Coby White stepping up in Zach LaVine absence

Share

Coby White entered halftime of the Bulls' Monday night win at the Boston Celtics with just three points and a 1-for-7 shooting line from the field.

Shots weren't falling. And despite a four-to-zero assist-to-turnover ratio, he'd mistakenly eschewed a couple wide-open passing reads, including a notable missed opportunity on a Daniel Theis rim-run midway through the second quarter. During the play in question, Theis and Nikola Vučević positioned themselves to set duplicate drag screens at the top of the key for White, who was pushing up the floor off a missed shot. Knowing the Celtics were on their heels and primed to switch the ball-screen, Theis dove to the basket before his pick made contact with Jaylen Brown -- colloquially known as a "slip."

The result was Theis streaking under the basket without a green jersey in sight. But White didn't pull the trigger on the pass.

"I knew I missed him in the first half," White told reporters postgame. "He slipped out of it (the screen), I knew I missed him... I think (the next) timeout I said, 'I missed you (Theis) in the first half, keeping slipping Imma get you.'"

True to his word, White corrected the error 46 seconds into the third quarter, connecting with Theis for a picture-perfect alley-oop on an eerily similar action.

What sparked the adjustment? A locker-room film session? The "stay-the-course" mindset fundamental to White's character?

"My brother texts me every halftime to check on me," White said. "When I came back to the locker room, I checked my phone because I knew my brother texts me every halftime, and he said those exact words: 'You got Theis on the slip every time because they're switching the first screen on the double-drag.'

"So when I came out in the second half, I had already knew that they were switching, so when he slipped it, all I had to do was throw it to the rim and I knew he was gonna get it."

That play foreshadowed a bounceback second half for White, who scored 16 points, dished three assists and made winning plays of all varieties en route to the Bulls' 102-96 victory. His one steal of the night came swiping an entry pass to Jaylen Brown with 72 seconds remaining and the Bulls ahead 96-92. Twice in the game's final 16 seconds, he stepped to the free-throw line with the Bulls ahead by two points, and buried all four of his tries to maintain their two-possession advantage.

"The competitor in me, of course I wanted to have the ball in those situations," White said. "Those types of situations build character."

And, with Zach LaVine missing his third straight game in COVID-19 health and safety protocol, the Bulls needed their second-year, 91-percent free-throw-shooting guard to step up.

That he did, and it's not the first time he's done so since LaVine went down. White posted 27 points and seven assists in Friday's loss to the Grizzlies, the Bulls' first contest without LaVine. He's committed one turnover in two of the Bulls' last three games -- impressive considering that's been a bugaboo of his as he's shouldered more playmaking duties -- and is averaging 31.9 minutes, 18 points and 7.7 assists (two turnovers) despite paltry shooting splits in those LaVine-less contests. More opportunity lies ahead.

"Mo Cheeks," White said when asked what's behind his enhanced ball security of late. "He’s been on me the whole season about it, but especially now. Just taking care of the ball. Being the point guard, that’s my responsibility. I give credit to Mo Cheeks. He’s been on me about it. Just telling me to make the simple play and go from A to B, not A to D or A to C. Make it simple.

There are worse voices to have in your ear than Cheeks, a Hall-of-Fame point guard who now serves as Billy Donovan's lead assistant coach.

"We talk a lot, especially off the court, not only about basketball but just about life. He just tells me don't make the same turnover twice. Learn from each turnover that you have," White said. "He said his biggest thing was just taking care of the ball when he was a point guard... He's a Hall-of-Fame point guard and I want to learn as much as I can from him."

And, with a 2-1 record since LaVine's protocol enlistment, and improved defense over a small sample to hang their hat on, there are worse places the Bulls could be heading into Wednesday's rematch against the Cavaliers.

Click here to subscribe to the Bulls Talk Podcast for free.

Contact Us