Zach Lavine: I'm tired of people talking S- about my defense

[Karate Diop]

Zach... Have a Snickers.

[SerialChiller]

Why is Booker considered his clone? Hes not the athlete Zach is but a better shooter and ill take that in todays NBA. Honestly surprised this poll is even atm.

[BNM]

Lavine is my dark horse MVP candidate.

That's a pretty strange typo. The I and the V are pretty far apart on my keyboard.

[Fantastik_Goat]

Why is Booker considered his clone? Hes not the athlete Zach is but a better shooter and ill take that in todays NBA. Honestly surprised this poll is even atm.

But he’s not a better shooter.

[Hugi Mancura]

I really think Lavine is sooooooooo underrated on this board. People just don't see him regularly and based their opinion mainly on the overall career stats or based on him playing when he was in his first 3 years.

Players who put up good numbers on bad team always get this same treatment, unless you are a player who is hyped (example Lebron/Zion) and rightfully so. If you are 20 win team other teams don't care if your best player scores 20 points in a losing game. Wins matter. But when you are a playoff team other teams start to take you more seriously and putting extra effort to stop your best player, then the scoring gets tougher. If you still can keep up stacking the score board, then you deserve the praise. Lavine has always played on a bad team. It's not his fault because players can't control where they play before they become FA's. No one can carry team to playoffs alone. If this year Bulls finally start to fight for playoff spot, then we might see how much appreciation of Lavine grows. Chicago has the all star weekend and that helps his chance to get there. Now it is on his hands to go there.

[Lalouie]

ugh. two players who don't make a difference
zach is an unlikeable personality, though.
i pick booker

[JayMKE]

At least he cares now! Lavine is talented and a great athlete but has always came off as low IQ. Do I think he's going to turn into a totally different player? I doubt it.

[Cookin Baskets]

I hate talk. Prove it.

To be fair season hasn't started yet so what else is he going to do now other then talk. He can't prove it just yet. Talking is also not valueless and at least he is acknowledging the fact he could do better on defense. Also some advice if you hate talk then don't follow the offseason or preseason because it's pretty much all talking.

[Dez]

ugh. two players who don't make a difference
zach is an unlikeable personality, though.
i pick booker

Based on what?

[Lalouie]

ugh. two players who don't make a difference
zach is an unlikeable personality, though.
i pick booker

Based on what?

i watched him since ucla, i'm not going to sit here and explain it

[Dez]

ugh. two players who don't make a difference
zach is an unlikeable personality, though.
i pick booker

Based on what?

i watched him since ucla, i'm not going to sit here and explain it

He's been nothing but an excellent teammate and professional at Chicago, he's done nothing that would attest that he's unlikable.

[DCRYsing89]

Play D hard then, and study up...

Though taking him over Booker atm still

[GimmeDat]

The extended quote he goes on to talk about how he realizes he has to improve it. He's not just asking for people to stop complaining about it.

Lavine honestly was not a straight up liability last year. He was much improved, the effort was always there, but his rotations and stuff were inconsistent. This preseason he has looked even more impressive. He's not a lazy player, some guys aren't necessarily the most natural on the defensive end, but everything within his control he's going to maximize. I think he'll be average from here on out.

This dude's perception amongst league wide fans severely lags behind his actual ability. The guy is a star.

[SHO'NUFF]

ugh. two players who don't make a difference
zach is an unlikeable personality, though.
i pick booker

What the hell?!?

Unlikeable personality? First time I’ve ever heard that.

[LewisnotMiller]

I think Lavine has slowly improved as he's gone along. Not my sort of player at all, but I don't see any reason to pot him based on the quote.
If he improves on that end this year, he'll continue the slow improvement I see in him. If not, I'll peg him as a windbag.
For now, more power to him.

[LewisnotMiller]

Oh, and re the poll, I went Booker. His shooting, size and playmaking potential are all real. I don't think he'll get there, but it's possible. Call it 5-10%

Whereas I think Levine can become a plus starter and outplay his contract (as a best case) but he'll never be the man on a good team.

[Repeat 3-peat]

The extended quote he goes on to talk about how he realizes he has to improve it. He's not just asking for people to stop complaining about it.

Lavine honestly was not a straight up liability last year. He was much improved, the effort was always there, but his rotations and stuff were inconsistent. This preseason he has looked even more impressive. He's not a lazy player, some guys aren't necessarily the most natural on the defensive end, but everything within his control he's going to maximize. I think he'll be average from here on out.

This dude's perception amongst league wide fans severely lags behind his actual ability. The guy is a star.

We read headlines here at RealGM, not the context of the quote.


I agree with you on your post.

[Johnny Firpo]

"I've always been a good on-ball defender."

No you weren't. And the first step in solving a problem is admitting there is one.

[Ferulci]

Lavine honestly was not a straight up liability last year. He was much improved, the effort was always there, but his rotations and stuff were inconsistent.

Yes he was. I don't know why some Chicago fans try to create that false narrative.
Until February, most analytics showed that he was barely above the Trae Young tier defensively. Did we forget that Klay Thompson litterally broke the 3pt record against him ?

Watch on YouTube

Tell me where the effort was.
And Klay wasn't alone, SG's freestyled on us for the first half of the season.
That being said, He improved during the year from god awul/bottom 5 defender at his position to bad.

[UcanUwill]

Lol... why you got to bring up book?

They had similar flaws and Book is another SG people are waiting on for a defensive improvement. (Same with Wiggins)

Booker and Lavine are much better than Wiggins. Those 2 are actually good.