Chicago Bulls stars Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic are playing like all-stars this season, but as they’re toiling away on a mediocre team that’s lost in the NBA consciousness, are unlikely to get the recognition they deserve.
LaVine is averaging 23.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists with shooting splits of 52/44/81. That 3-point percentage is eighth-best in the league, and he’s taken 241 total threes, third-most of any player among the top 20 in percentage.
His 33 points in a Jan. 10 win over the Washington Wizards marked the fifth straight game in which he’s scored at least 30 and the seventh time in his last 10. Over those last five games, he’s averaging 32.8 points on 59.8 percent shooting from the field and 42.4 percent from three.
Yet he was nowhere to be found on the latest All-Star ballot.
Vucevic, meanwhile, is averaging a double-double at 20.3 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 55.8 percent from the floor and 43.3 percent from deep.
The 34-year-old is fourth among centers who’ve played at least 25 games and average at least 3.0 attempts from behind the arc. He’s No. 1 in field goal percentage among that same group.
Yet he was also missing from the latest All-Star ballot and, just as he wonders about LaVine, Bulls Head Coach Billy Donovan can’t understand why.
Bulls’ Billy Donovan confused about LaVine, Vucevic All-Star snubs
Considering the seasons his star players are having, it’s fair for Chicago’s head coach to argue their candidacy for this year’s All-Star game.
Per Joe Crowley of The Chicago Sun Times (h/t Hoops Rumors) Donovan did just that:
““You get a chance to see those guys play every night and there’s no question in my mind, just based on what these guys have performed through … they have performed at an All-Star level. Both of those two have. I think the stats will back that up.” ”
Bulls Coach Billy Donovan
Donovan’s argument is fair. Both LaVine’s and Vucevic’s stats are on par, if not better, than some of the players ahead of them in the first two rounds of voting. For example, Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero is ahead of Vucevic despite playing in six games to Vucevic’s 37.
Washington’s Jordan Poole is No. 8 among Eastern Conference guards and is ahead of LaVine despite playing on the worst team in the NBA.
Will either of the Bulls’ stars end up earning an All-Star berth? That remains to be seen. But even at this point in the voting, they deserve more recognition.
