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February 5 update: LaVine has been listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the 76ers as he continues to deal with a back injury. The guard is also experiencing lingering pain in his knee, so the Bulls will be cautious with him. The rise of Ayo Dosunmu and consistency of DeMar DeRozan has allowed the team to be extra careful with its guards.
The Chicago Bulls will be without Zach LaVine in Friday’s game against the Indiana Pacers as the shooting guard deals with a back injury. LaVine was originally listed as questionable for the contest and did play through this injury Thursday in an overtime loss to the Raptors.
Zach LaVine is out vs. Pacers, per Billy Donovan.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 4, 2022
LaVine has been dealing with this issue for some time now, but it hasn’t really cost him games. This isn’t the knee sprain that kept him out and sent Bulls fans into a panic, but it’s still a day-to-day issue which will flare up on occasion. With Chicago playing on the second night of a back-to-back set after an overtime game, this seems like the right thing to do for LaVine and the team.
Look for DeMar DeRozan and Ayo Dosunmu to be major factors in the backcourt Friday with LaVine out. Coby White will also be a strong fantasy/DFS play if he does suit up, as he’s dealing with a groin injury.