Zach LaVine was fidgeting around with the brace and tape on his left thumb even before the question was asked on Monday.
“I hope so … It better be,’’ LaVine said laughing, when asked if the injury was healing. “It’s like a sprained ankle, you just got to give it time to heal.’’
Which means continuing to give LaVine time. Time to figure it out and work through it.
Protecting the torn ligaments in the thumb remained priority No. 1, and while LaVine and the Bulls medical staff feel there’s no reason for him to miss time, there’s always concern that if it gets hit the wrong way he could have a major setback.
“I trust the medical on that,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. “It’s taped pretty well. Could something happen? I’m sure. But the way Zach feels and medical feels, it’s not at a place where Zach needs to sit games right now, and I know Zach doesn’t want to do that.’’
So what does that mean for LaVine? Playing through pain, and a dip in some of his numbers.
Surprisingly, LaVine’s overall shooting from the field isn’t suffering that badly, even with LaVine having to play right-hand dominant around the rim.
LaVine shot a career-best 50.7% from the field last season, and was a 45.8% shooter for his career. Before the injury in Toronto on Oct. 25, he was at 50% from the field this season, and in the first five games post-thumb injury he was 48-for-106 (45.2%). Not a huge drop.
Where it seems to be an issue is his three-point shot and his ball-handling.
LaVine shot 41.9% from three last season, and since the thumb betrayed him two weeks ago, was just 9-for-35 (26%) from the arc.
“Just gotta make some shots,’’ LaVine said of shooting the three through the injury. “I’ve had a lot of in-and-outs, my shot feels good, but obviously adjusting to playing with tape on your hand and a brace is a little different, but no excuse to not making them.
“I try and do everything [fundamentally] the same. Keep the same shot and eventually it will start going in.’’
In the turnover department, especially against better teams like Philadelphia and New York, LaVine has had issues. Then again, when an athletic rim-attacker like LaVine is unquestionably doing all he can to protect the left hand, being a one-handed dribbler has its limitations.
In the home-and-home showdown with the 76ers, LaVine combined for nine turnovers, and before that had three against New York.
“Like pain-wise it’s not there anymore,’’ LaVine said. “It’s not just like tape on your finger. It’s obstructing, so … I’ve gotten used to it over the last couple games. I still got to play with it for a little bit longer. It’s just a different feeling than just playing through pain.’’
White out?
The Bulls relayed some good news on combo guard Coby White before the game with the Nets, as he was cleared to fully practice with the team starting on Tuesday.
White had offseason shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, and had been on the shelf most of the summer and all of fall camp. How long it will take him to get back into game shape and rhythm? That’s still the unknown, but he will join his teammates on this upcoming West Coast trip.
“The only thing I don’t know now is how much practice time does he need where he’s now able to step in and rejoin the team as far as being back in the rotation and playing?’’ Donovan said. “That’s the next step right now.’’
