The second component of the Chicago Bulls’ “White Foreign Bigman Combo” (better nickname pending still pending), Joffrey Lauvergne, has finally had a good game with them. He was still part of the combo even before then, but that was only because they needed a third dude for the combo. Not because he was any good. Don’t ask my why the combo couldn’t work with only two dudes. I don’t know.
Anyway, I’m sure Bulls fans were expecting a little more from Lauvergne than he has provided so far. Same with Thunder fans, who I think were expecting a way more skilled and stretch-biggy player than they got. There’s something about Denver, man, that makes foreign bigs look better than they really are. Lauvergne is simply another example, as if Jan Vesely wasn’t all the example you needed.
It would’ve been easy to laugh at Fred Hoiberg for the crazy starting lineup of Rondo, Butler, Zipser, Mirotic, and Lauvergne that he put out there, but it worked. I have no idea how it worked, but it did, and the Bulls kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a decisive win over the Pistons. Lauvergne contributed 17 points, by far his best game with his new team. I guess he just needs the confidence from the coaches?