The scoring has dipped for Zach LaVine.
His field-goal percentage and three-point percentage have also taken a hit.
The ego for the Bulls guard?
It remains steady. Maybe LaVine’s best trait right now.
He’s confident enough to know that he has joined the game’s elite by reaching all-star status this season, but he’s not blurred by a misconception that he’s above sacrificing.
Winning now has purpose for LaVine, so if that means playing less hero ball to make room for a second all-star, so be it.
The way LaVine sees it playing alongside Nikola Vucevic is worth it.
“I’m more than fine with that,’’ LaVine said, when asked if he’s fine with the dip in his offensive numbers. “As long as there’s a W behind there, I’m good.
“I think you guys know me. I’m all about winning, and trying to get this team to be better so if that means me taking a lesser role some nights and my scoring goes down, I’m fine with that.’’
He better be, because the scoring has gone down since the Mar. 25 trade deadline deal rescued Vucevic from remaining on a lottery team in Orlando.
Before the trade, LaVine was averaging 27.9 points per game. In the five games he’s played with Vucevic, the scoring average is down to 19.4. Meanwhile, little has changed for Vucevic. Before he was a Bull, he was 24.5 points and close to 12 rebounds per game. In his six games with his new team he’s 22.7 points and 11 rebounds per game.
Both are learning to co-exist, but the transition for Vucevic has been more seamless. It usually is when it comes to a 6-foot-11 big with a versatile offensive skillset like he has.
“Zach is a great player,’’ Vucevic said, when asked about playing alongside his new teammate. “He can score in many ways. He can facilitate. He does a lot of things on the court. I think at times he might be a little too unselfish and he can be a little more aggressive, which I’ve told him.
“The more him and I are able to grow and build that chemistry in a two-man game, the better it will be for the whole team. I think in this league when you have a two-man game like that with two guys who can score in different ways, it’s very hard to guard.’’
It was for the Pacers in the 113-97 Bulls win on Tuesday, as LaVine struggled with his shot – obvious by the 6-for-18 from the field – but still finished with 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Vucevic gave Indiana problems the entire game, finishing with 32 and 17.
And that’s the key for the Bulls now. LaVine can have off-nights shooting and the team isn’t handicapped like it was before the roster facelift.
Coach Billy Donovan was running portions of his offense through the post – specifically with Thad Young – before the trade, and LaVine was benefiting from it because Young was a pass-first facilitator out of many of those sets.
With Vucevic, however, even more offense is going through the post, and while the big man is also a great passer, his offensive prowess naturally takes shots away from LaVine. Donovan’s message to his guard? Be patient and don’t change a thing. Vucevic needs someone to get him the ball, while LaVine doesn’t.
“Zach can just go get it, so he knows the juncture and times in the game we have things offensively to go and be able to create and make those kinds of plays,’’ Donovan said. “I think that Zach needs to be aggressive in who he is.
“As long as we are generating good shots and we’re efficient with what we are doing offensively I really don’t care who gets the shots.’’
