Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls had a fine performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder recently, dropping 41-points. The only problem is that the Bulls lost that game, and frustrations are expected. In fact, there was one instance where the 24-year-old appeared so pissed that he sent some sweet nothings the way of head coach Jim Boylen.
With the game beyond reach, it appeared LaVine was miffed at something. If his lips are to be ready, the 6-foot-6 guard appeared to be telling Boylen that he had 40 f**kin points. What Boylen was telling him and the rest of the players on the floor was unsure but it may have not been something proper at the time. Boylen has been known to push his players hard but the timing may have been off. Could he have lost track of the score or wanted the Bulls to keep on competing? Was there something LaVine was not doing well and he was simply pointing it out?
"I have f***** 40 points!" Zach LaVine yells at Jim Boylen as Shai shoots free throws pic.twitter.com/KlBVeRM5Jk — ClutchPoints NBA (@ClutchPointsNBA) February 26, 2020
Either way, Boylen is in the headlines again, and it comes to no surprise. Some have criticized his military-like approach, pushing players to work harder to get the Bulls better, Yahoo Sports reported. To his credit, his efforts have paid off in a way considering the Bulls are undermanned. Despite a depleted lineup, Chicago finds itself at 11th spot with a 20-39 recording in the NBA Eastern Conference. But then again, they are unlikely to advance to the next round once more.
Regardless, Boylen deserves some credit for getting the Bulls this far with an injury-plagued roster. His future remains uncertain, with Chicago expected to evaluate and likely to overhaul personnel. That could include a new head coach if the Bulls players are not responding well to his tactics.
As most know, the Bulls are planning to change management this summer. Gar Forman is likely to be replaced as general manager, meaning there is a big possibility that Boylen could be out as well, NBC Sports reported. Chad Buchanan, the current general manager of the Indiana Pacers, is reportedly a potential replacement to Forman.
If his NBA win-loss record is to be used as part of his evaluation, Boylen has 17 wins and 41 losses in his first season. Though he has been at the helm for only about a year, it will be interesting if Bull's management keeps him beyond this season or gives him another chance in the 2020-21 NBA season. But if players don't like his style, it won't be surprising if he joins the growing list of coaches getting axed after the 2019-20 wars.
