NEWSLETTER
I can’t say I’m shocked.
After not practicing on Monday afternoon, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Zach LaVine is likely to sit out tonight’s meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks. LaVine was probable heading into today before the team changed his designation on the injury report to “questionable.”
ESPN Sources: Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (left knee) is likely to be out vs. the Milwaukee Bucks tonight (8 o'clock, ESPN). LaVine has only missed one game since the mid-February All-Star break. Bulls are fifth in East, tied with sixth-place Raptors at 45-33.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 5, 2022
The Bulls have likely opted for the cautious approach with the final back-to-back set of the season tonight and tomorrow. After facing the Bucks, they will welcome the 2nd-seeded Boston Celtics into the United Center. There has clearly been thought to resting LaVine in the past, as the team has considered him “questionable” on the backend of each back-to-back set post-All-Star break. To be sure, they had yet to pull the trigger, but it appears the coaching staff is ready to do so with the postseason set to start next week.
Also, all things considered, resting him tonight feels like the better option of the two. While the team needs just one more victory (or Cavaliers loss) to clinch a top-6 seed, earning that victory against the Bucks will be no easy task. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. have already beaten the Bulls three times this season, whereas the Bulls have so far split their season series with the Celtics. So having a well-rested LaVine for that matchup on Wednesday could be the way to go.
We can’t rule out the possibility that LaVine is feeling extra tightness in his knee, and his availability could be in question for tomorrow, as well. However, I have a tendency to believe this is all out of an abundance of caution at this point in the season, but I bet we’ll get a more definitive word from the team soon enough.
