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CHARLOTTE, North Carolina – Zach LaVine proves he can be an elite goalscorer in the NBA.
But what Bulls coach Billy Donovan loves most about the seven-year veteran is that he elevates the game of others and helps his team win.
LaVine, who established himself as Chicago’s main scoring option, continued his solid and balanced game with 25 points, nine assists and six rebounds to lead the Bulls to a 123-110 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. .
“I think he understands that he has to raise the level of the team’s play,” Donovan said. “The sign of a great player is a player who improves everyone around them and I thought he had made some really good passes and the guys looked open. Everyone knows he can Can he raise the group around him?
LaVine, who had averaged 32.2 points in his previous five games, converted on 8 of 12 shots from the field and made all six fouls. He made the right plays on several occasions, preparing his teammates for open looks while executing the break and distributing assists.
“Kind of, I understand that over the past three years you can’t go it alone,” LaVine said. “I think I took a step in the right direction this offseason looking at how I can help my teammates improve. Confidence and having healthy guys helps a lot. … I’m trying to read the game. We make a lot of open planes, so it’s been good. “
Lauri Markkanen had 23 points and Coby White added 18 points and eight assists as the Bulls won their third in a row.
“We all know he can score, but he does a good job of getting the others involved,” Markkanen said of LaVine. “He’s doing a really good job everywhere.”
Gordon Hayward scored 34 points for the Hornets and Devonte Graham had 24 points, a season high, including 22 in the first half. But the Hornets made 20 turnovers, leading the Bulls to 26 points, as they lost their fourth in a row.
Hornets coach James Borrego has said he needs more production than he is getting from Hayward.
“Saying ‘Gordon, is going to save us every night from start to finish,’ that’s not what we’re looking for,” Borrego said. “Other guys have to step up and play better.”
The Hornets watched most of the game before narrowing the lead to six to four minutes remaining. But Markkanen slammed an inside feed from Thaddeus Young and LaVine buried a 3 point pointer from the left wing to push back the lead to double digits.
SHARE THE BALL
The Bulls finished with 33 assists.
“I think we’re doing a good job sharing the ball and looking openly,” said Markkanen.
THE RETURN OF ZELLER
Hornets center Cody Zeller was back on the ground after missing the last four games with a broken bone in his left hand. Zeller didn’t start, played 11 minutes and scored five points and had three rebounds.
Sometimes he looked out of sync with his teammates.
“To move forward I have to figure out the rotations and what is best for our ball club,” Borrego said. “It was good to find him on the floor.”
TIP INS
Bulls: Shooting 57% and scored 38 points in the paint in the first half. … Held a 46-20 bench advantage. … Reserve Otto Porter had 13 points and eight rebounds.
Hornets: Shot 7 out of 32 (21.9%) at 3 points. … Had 14 turnovers in the first half.
NEXT
Bulls: Host LeBron James and the Lakers on Saturday night.
Hornets: Face the magic in Orlando Sunday night and again Monday.
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