Zach Lavine was not feeling Chicago Bulls coach’s decision to bench him in crunch time: “Do I like the decision? No”
Zach LaVine struggled in Thursday night's Chicago Bulls loss to the Orlando Magic. The former slam dunk champion couldn't seem to get it going throughout the course of the game, missing easy layups both early on and in crunch time.
His poor play prompted head coach Billy Donovan to sit him for the final moments of the game. After the loss, Zach LaVine spoke to the media to discuss his performance along with Donovan's decision to bench him.
According to him, despite his poor play, he should've been allowed to remain in the game given how many times we've seen him perform in crunch time. He said:
“I mean that's Billy's decision you gotta lay with it. Do I agree with it? No. I think I can go out there and still be me even if I miss some shots. But that's his decision and you know he has to stand on it. ... You play a guy like me down the stretch. That’s what I do. Do I like the decision? No.”
Despite LaVine's performance, it was a pair of missed free throws from center Nikola Vucevic that ultimately decided the Bulls' fate. They also let up a three-pointer and were forced to take a half-court shot in hopes of winning as there were no remaining timeouts.
You can see LaVine's full comments in the video below.
Zach LaVine's performance against the Bucks
Chicago Bulls fans have seen LaVine perform in crunch time before, however, Thursday's game got a bad performance out of the young start as he went just 1 for 14 from the floor. While some poor shots can be chalked up to great defense, LaVine had plenty of wide open looks and simply missed.
To make matters worse, he made some questionable decisions throughout the game. Whether he was driving into three defenders in hopes of drawing a foul or taking an ill-advised three, he wasn't helping the team.
It is important to mention that Zach LaVine has been dealing with lingering knee problems. Going into the season, his status was somewhat unclear. While he seemed fit to play, he was forced to miss several games early on. According to Donovan, LaVine was experiencing pain while ramping up to play.
Benching LaVine wasn't the only questionable decision Billy Donovan made throughout the game. Early on, it became apparent that Derrick Jones Jr. was getting time that had previously been for Javonte Green. When Donovan began making his usual substitutions early on, Green was nowhere to be found.
It was Green who provided a much-needed spark off the bench. While playing the passing lanes on defense, he was able to grab 3 steals in just 17 minutes and in many cases, he pushed the ball up the court with explosive speed for an easy bucket.
In crunch time, it was again Green who gave the team several big possessions prior to Vucevic's missed free throws.
The Bulls will look to bounce back on Monday when they play the Boston Celtics.