Chicago Bulls Triple Threat: Three takeaways from Lakers game

Zach LaVine is putting together an All Star resume

There is much ado about the last shot of the game. Zach LaVine took a potential game tying shot with around five seconds left. He manipulated a high pick and roll with Thaddeus Young to get to around the elbow, rose up and shot wide right, giving the Lakers the ball back. It’s a shot LaVine has made before, but it didn’t go in.

I thought it was an okay shot, but I would’ve rather gone for a game winning three with less time left. Either way, it didn’t go in, and the Bulls lost. But the player who took that last shot, LaVine, had every right to do what he did.

Frankly, he’s playing at an All Star level, and he’s already hit a game winning shot once this road trip.

LaVine just put up a pedestrian 38 points on 22 shots. The Lakers had fits guarding him throughout the night. He looked dominant for stretches, especially in the first quarter, where he shot 100 percent on eight shots.

LaVine has scored 30+ in three of the last four games. He’s becoming a force to be reckoned with. He’s certainly the Bulls best player, and he’s finally getting some national media shine as he contributes to the Bulls competitive games against the top teams in the league.

It’s hard not to get frustrated at LaVine sometimes. He had a bad shot against the Sacramento Kings that essentially took him out of the game. He seemingly takes a heat check after every made basket. There’s times that it looks like he’s forgetting about the other four players on his team.

It’s important to keep these negatives in mind, but it’s just as crucial to realize that he is growing as a player. His positive contributions continue, and it’s only a matter of time before they start translating to wins. And, if the Bulls front office doesn’t believe that LaVine is a piece for the future, this tear that he’s on will improve his stock around the league.