Zach LaVine ready to take the big stage vs. Bucks: 'It's about time' - NBA.com

I know I'm going to be celebrating Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee.

No, this is not a prediction, other than the smile no one can suppress after ordering the Fiserv Forum Sobelman's Fried Pickle Chips and the Mac Shack Pork Belly Burnt-end with onion tanglers. I know; you can just taste it already.

As for Zach LaVine, he can taste the first playoff game in his NBA career.

"It's about time, about time" LaVine said with a smile after practice earlier this week. "I'm excited. I've said this: Everybody's gotta play the cards they're dealt. It just took me a little bit longer than everybody else. And I didn't cop out and go to a different team."

LaVine is more than ready for his first NBA postseason.

Which is perhaps the sixth reason to not only be proud LaVine is with the Bulls—assuming you're a Bulls fan, of course—but that LaVine ignored the frequent NBA norm that is generally called the James Harden Rule to give up and force a trade when your team is doing poorly.

Sure, LaVine did test the market as a restricted free agent after his first season with the Bulls in 2017-18 and got himself an offer from the Sacramento Kings the Bulls matched. But that was as much the Bulls as LaVine since with LaVine coming off knee surgery and the Bulls a desolate 27-55 season, the team apparently wanted to assess the market for LaVine. There was one and the Bulls quickly matched the offer.

And since then despite enduring three head coaches, one of whom seemed constantly trying to force him out, losses in two thirds of his team's games, more than 50 different teammates and having to explain to media after virtually every loss why, the current senior Bull in length of service with the team pushed and became an All-Star and an Olympic gold medal winner.

He was unofficial host for the 2020 All-Star game in Chicago and professed his loyalty to the franchise no matter how the question was worded and whatever the agenda.

All this while earning, or at least suffering, perhaps the least welcome distinction in the NBA.

That was LaVine's tenure as the active NBA leader in most games played without being in a playoff game. Which ends about 5:35 p.m. Sunday in Milwaukee when the Bulls open the first round playoff series against the favored Milwaukee Bucks.

"I think it's going to be extremely intense playing the defending champs in Game 1 at home," acknowledged LaVine.

But he was hardly running from the challenge. Maybe just stepping back into it, as it were, with his famous 3-point shot.

"I think it's going to be the top of the top," said LaVine.

So the "honor" of active leader in games played without being in the postseason Sunday switches to Buddy Hield, now with the Indiana Pacers and much rumored as a trade possibility. So maybe he's next. Hield has played 468 games, 10 fewer than LaVine, who was 13th all-time in most games played without being in the playoffs in his eighth NBA season.

Though it's a designation more from circumstance than craftsmanship.

Tom Van Arsdale is the all-time leader in games played without a playoff appearance.

The all-time leader is Tom Van Arsdale, part of one of the most talented brother combinations in NBA history. He just got stuck on some bad Pistons teams in the 60s and then Cincinnati after they traded Oscar Robertson. It was 12 NBA years and 929 games, three All-Star games and a career average more than 15 per game.

Former Bull Eddy Curry made the top 10 thanks to being a Bull in the early 2000s. And one of the best scorers of his era, Geoff Petrie averaging more than 21 in his career, became a general manager too late for his playing teams.

So Zach drops off that list-to-avoid in one of the most remarkable seasons ever for an All-Star player.

Not so much statistically, though LaVine still finished in the top 20 in scoring at 24.4 per game, which was his fewest in four years. He averaged 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists, both lower than previous seasons. And while his 3-point shooting declined from last season, the 6-foot-5 guard and still high-flying dunker still led the team.

All this playing on a bothersome knee that probably will require some procedure after the season. And though LaVine missed 15 games, he still played his most since his anterior crucial tear in 2017. He's even in the league's top 30 in minutes per game.

LaVine was a true ironman this season, finishing in the top-30 in minutes per game and playing in his most regular season games since 2017.

Which if not remarkable is somewhat unusual in this NBA when players take so much time off for injuries. And at a time when LaVine will be a free agent after the season. Would his value have been less if he just shut down months back? He certainly would have physical approval with the injures he's played with. Though LaVine says he's doing well and anxious to play.

"The time (off for the play-in tournament) has let me get some treatment and stay off it a bit," LaVine explained.

"Obviously, having practices isn't as intense as games. It's been good and I feel pretty good right now. It gets better with rest. Obviously, the more pounding and impact you put on it, it tends to get a little bit more tired, a little bit more sore. I've been going back and forth doing a lot of treatment. I've been at every practice; then staying after for treatment.

"I'm trying to get as close to healthy as I can," said LaVine, ‘get my knee feeling as best as it can with still playing, working out. I feel pretty good right now."

Players should play; LaVine doesn't deserve a medal for doing so.

But what he's also done this season as a teammate has rarely been seen in the NBA. Heck, I don't think I've seen it in the workplace. And definitely not in government.

Zach LaVine, a star and Olympic gold medal winner, basically stepped aside in his contract year to not only do what was best for his team, but to enable an All-Star teammate just joining the team to have his career-best season. And then becoming something of that teammate's biggest cheerleader, running to retrieve the game ball from the officials after a season-high game and becoming the p.a. announcer on the team plane to honor another for the position he once had.

It was LaVine on the team plane thanks to a BullsTV video going on speaker to reveal DeRozan was voted an Eastern Conference starter for the All-Star game. It was LaVine taking on the equipment man duties and tracking down the game ball after DeRozan had his Bulls high 50-point game. Seriously, what co-worker does those kinds of things? Who's more excited for the other guy basically taking your spot in the spotlight?

LaVine has been perhaps DeMar DeRozan's biggest supporter this season.

DeRozan has had a renaissance season and it has been deserved with his excellent play. Though there were many doubters when he was signed last summer because he was, well, doing what LaVine does. How was that going to work? With LaVine clearing a path for DeRozan's game. DeRozan was named a finalist for the Twyman/Stokes best teammate award. Though my vote would be for LaVine. Not that he ever mentions it, but by stepping into the shadows a bit, LaVine probably also lost his chance to be voted to the All-NBA team.

Perhaps he would have fallen back anyway with the knee issues. But missing All-NBA likely keeps LaVine from becoming eligible for the free agent super maximum contract. Certainly, if finances and glory were LaVine's priorities, he could have done much to assure that. But for him it became mostly about team and teammates.

It's why you root for players like Zach LaVine as the kid waiting for Christmas morning and ready to unwrap the gift he's likely thought most about.

"A lot more attention to detail," LaVine related about this week's Bulls work. "Taking more time with each set, plays, players, and really trying to get it right. Getting everybody in the right mind frame to come out there and do what we have to do. We've obviously had a good amount of time off, so we've got to have competitive juices and simulation of games. You can't just walk into a game without playing, so I think it's been good."

LaVine is up to the challenge of facing the defending champs at home.

LaVine hasn't played in the playoffs starting with rebuilding Minnesota and then being traded to the Bulls just when the Timberwolves were on the verge of making the playoffs and did. So LaVine went to watch.

"I've been to Finals games," he said. "I've been to playoff games. Came just to see what the atmosphere is like, to see the intensity, and obviously the physicality is amped up a little bit."

Which everyone expects to see with the Bucks.

"They are physical and try to take away you getting space," said LaVine. "Obviously, me and DeMar are good at what we do and put up pretty good numbers. But it's just a little harder. We're just going to have to do our job a little bit better. With the scoring prowess we have, if one of us gets it going that's a good thing. But this isn't going to be a one-on-one game. We're going to have to beat these guys as a team. They're going to know exactly what we're doing and we're going to know what they are doing. It's who executes their strategy better."

LaVine has a lot to be excited about these days, with his first playoff appearance tipping off on Sunday.

Pizza, fresh baked bread, a heck of a discount, it's almost May, flowers are peeking out, a four-year-old frolicking with his dog, ice cream, the Lakers out of the playoffs (sorry, couldn't resist), Zach LaVine in the playoffs.

Plenty of reasons to smile.

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Zach LaVine ready to take the big stage vs. Bucks: 'It's about time' - NBA.com
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