Bulls' Zach LaVine Responds to Jim Boylen's Critical Comments Regarding His Defense

The straight-forward and no-nonsense style of coaching employed by Jim Boylen has been tough to acclimate to for Chicago Bulls players, and hasn't translated to much success on the court.

Zach LaVine had some passive-aggressive comments towards his coach after the Bulls loss to the Miami Heat on Friday night. Boylen pulled LaVine for a brief stint early on in the game, for apparent lack of energy on defense.

Told that Boylen said he made "3 egregious defensive mistakes," LaVine said: "Zach LaVine got 13 points scored on him, I guess. Or was it the starting 5? I don’t remember. I thought I was trying to do my job out there."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 23, 2019

Boylen alleges that LaVine made three separate mistakes, to which LaVine didn't have the most appreciative response.

The losses for the Bulls keep adding up, who have slipped to 5-11 on the season, with dreams of landing in the NBA playoffs slipping away already. Fans in Chicago have had to watch their franchise be writhed in turmoil ever since Derrick Rose's first knee injury, and Boylen seems to have only added fuel to the fire.

Bulls lost! ? to those that didn’t see the game, I know it says we lost by 8, but don’t be fooled. we was gettin’ Captain CRUNCHED whole time! ? #chicagobulls
— Chicago Bulls fan, thru thick & thin! ?? (@RamajEroc) November 23, 2019

Boylen prides himself on defense, and has been quick to pull LaVine out before, at least according to the guard. However, the Bulls' defense may not be a single player problem, as the Bulls give up 110.2 points per game, which is good for eighth in the Eastern Conference. Boylen's habit of pulling players likely isn't a solution to the problem, and LaVine's comments reflect that viewpoint.

LaVine does seem resolute on making it work in Chicago, stating that he has to "take it all in stride." However, at some point, a team's best player and coach need to be on the same page for success to occur. And in Chicago, that just doesn't seem to be the case.