Billy Donovan calls Zach Lavine's performance against the Houston Rockets one of his best games as a Chicago Bull

In this story:
Zach LaVine is in his eighth season as a member of the Chicago Bulls, so he’s had his fair share of spectacular performances. However, Bulls coach Billy Donovan said his all-around showing in their 124-119 squeaker over the Houston Rockets last Wednesday ranks up with the best games of his career.
All-around impact
LaVine has built a solid reputation as a bona fide bucket-getter, capable of scoring points from anywhere on the court. However, these past few games have seen LaVine show more of other skills outside of scoring. Against the Rockets, he finished with a stat line of 25 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. It was a well-rounded performance that showcased his versatility and impact on both ends of the floor.
“He played an all-around great game, he assisted, he got in and rebounded, and obviously the scoring piece,” Donovan said.
“He’s had a lot of amazing games throughout his career. I don’t know if I can sit here and say it’s the best one I’ve ever seen (from him), but certainly, if you look at the all-around game he played at both ends of the floor, you can put it up there.”
Zach LaVine stuffed the stat sheet 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5yT2Cc5KSU
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 11, 2024
Impeccable timing
Apart from the volume of his stats, what impressed Donovan more was the timing of LaVine’s contributions. With the Bulls trailing by five in overtime, LaVine’s instincts kicked in, and he scored six straight to put his team in for good.
“I give him a lot of credit because he wasn’t totally involved in the game coming down the stretch, but in overtime, he kept his head and made some big plays for us, came up with some loose balls and rebounds, too,” Donovan said.
ZACH LAVINE SINKS A BIG-TIME 3 🎯 pic.twitter.com/zkz1j6GCp3
— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) January 11, 2024
Zach LaVine relishes watching Coby White make a name for himself in the NBA

Stephen Beslic is a writer on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. Stephen played basketball from the age of 10 and graduated from Faculty of Economic and Business in Zagreb, Croatia, majoring in Marketing.