LaVine and DeRozan Power Bulls in the East

The Chicago Bulls made a statement with Saturday’s 111-107 road win against the Brooklyn Nets. Zach LaVine (31) and DeMar DeRozan (29) combined for 60 of the 111 points. Kevin Durant led the Nets with 28 points and nine rebounds while the Bulls held James Harden to just 14 points on 5 of 21 shooting, though he also had 14 assists and seven rebounds.

Zach LaVine had 31 points, eight rebounds and six assists one 45.0 percent shooting while DeRozan finished with 29 points, seven rebounds and three assists on 54.0 percent from the field. It’s still early, but LaVine and DeRozan are doing something we haven’t seen being done before: two wing talents rarely work as well and naturally as they are right now.

LeBron and D-Wade had to adjust their games. Remember what people thought Paul George and Kawhi Leonard would be? LaVine and DeRozan are that. This is where fluidity, instincts, versatility and pure hooping is key. They are a threat from every spot on the floor and have that fire in their step. Both players take pride in cooking their opponents. It’s beautiful stuff. You add this to what Chicago has around them (Lonzo Ball, Nikola Vucevic, Alex Caruso, Ayo Dosunmu  and Billy Donovan’s coaching) and this team is a legitimate threat to win it all.

 “If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best,” DeRozan said after the game. “We’re just going to keep coming,” DeRozan added. “We’re learning not to get down on ourselves if we’re missing shots. We’re learning a very critical part of the game is to stay level-headed and to stay balanced. There’s a lot of time in the game for things to turn over. Stay the course. That’s what we do.”

“The greatness that DeMar displays each and every night in those crunch-time situations, to be able to witness what he’s doing on such a high level, making tough shot after tough shot while also being a leader just shows the type of person he is,” Ayo Dosunmu said.