Trouble in Paradise? Chicago Bulls’ Dream Run Threatened as Zach LaVine in Visible Pain From Dangerous Injury

Published 10/30/2021, 11:50 PM EDT

The Chicago Bulls currently have the strongest roster they have built since Derrick Rose’s MVP days. With the narrative of building Super Teams slowly gaining friction, Chicago has slowly built a potential championship-contending team. They started the season with an impressive 4-0 run.

Unfortunately, that run ended with a single-point loss against the New York Knicks. The key reason for this run is the exceptional start to the season from their big three: Zach Lavine, DeMar DeRozan, and Lonzo Ball. Moreover, they have Nikola Vucevic and Alex Caruso as role players who are also extremely talented. Vucevic is a former All-Star and Caruso is a former Champion.

Considering that a former champion is coming off the bench and an All-Star is not the primary playmaker, scorer, or defender, the Bulls are certainly dark horses in the run for the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. However, should the Chicago Bulls fans expect some troubling news soon? Reports suggest that Zach Lavine is playing through a thumb injury and is visibly in pain currently against the Utah Jazz.

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I'm kind of worried about Zach LaVine. I applaud the effort and trying to play through, but he's clearly not himself right now.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 31, 2021

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What does this mean for the Chicago Bulls?

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While Zach Lavine is no longer single-handedly carrying the offense for the Bulls, he is certainly a crucial part of their system. Lavine missing time due to injury could be a severe blow to the Bulls’ momentum and form. While they have a former champion, Caruso, to replace him in the starting lineup, he is certainly not as explosive as Zach Lavine. Therefore, the coaching staff should look to minimize Zach Lavine’s minutes on the floor to avoid making the injury worse.

Moreover, if they decide to rest Zach, DeRozan can also take up the role of being the primary scorer. Giving scope to Vucevic to help more on the offensive end and bring his scoring output up. While we appreciate the passion from Lavine, putting the long-term goals of the organization at risk is not right.

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Hence, if the medical staff believes Zach could worsen his injury if he plays more, he should take a rest. Do you think the Bulls could retain their consistency if they rest LaVine? Do the Bulls have the squad depth to maintain their momentum? Let us know what you think.

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Written by:

Chaitanya Dadhwal is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Even though his journalism is driven by his desire to understand both sides of an argument and give a neutral perspective, he is biased towards Houston Rockets and Arsenal, and he has shown exactly how loyal he can be through tough times. Currently a Law student at Jindal Global Law School, he aims to have his own sports management firm one day and enjoys rap music during his time off.

Trouble in Paradise? Chicago Bulls’ Dream Run Threatened as Zach LaVine in Visible Pain From Dangerous Injury

What does this mean for the Chicago Bulls?

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