Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine looks dangerous in preseason debut

The Chicago Bulls need Zach LaVine to continue his rise this year if they are going to make a playoff run.

After a weekend in which the Chicago Bears dropped an embarrassing loss to the Oakland Raiders in London, there was at least a little to look forward to entering the Bears’ bye week. The Chicago Bulls are back, and fans are eager to see what this young team can do.

Monday night, the Bulls took on the Milwaukee Bucks at United Center to open their 2019 preseason. The Bucks came away with the win by a score of 122-112, but there were some positives to the loss if you’re a Bulls fan.

Newcomer Tomas Satoransky endured a tough shooting night, but proved he was as versatile as advertised while coming up with seven boards and a ridiculous five steals.

Coby White and Daniel Gafford played a good chunk of minutes. Both rookies ended up with 12 points apiece.

As a whole, the Bulls shot pretty poorly and that can be labeled as the biggest reason for the loss. But, one guy stood out above the rest — Zach LaVine. Looking at the box score, LaVine didn’t light it up from the field as he went just 5-for-13. But, simply watching him, fans should get excited.

LaVine was active all night long. He looked quicker than ever. He attacked the basket a few times, one particular time following a clear-path foul which didn’t count — but the dunk was beautiful.

He ended the night with 16 points in a modest 22 minutes, which should speak to how much the offense ran through him while on the floor. LaVine touched the ball a lot — which is a recipe for success, if you’re this Bulls team.

LaVine proved just how valuable he is on the offensive side, especially due to the fact that he is an above-average facilitator. Even at the two guard spot, LaVine is still so good at getting his teammates involved, as evidenced by his five assists in those 22 minutes.

Whether it’s a pick-and-pop situation or running the break and making a swift, quick pass to a cutting teammate, LaVine was fantastic with the ball in his hands. He looked like the combo guard the Bulls desperately need him to be with how up-and-down the point guard position has been.

If LaVine’s preseason debut was any indication of things to come, fans should be thrilled to see how he ascends this year. With the All Star Game in Chicago this season, it would be no surprise to see LaVine on the court next to the best in the game come February.