The Chicago Bulls went 38-21 in the first half of the season behind the stellar play of DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. Both guards averaged over 24.0 points and made the All-Star team.
When the Bulls signed DeRozan, several pundits said the California native wouldn’t mesh well with LaVine since both stars are ball-dominant players who need the ball in their hands to be successful. However, DeRozan and LaVine have coexisted perfectly. They are the highest-scoring duo in the NBA and have the Bulls in the playoff picture for the first time since 2017.
During All-Star weekend in Cleveland, LaVine talked about his partnership with DeRozan, who was a starter on Team LeBron. The two-time Slam Dunk champion has enjoyed quieting the critics who said he and DeRozan wouldn’t play well together and isn’t afraid to make eyebrow-raising claims anymore since the stats are in his favor.
LaVine Says He and DeRozan Are ‘Best Duo in the NBA’
LaVine believes he and DeRozan are the best duo in the NBA. The former is averaging 24.6 points, while the latter is putting up 28.1 points per game.
“I think right now, we’re the best duo in the NBA,” LaVine said, via Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. “I think we are, personally. Just where we’re at right now obviously in the standings and the level of play that we’re at. We came into the year with people having different narratives about us and our team and I think we [proved those wrong]. So I think we’re gonna continue to grow on that and get better.”
The Bulls are 10th in the NBA in net rating thanks to DeRozan and LaVine. The former led the league in total points in the first half of the season and is third in points per game. Meanwhile, the latter is 12th in points per game.
Chicago hasn’t had a lethal dynamic duo like DeRozan and LaVine since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. It’s certainly been fun to watch them dominate games together after so many critics wrote them off before the season even started.
On February 13, LaVine was gracious enough to talk with Heavy about the Bulls’ preseason naysayers who said he and DeRozan were a bad fit. The two-time All-Star heard all the negativity and used it as fuel to “shut people up.”
LaVine: ‘I’ve Always Been Somebody That Tries to Shut People Up’
LaVine told Heavy that he’s “always been somebody that tried to shut people up.” The Washington native, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason, laughed when the question about him and DeRozan came up because he knew so many pundits doubted the fit.
“I’ve always been somebody that tries to shut people up and it’s just how it’s been,” LaVine said. “I think it gives a little extra fuel to the fire. It’s part of the game. People go out there and give their opinions and it’s up to us to go out there and tell ’em the truth on the court.”
The Bulls begin the second half of the season on February 24 against the Atlanta Hawks. Look for LaVine and DeRozan to continue to play with a chip on their shoulders since they haven’t accomplished anything significant yet.
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Bulls’ Zach LaVine Makes Eyebrow-Raising Claim About Him and DeMar DeRozan