In the postgame locker room, Zach LaVine’s frustration is becoming more palpable with each Bulls loss. LaVine even uncharacteristically declined to address reporters following Friday’s home loss to the Heat.
So how does he rise above?
“I’ll be frustrated a little afterwards, but the next day you can’t dwell on it,” LaVine said following Saturday’s road loss to the Timberwolves. “Just try to get better.”
LaVine continues to shoulder a heavy offensive burden. The reinforcements of Lauri Markkanen, Kris Dunn and Bobby Portis can’t come soon enough.
“We almost have to play a perfect game. We have to understand that. We have to know who we are,” LaVine said. “Nobody is going to feel sorry for us. We can’t give up. We have to compete. But you can only say so much because we keep doing the same thing over and over again. I’m doing the best I can.”
That’s apparent. But LaVine’s numbers have dropped from 28.1 points on 51 percent shooting — including 38 percent from 3-point range over eight October games — to 23.6 points on 39 percent shooting, including 22.4 percent from 3-point range, over the 11 November games he played.
At least LaVine enjoyed the consolation prize of being warmly received by Timberwolves fans during player introductions.
“I was a fan favorite when I was here,” he said. “I did good in the community. I was always nice to the fans. I grew up in Minnesota. You put a lot of heart and time into a place, so you want to be appreciated. And I appreciated the fans doing that for me.”
Best foot forward
Taj Gibson underwent the same reconstructive ankle surgery that Denzel Valentine is scheduled to undergo this week. Gibson encouraged Valentine to have the surgery and offered a window into the rehabilitation that Valentine faces.
“At first, you’re off crutches. You’ve got to sit down for awhile,” Gibson said. “Then you use crutches. Then you slowly learn to walk again. But you still have to keep monitoring the scar tissue because it’s really important. It’s like a ligament tear. But they’re repairing it and it makes the ankle much stronger.
“You have to learn how to bend your ankles again. Learn how to cut again. So it takes some time. He’s younger, so he’ll bounce back quicker.”
Valentine turned 25 this month. Gibson was 30 when he underwent the procedure and has missed just 13 games in the three seasons since.
“I was really fortunate because before that I hadn’t really been hurt, and I was playing with a torn ligament that whole year,” Gibson said of the 2014-15 season. “I was really pissed off because we didn’t know. Nobody told me until the end. We jumped on it right away, and I remember John Paxson telling me, ‘Once you get this done, it’s like a new ankle.’
“I got it done right away and I was scared. I didn’t know how my career would turn out because there was a lot of uncertainty. But one thing that always helped me was always being in the weight room, always lifting three, four times a week.”
Paxson had the same surgery in 1990.
Backed into corner
Chandler Hutchison has missed three straight games with back spasms, which may not seem like a big deal for a rookie playing a limited role. But with Markkanen and Portis already sidelined, Hutchison drew the reserve power forward minutes.
Hutchison’s absence has altered the rotation. It has forced Justin Holiday into double duty as the starting small forward and backup power forward, while giving Cameron Payne playing time and extending Antonio Blakeney’s role.
Hutchison said he isn’t sure when he’ll return.
Twitter @kcjhoop
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