The J-Notes
Fansided

Utah Jazz: Most intriguing individual matchups series – Central Division

By Jared Woodcox

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 07: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball against Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 7, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 07: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz dribbles the ball against Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 7, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 6
Next
SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 17: Zach Lavine #8 of the Chicago Bulls looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 17, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA – MARCH 17: Zach Lavine #8 of the Chicago Bulls looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 17, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Chicago Bulls: Zach LaVine vs. Donovan Mitchell

If you’re looking for a battle between two hyper-athletic shooting guard studs, then the Bulls-Jazz matchup is a great place to start. Albeit on a far inferior team in the weaker Eastern Conference, LaVine posted nearly an identical number of points per game as Mitchell last season at 23.7 (versus Mitchell’s 23.8) while being more efficient from both the field and deep.

LaVine shot 46.7 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from the perimeter while Mitchell went 43.2 percent and 36.2 percent, respectively. Although LaVine hasn’t exactly been known as an ultra-efficiency guy, he actually had a great season in that regard last year, and has been pretty consistent save for his rookie season and first year in Chicago.

He’s also expected to take a major leap this year in what will potentially be a rejuvenating season for a Chicago Bulls squad that has long been at the cellar in the Eastern Conference. With that being the case, Donovan and the Jazz could be in for a tougher battle against LaVine and the Bulls than they’re used to.

However, I believe that much of LaVine’s potential perceived successes compared to Donovan the past two years have come from him playing in a weaker conference and not shouldering the responsibilities Donovan has. In the lone game these two have gone head-to-head against one another in January of this year, Mitchell was absolutely sensational as he dropped 34 points on 45.8 percent shooting compared to LaVine’s 21 on 33.3 percent.

Both are former NBA Dunk Contest winners, so each has the ability to soar over the competition. Nevertheless, while LaVine may have the edge in springy-ness, Mitchell certainly has the edge defensively, an area in which he should only improve and has committed to focusing on more greatly this year. Considering his load on offense should shrink with Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic now in the fold, that feels absolutely plausible.

In other words, these two are both athletic freaks and dynamic scorers that should give fans plenty to ‘ooh and ah’ about whenever they hit the court. Though the Jazz are by far the superior squad as a whole, this individual battle will be a thrilling sight to behold.

Scheduled Contests:

  • 1/2 Utah at Chicago
  • 3/30 Chicago at Utah
Home/Jazz News