NEW YORK \u2014 The bridge is once again sound.<\/p>\n
Heck, not a burnt mark to be found anywhere on it.<\/p>\n
Billy Donovan is coaching and Zach LaVine is allowing himself to be coached.<\/p>\n
The cold war? What cold war?<\/p>\n
According to one Bulls player, the Donovan-LaVine relationship is as good as it has been since the two came together back in the 2020-21 season, both from a communication standpoint and even just small talk away from the basketball court.<\/p>\n
That was not the case the last few seasons. The Sun-Times and other media outlets reported on several occasions just how disconnected LaVine had seemingly become with his coach.<\/p>\n
But as the Bulls are finding out, a happy LaVine is a completely engaged LaVine.<\/p>\n
Look no further than the impressive win over the Knicks on Wednesday. Specifically, several plays that stood out in the second half.<\/p>\n
Up 20 in the third quarter, LaVine was locked on Knicks forward OG Anunoby. It\u2019s usually not a matchup that falls in the Bulls\u2019 favor. Both great athletes, Anunoby is built like a 240-pound tight end, while LaVine resembles a slot receiver.<\/p>\n
Yet, there was LaVine rising up for the block, tipping the ball back to Coby White and taking off down the floor. Oh, and he wasn\u2019t done with the sequence yet. He then caught the pinpoint lead pass from White, went Eurostep between two Knicks defenders and finished the finger roll while getting fouled.<\/p>\n
Then late in the game with the Knicks and Bulls trading body blows, it was LaVine that wanted to guard Jalen Brunson, and not just in the half-court set, but he was willing to pick him up full court.<\/p>\n
Not bad for a guy that also had 31 points on the offensive end.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen a guy is hot, you want him to be really aggressive,\u201d Donovan said of LaVine\u2019s evolution. \u201cBut at the same point too, you can do that and get to a point where four guys are just watching one guy. Then all of a sudden you kind of lose your momentum and your rhythm. The thing I loved about what he did [against the Knicks] was everything was in transition. It was layups, quick pull-ups, just like when he got it, he was aggressive, and it really kept the flow of our game. When he gets like that he gets into a head space or a groove where he can go on a complete tear.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really respect and admire what he\u2019s doing because he\u2019s trying to play on both ends of the floor and he\u2019s giving everything he has on both ends.\u201d<\/p>\n
LaVine\u2019s teammates have noticed.<\/p>\n
White was breaking down the strengths each of the guards bring on defense and vouched for LaVine\u2019s improvement, not just in games but going back to fall camp.<\/p>\n
\u201cZach, Ayo [Dosunmu], Josh [Giddey], myself, we all have different strengths to throw at people [defensively],\u201d White said. \u201cZach\u2019s been really good against more athletic guards because on the ball he\u2019s one of the best athletes on our team .\u2009.\u2009. hell, he\u2019s one of the best athletes in the league.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s never been an issue. The willingness to showcase that? Call it a few years of the trade market humbling him or maybe LaVine has just matured. Maybe both. Whatever the reason, both the Bulls and LaVine are benefiting from it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m definitely trying,\u201d LaVine said when his defense was brought up. \u201cI know what I can do on that end, especially in isolation one-on-one, and just try and make it tough on them.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Thursday, CHSN announced the service will launch Friday, offering Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox games and other programming via its iOS and Android apps and any web browser.<\/p>\n
By\u00a0Jeff Agrest<\/p>\n
First it was Coby White getting fouled by Josh Hart to make three free throws with three seconds left, then it was Jalen Brunson just falling short of playing hero as the horn sounded. The Bulls needed both to hold on for a one-point win over Tom Thibodeau\u2019s Knicks.<\/p>\n
By\u00a0Joe Cowley<\/p>\n
Ball got through dribbling drills the last few days, and before the game Wednesday against the Knicks, he was putting up shots. Those were two big hurdles he needed to clear, but he\u2019s not close to being out of the woods yet, coach Billy Donovan said.<\/p>\n
By\u00a0Joe Cowley<\/p>\n
The relationship between Donovan and LaVine hasn’t been the best the last two seasons, but the two couldn’t be more in sync right now. Donovan is coaching, and LaVine is willing to be coached.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7695,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\n