Bulls coach Billy Donovan defensive with Zach LaVine’s improvements

Zach LaVine’s defense has been a point of contention since the shooting guard came over to the Bulls in the Jimmy Butler trade back in 2017.

It’s been an aspect of LaVine’s game that’s had a few good moments, but far too often has left many scratching their heads on why the inconsistency?

The fact that the Bulls entered the season finale sitting against Detroit with the fifth-best defensive rating in the NBA, however, has to say something about where LaVine is on that side of the ball.

Will he ever be a stopper or a guy that can lock the team’s best wing scorer up? Unlikely, but as long as he’s willing to make subtle strides forward in that department that’s just what the Bulls will have to try and embrace.

“The thing that I found with players like that, even having Chris Paul for a year or being around Russell Westbrook, even [Kevin] Durant, there’s always this mentality of I’ve got to find different ways to get better,’’ coach Billy Donovan said on Sunday. “[LaVine’s] body of work over nine years, can you make some small incremental changes? Is he going to reinvent himself and be totally different after nine years? No, but I do think there are avenues and opportunities for him to grow in a lot of different areas.’’

Avenues that LaVine actually opted to venture down a bit more, especially since the second half of the season. The addition of Patrick Beverley may have been a nudge in that direction, but a healthier left knee for LaVine was also a good motivator.

And to LaVine’s credit, it’s also a defense that went through a philosophical change from last year, mostly because Donovan knowing that Lonzo Ball’s availability was going to be a big question mark.

That meant more trapping in the post, and scrambling to close out when the ball gets kicked back to the perimeter. Donovan has asked his defense to not only be great at communication, but willing to hustle in making the right rotations.

On most nights, LaVine has done his best to check those boxes.

“I’ve always felt that he’s a very good individual defender when he’s in a one-on-one situation,’’ Donovan said of LaVine. “I think he’s made a strong commitment to try and be better off the ball. I think he’s fighting harder in pick-and-roll. I do think he’s coming over and helping more, he is rotating and scrambling more, so I feel like he’s made a commitment.’’

LaVine’s defense will be front-and-center on Wednesday, as the Bulls travel to Toronto and take on the Raptors.

In their last meeting back in late February, LaVine often found himself guarding 6-foot-7 forward O.G. Anunoby at the start of the possession. Not the greatest match-up considering both players scored 17 points in the Toronto win, while Anunoby also had eight rebounds and was a plus-16 in plus/minus.

“Our defense this year wouldn’t be where it is at if we didn’t have everybody, all five, trying to work,’’ Donovan said. “It’s really hard to overcome and be good defensively when you’re playing five-on-four. I don’t feel like we’ve had that. All those guys have made a pretty strong commitment to one another, to make the investment necessary to help each other.’’

Mr. 82

For the first time in his 12-year career, starting center Nikola Vucevic can now say he’s had a season in which he started all 82 regular-season games after getting the nod in the finale against the Pistons.

“As you get older you get to know your body more,’’ Vucevic said. “What works for you, what doesn’t. All of those things have helped me come up with a program, routine that works well for me.’’