ATLANTA — The Bulls can’t hide Zach LaVine on defense, and they’re not going to try.
That’s just not realistic with the teams they have left on the schedule and whom they will face in the postseason.
So while coach Billy Donovan acknowledged that LaVine’s defense has been a bit hampered with his left knee at “80%, 70%, whatever it is,’’ according to LaVine, the All-Star guard will have to grind through it.
There are some small things the Bulls can do to help him, but in a five-man defense that needs to be tied together, that will be limited.
“I think moving him around in matchups and things like that can help,’’ Donovan said Thursday. “When you’re playing these really good teams, it’s really hard to escape a five-man defense. I think Zach does understand that when he puts the uniform on, laces the shoes up, makes the decision to step across the line, he’s got a responsibility to do his job. We’ve got to help him from the bench as much as we can in certain matchups and certain situations, but it’s still not going to take away that he’s got to sprint back in transition, he’s got to be in really good position.’’
Donovan pointed out that the coaches will keep LaVine away from players who run through a lot of actions from set to set, but “he’s still got a job to do.’’
“I wish he was 100%. I think he wishes he was 100%,’’ Donovan continued. “I think he’s managing it and dealing with it the best he can, and at the same point he understands that in that moment of competition you can’t escape it.’’
What the Bulls have escaped with LaVine’s knee is holding him out of the second of back-to-back games. Before he went to Los Angeles to see a specialist last month, that was a possibility for the remainder of the season.
That’s not the case anymore, particularly with the Bucks visiting the United Center on Friday in one of the more anticipated games of the regular season.
“I talked to him about the back-to-backs, specifically on where his mindset is at, and he told me that he wants to go and see how he’s feeling day-to-day instead of pre-determining, ‘I’m sitting here, I’m sitting here,’ ” Donovan said. “I think if he feels like he wants to play, he can play, and I think the medical people are OK on that. He’s obviously got to be a big part as far as his communication with where he’s at physically after he plays games.’’
Moving forward
While most of the team watched film leading up to the game against the Hawks, Alex Caruso (right wrist), Patrick Williams (left wrist) and Lonzo Ball (knee surgery) continued their rehab/strengthening programs with some of the bench players.
Caruso, who was very tentative shooting and passing with his right hand Tuesday, has been starting to put up more shots with it, which was a good sign.
“[Tuesday] he was definitely uncomfortable, not because of pain, just stiffness, lack of strength, didn’t feel like he could really pass the basketball,’’ Donovan said. “The next day he felt much, much better. The fact that a couple days ago he wasn’t able to shoot much with his right and now he’s starting to shoot with that right, he’s just going to have to regain that strength in his wrist and his forearm for him to feel comfortable and confident.’’
