Zach Lavigne is a team player. He is also a competitor.
What it’s like for those dueling dynamics to coexist when Lavigne sees DeMar DeRozan’s number called out again and called for a potentially game-winning shot. chicago bullsLost 103-102 to the Cleveland Cavaliers?
“It’s not hard. I mean, look, I understand what he’s done in his career. He’s made a lot of those shots. I’ve made a lot of those shots, too. So, You accept that decision,” said an optimistic Lavigne. “Every time he takes a shot like that, I ride or die with him.
In fact, Caris Lebart played for the Indiana Pacers on New Year’s Eve 2021 when DeRozan sank an unlikely one-footed 3-pointer to beat his team. The Cavaliers’ Lebart knew who would get the Bulls’ final shot on Saturday night.
“The whole world knew,” LeVert told the Associated Press. “He plays like that all the time.”
In fact, DeRozan kicked off 2022 with a bang, following his New Year’s Eve heroism in 2021. He sank his 3-pointer on another high difficulty, defeating the Washington Wizards on New Year’s Day, becoming the first player in NBA history to sink his 3-pointer at the buzzer in back-to-back games.
DeRozan also beat the Knicks with a stone-cold 22-foot jumper with 0.1 seconds remaining while being fouled. There’s a reason he has the nickname “The Fourth King”. He has long been one of the NBA’s best closers and clutch players.
LaVine was a consistent last-shot option for the rebuilding Bulls. He remains an option for coach Billy Donovan’s late-game play-calling. He is usually not primary.
Is LaVine confident in his ability to deliver clutch moments should he ever return in the future?
“Come on, come on,” said Lavigne. “You know that. I think I’m the most confident man.”
On many occasions, including Lorde’s victory over the Knicks, Lavigne sets or slips screen action with DeRozan, forcing the defense to make a choice.
On Saturday night, Lavigne escaped a pindown from Nikola Vucevic to get to the top of the key and briefly find space.but derozan had already interrupted Donovan’s playcall Reading Donovan Mitchell’s defensive help to Lebart’s main defender, he opted to drive towards the baseline in an instant, lifting a decent look on one leg.
“It was a post-up (for DeRozan) and a pin-down (for me), but we just couldn’t get into it,” Lavigne said of the final play call. “You could have called a timeout. But then you’re just thinking about getting it and getting a good shot. I’ve seen them make it.”
LaVine scored 7 of 15 points in a blistering 74 seconds midway through the fourth. But in a one-point loss, he turned to the inside and missed a layup against Jarrett Allen with 2:26 left to put the Bulls down five.
“I had a lot of chances. “We’re going to be in that[late-game]situation again, and we’ll see what happens.”
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