NEW YORK – The bridge is once again sound.
Heck, not a burnt mark to be found anywhere on it.
Billy Donovan is coaching and Zach LaVine is allowing himself to be coached.
The cold war? What cold war.
According to one Bulls player, the Donovan-LaVine relationship is as good as it’s 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.
That was not the case the past few seasons. The Sun-Times and other media outlets reported on several occasions just how disconnected LaVine had seemingly become with his coach.
But as the Bulls are finding out a happy LaVine is a completely engaged LaVine.
Look no further than the impressive win over the Knicks on Wednesday. Specifically, several plays that stood out in the second half.
Up 20 in the third quarter, LaVine was locked on Knicks forward OG Anunoby. Usually not a matchup that falls in the Bulls’ favor. Both great athletes, Anunoby is built like a 240-pound tight end, while LaVine resembles a slot receiver.
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’t done with the sequence yet. He then caught the pinpoint lead pass from White, went Euro-step between two Knicks defenders and finished the finger roll with the hoop and the harm.
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 willing to pick him up all 94 feet – or at least show that he would have to go the distance of the court with LaVine on him.
Not bad for a guy that also put in 31 points on the offensive end.
“When a guy is hot, you want him to be really aggressive,” Donovan said of LaVine’s evolution. “But 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.
“I really respect and admire what he’s doing because he’s trying to play on both ends of the floor and he’s giving everything he has on both ends.”
LaVine’s teammates have noticed.
White was breaking down the strengths each of the guards had brought to the defensive end and vouched for LaVine’s improvement, not just in games but going back to fall camp.
“Zach, Ayo (Dosunmu), Josh (Giddey), myself, we all have different strengths to throw at people (defensively),” White said. “Zach’s been really good against more athletic guards because on the ball he’s one of the best athletes on our team … hell, he’s one of the best athletes in the league.”
That’s never been in doubt. 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 explanation, both the Bulls and LaVine are benefiting from it.
“I’m definitely trying,” LaVine said when his defense was brought up. “I know what I can do on that end, especially in isolation one-on-one, and just try and make it tough on them.”