab the clinching rebound.

Yeah, I know the Chicago Bulls need to lose way more games to ultimately get closer to winning a championship. But it’s hard not to feel like this type of win will only make things that much easier when the time comes to win.

For one thing, this great first game from LaVine should only serve as a confidence booster going forward. Hopefully, he’ll continue building on what he did tonight and turning into the star the Bulls hope for (while not helping them win TOO many games).

Plus, Dunn and Markkanen are learning what it takes to win tight basketball games as young players. Their style of play and approach to the game looks like it will translate excellently to a playoff team.

Next: Markkanen posterizes Enes Kanter with authority

Of course, making the playoffs will be a new experience whenever it happens, but these young cornerstones of the franchise have that “it” factor that you can’t always quantify in a player. They’re good, and they know they’re good. They’re not scared of anyone. And they’re going to be around for a long time.

If only for tonight, a win for the Chicago Bulls was just as good as a loss for their future. And hopefully, this little glimpse turns into a beautiful picture by the time next season rolls around.