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“Worst Max Player of All Time”: NBA Fans Slam Bulls Star for ‘Delusional’ Take on Late Game Decision in Loss vs Magic

Published 11/21/2022, 5:15 AM EST

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The Chicago Bulls just got handed a very upsetting loss to the Orlando Magic recently. The Magic won the game by just a point, 108-107, in a game that the Bulls arguably had in the bag. But what was surprising was that two-time NBA All-Star Zach LaVine was on the bench during crunch-time, and ended up voicing his discomfort with the situation. However, fans were clearly not having any of it. 

The Bulls lost the game due to two missed free throws at the end. With 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Bulls center Nikola Vucevic was sent to the line for free throws. He was 4-4 that night until those two shots.

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A humiliating performance from an NBA All-Star

And those surely were crucial free throws for the Bulls. If Vucevic had made those two shots, it would’ve been a two-possession game. But alas, Vucevic missed those two shots and Jalen Suggs ended up draining a three-pointer to give the Magic a 1-point lead on the other end of the possession. 

USA Today via Reuters

Zach LaVine, who was on the bench during the entirety of the late fourth quarter was evidently not happy about it. He said, “I’m one of the best players on the court regardless of who’s playing, and I think that I should be on the court in crunchtime.” 

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NBA fans, however, disagreed and gave him a reality check on Twitter. One fan tweeted, “Worst max player of all time.” While another fan commented, “This is another reason why coaching is so difficult. Delusional players. Can’t even recognize when it’s not their night.”

Here are some of the reactions from NBA Twitter:

 

Zach LaVine surely had an off night against the Orlando Magic. He ended the game with just 4 points while shooting 1-14 from the field and 0-5 from beyond the arc. 

LaVine’s poor performance against the Magic

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LaVine has been the future of the Bulls organization for the past few years. Yet it is DeMar DeRozan who is leading the team in scoring with 25.2 PPG this season. DeRozan also had a 41-point game in their loss to the Magic.

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Notably, LaVine signed a $215 million five-year max contract with the Chicago Bulls earlier this year. And as consistent as LaVine has been this season, a 4-point performance is surely not what fans expected from the All-Star.

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It will be interesting to see whether Zach LaVine bounces back with a breakout game, as the Chicago Bulls prepare to take on the Boston Celtics in their next matchup.

What did you make of LaVine’s comments? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Abhishek Dhariwal

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Abhishek Dhariwal is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. He earned his bachelor's degree in English Honors from St. Xavier's College and his master's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from AAFT School of Mass Communication and Journalism.
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Edited by:

Veer Badani