Bulls Player Zach Lavine Out for Season Opener

What’s Going On

Zach LaVine will be missing the Chicago Bulls season opener against the Miami Heat which will be this Wednesday night. LaVine is a high-flying slasher, who can dunk the basketball with ease and shoot the three-ball. His shooting percentage is fairly well and his playmaking is above average as well. LaVine is so great at dunking, he participated in the 2016 dunk contest and won. From this information, you can assume that LaVine is a great player. This is great, but during the 2022-2023 season LaVine dealt with knee soreness for half of the season. He played all games for the 2023-2024 preseason except one which was the final game.

The Past

On February 3, 2017, LaVine was having a normal game. He noticed an opening in the defense. Lavine decided to drive in the hole and as he went up it was fine until he landed. He fell in pain holding his left knee. Two days later the team he was on at the time (Minnesota Timberwolves) announced that the team doctors knew for a fact he tore his ACL. This was very bad news for Timberwolves fans and LaVine. Later in the 2017 off-season, Lavine was traded to the Bulls for Jimmy Butler.

Ever Since Then

When LaVine arrived at the Bulls he soon became their first option with very high points per game and steals per game stats. He was doing very well but had no help around to take them to the playoffs. The team had become so bad on the court Lavine did not have a four-game winning streak with the Bulls until the 2022-2023 season.

Every Bulls fan was disappointed every year until in the 2021 offseason the Bulls acquired Nikola Vucevic. He was a great scoring 6’11 center. It was a great help for Lavine but it still was not enough. The general manager of the Bulls knew right away it still was not enough help. He went out and acquired Demar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso.  The Bulls ended up having their best season since the 2016-2017 season.

This Year

After being demolished by the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs the Bulls still had hope for the new season. Lonzos’ knee is still feeling sore but there are still high hopes in the Bulls fanbase.  In addition to this, the Bulls just signed Kostas Antetokounmpo to a two-way contract deal. The reason why LaVine’s knee surgery is so important is that he is feeling knee soreness in the same knee he tore his ACL. This is why the Bulls staff is doing a great job letting LaVine rest his knee for the season opener.

Bulls Hype

The United Center was very loud and proud last year and we need more energy like that this year but even better. Bulls fans will wait long for Lonzo and LaVine to see greatness again. The Caruso hustle plays, LaVines high flying dunks, Lonzos’ flashy playmaking, and DeRozan’s mid-range shooting is what we need more of this season as well. The Bulls’ new rookies are looking very promising as well. Patrick Williams is nicknamed “The Paw” for a reason. The NBA fanbase nicknamed him that because his game is so similar to a young Kawih Leonard.

This year is supposed to get rid of the little annoying problems in the team like the injuries. While next year the Bulls get to business and have the United Center jamming with shouts and screams. Chicago needs another NBA championship already, it has been way too long. We can’t be the city that can only win an NBA title if we only have Michael Jordan. Good luck to the Bulls, and the NBA fanbase wishes LaVine a speedy recovery.

Written by Vincent Sauseda

Sources:

ESPN: Bulls’ Zach LaVine (knee) to miss season opener vs. Heat

The Sporting News: How long is Zach LaVine out? Knee injury timeline, return date, latest updates on Bulls star

NBA:  Bulls’ Zach LaVine (Knee) out tonight vs. Heat

Featured and Top image courtesy of Michael Tipton Flickr Page – Creative Commons License

Inset image courtesy of Tony Flickr Page – Creative Commons License