Is Zach Lavine playing tonight against the Indiana Pacers? | 2021-22 NBA season

Zach LaVine and the Chicago Bulls visit the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis to take on the Indiana Pacers tonight. They are coming off an overtime loss against the Toronto Raptors so we can expect them to play with added motivation against a hapless Pacers team.

After starting the season 26-10, the Bulls have lost nine of their next fifteen games. Despite all the injury woes and losing streaks, they are still first in the East with a 32-19 record. They have had several players in and out of the lineup, but coach Billy Donovan has done a tremendous job keeping the team afloat this season.

DeMar DeRozan and LaVine have both made NBA All-Star teams this season. It is DeRozan’s fifth selection while it is LaVine’s second All-Star team in a row.

LaVine is the second-leading scorer on the team, averaging 24.7 points per game along with 4.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds a night. Hence, the fans in the Windy City want to know the status of their star shooting guard.

What is Zach LaVine’s status for tonight’s game against the Indiana Pacers?

Zach LaVine is officially listed as questionable for the game due to a spasms in his right midback. He has missed a total of seven games this season due to a variety of issues, including one stretch where he missed five in a row. The Bulls went 1-4 in that stretch. He was listed as probable against the Toronto Raptors but ended up playing 42 minutes that night.

Another reason for concern is that LaVine isn’t the only one on the Chicago Bulls injury report. He is joined by Coby White, who was also listed as questionable due to a strained right adductor. Additionally, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, Patrick Williams and Derrick Jones Jr. all continue to be sidelined for the foreseeable future due to their respective long-term injuries.

The Chicago Bulls’ season might be in jeopardy if LaVine keeps popping up on injury reports. He is the only reliable scoring option for the team other than DeRozan.

When will Zach LaVine return?

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Even if LaVine doesn’t play in this clash, he is expected to return on February 6th for the back-to-back game homestand against the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns. He played last night against the Raptors so the Bulls can rest him and help him recover by avoiding the backend of the back-to-back road trip.