TORONTO --- Technically, Zach LaVine’s 39 points in the Chicago Bulls’ come-from-behind victory over the Toronto Raptors Wednesday night don’t truly exist since the NBA doesn’t recognize statistics from play-in games.
Play-in games aren’t regular-season games. Nor are they playoff games.
So, LaVine’s 39 points sit in a box score but ultimately slip into the ether.
Except for those who either cheer for the Bulls or work alongside him.
“The first thing is people don’t get a chance to see these guys as intimately as I do. He is a great human being. He’s a great person, a team guy, incredibly unselfish,” coach Billy Donovan said. “I do think that his heart is always in the right place in terms of wanting to do what’s best for the team. And I think to the best of his ability, he tries to read the game and make decisions that are best for the team.
“People can have opinions about anybody. I’m with him every single day and I see where his heart is at.”
Despite two All-Star selections and a max contract, LaVine has been a polarizing figure ever since he came to the Bulls. Some focus on his flaws rather than his talent and work ethic. Others question how much he impacts winning.
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LaVine tunes out the outside noise, but this signature performance should quell some of the doubts. With the Bulls staring at a 19-point, third-quarter deficit, LaVine entered attack mode. He scored 17 points and, according to DeMar DeRozan, helped will the Bulls to the 109-105 victory.
“Amazing. He carried us. He was aggressive, downhill. He put his will on the game and we all followed behind that, offensively and defensively,” DeRozan said. “That’s why he is who he is. It was great. I knew it was coming when I saw his feet start moving fast. When he gets aggressive and gets downhill, nobody can stop him.”
LaVine sank 12 of 22 shots and 13 of 15 free throws. He began his assault with drives but when he sank a heat-check, deep 3-pointer in transition, that’s when his night shifted into overdrive.
“I knew when he took the 3 in transition and made it, he was kind of in his flow,” Alex Caruso said. “That’s what we need from him, to attack and be aggressive. He’s a dynamic player.”
Nikola Vucevic recounted how he saw a Tweet disparaging LaVine and asking when he might finally produce in a big game as he scrolled through the social media app. Vucevic joked that author must feel silly now.
LaVine added six rebounds and three assists and finished plus-11, repeatedly making Raptors defenders look silly with his mixture of athleticism and speed.
“He was assertive and aggressive and very decisive. When he does that, I feel like he’s at his best,” Donovan said. “When he’s not trying to survey and hold the ball and he just goes in attack mode, he’s incredibly difficult to guard. It’s very hard to load up and it enables him to get a lot of different parts of his game in there. He can pass it, stop and shoot it or get to the rim.
“His performance was extraordinary. It gave us life and it gave us hope.”
LaVine long ago put the slow start that defined the early portion of his season in the rearview mirror. Following offseason knee surgery, he sat out the regular-season opener in Miami and missed four of the Bulls’ first eight games as he followed a injury management plan.
Once LaVine got his legs under him and his rhythm back, he has played like an All-Star. He has raised his game to an even higher level after the All-Star break, averaging 27 points on true shooting of 64.9 percent.
“There’s not too many people in this league who have the talent that he has. It feels good just to be able to see him get appreciated,” DeRozan said. “I know how hard he works. I know how much he cares about the game. He’s a helluva person.”
LaVine, sitting alongside DeRozan on the postgame podium, jokingly interjected here, telling DeRozan to not make him blush.
“Nah, it’s just great to see the appreciation that comes because of the talent that he has,” DeRozan said. “I’ve always been a fan of him before I came to Chicago.”
LaVine downplayed the significance of his night.
“Whether I had zero points or 40, I just wanted to help us win the game,” LaVine said. “We did that. It’s move on to the next one and see what we can do there.”
Those points on Friday night won’t technically count, either. But LaVine has arrived as far as a player producing in big moments.