It’s never been about the numbers for Zach LaVine.
The numbers were arguably there last season, and still the All-Star Game looked the other way when it came down to deciding on admitting the Bulls guard to the exclusive club.
It’s no longer about hype, either.
LaVine is in Year 7. He can’t ride the rookie wave that a Trae Young did, putting up huge scoring nights in far too many lost causes, but yet Young’s flaws being overlooked because he was the fresh face on the block.
No, for LaVine to get the recognition he feels he’s deserved for quite some time, it has to be moments. Those moments in an NBA game where there’s a fork in the road between the right play or the wrong play, between winning or losing.
Moments that LaVine is frankly starting to understand the last few weeks.
“I think even he’d admit to this: He has worked so hard on his game,’’ coach Billy Donovan said on Tuesday of LaVine’s recent transformation. “Developing step-backs, handle the ball, playing pick-and-roll, driving to the basket. He has worked incredibly hard on all those things. But he knows there’s another piece that he wants to grow into. And I think he has been pretty committed to trying to do that.
“He’s trying to maybe look at things through a different lens or through a different perspective as he continues to grow and get older. … And I think he has gotten better at it.’’
All-Star better at it?
That remains to be seen, but even the Knicks win on Monday was a great example of the steps LaVine is taking to cracking the code of winning basketball.
Despite New York coach Tom Thibodeau throwing the kitchen sink at LaVine on the defensive end all night, he had a number of hockey assists – the assist that led to the assist – but more importantly, while he scored just 21 points, which was about six under his average, they were 21 timely points.
Especially the last seven.
LaVine hit a set-back 18-footer with 1:26 left in the game to put the Bulls up three, and then provided the dagger with a three-pointer with 22.8 seconds left after a communication breakdown left him open at the top of the arc.
Then just to make sure there would be no Portland moments, hit the two free throws with 3.8 left to finish the chalk outline around the visiting team.
After the game, he was excited about the night, not because of his decision making in working the game, but in the W. That might not have been the case in previous years. Then again, it’s hard to judge what the case has been for LaVine in previous years, considering he’s had a different head coach almost every season in the league.
To now have a coach and staff he respects, and believes will be around longer than a one-year lease? Game changer.
“I feel like personally I’ve always gone out there and found a way to make it work or tried my best to, but like you said, it’s tough,’’ LaVine said of the frequent changes he’s endured. “Different offenses, different defenses, different plays, different personalities, so once you get comfortable with somebody and start trusting people, getting to know them, you start to see a chemistry. I’ve bought into what Billy and his staff have been telling me, and I’ve created my work.
“I’ve gotten to a place now of, you know you can’t do it by yourself. Breaking down film with Billy and his coaching staff, they’ve shown me different things that I’ve appreciated, and guys have bought in.’’
