NEWSLETTER
Zach LaVine came into today as “probable” for this evening’s matchup with the Toronto Raptors. However, according to the latest official injury report, the Chicago Bulls have now downgraded the All-Star to questionable due to back spasms.
As we alluded to in this morning’s bullets, back issues can be among the peskiest of injuries. While a probable designation is normally a greenlight, it certainly felt less so knowing the injury was located in this area of the body.
One does have to wonder how long this back discomfort has lingered. While it could surely be a new development, it feels worth mentioning that LaVine has shot a very uncharacteristic 43.0 percent from the field and 28.2 percent from downtown since returning from a knee injury on January 24th. Of course, he could be simply shaking off the rust of a five-game absence, but it’s still a bit odd to see this kind of dry spell from a fully-healthy LaVine.
If things don’t improve before game time and LaVine has to sit, it would feel like a pretty big loss for a Bulls team that is trying to earn their fifth win in six games. The Toronto Raptors have been no easy matchup, and the Bulls saw that last Wednesday when Nick Nurse’s crew made a 19-point deficit disappear in the blink of an eye.
