"Moving like 2018 LeBron James": Zach Lavine explodes for 51 points in loss to Pistons as NBA fans feel pity on Bulls star

Chicago Bulls All-Star Zach Lavine had a monster bounce-back game on Saturday, exploding for 51 points against the Detroit Pistons. Fans, however, still felt sorry for him as all his efforts went down in vain as the Bulls lost, 118-102.

Fans made their thoughts known on social media, highlighting how tough it was for the explosive wing player to have his career game come in a loss.

Here are what some of the fans had to say:

@samiichels wrote: 51 in a loss? He’s moving like 2018 LeBron James

@GzaOnAir wrote: Great, where’s the rest of the offense tho….

@noahpbates wrote: A career night for Zach in a double digit loss to an inferior team would sum up this team better than I ever could.

@YabuddyRed wrote: Get that man some help!!

@FieldsSzn69 wrote: Nice that he came to play, where is everybody else!

@Comxthzine wrote: MAYBE TRY WINNING THE GAME

@T_Raffety wrote: Happy for Zach but he’s the only one on the team tryna win tonight

@SIaytype wrote: Doesn’t even matter other guys don’t wanna step up, and win the game.

Prior to his scoring explosion against Detroit, Zach Lavine, 28, put up just eight points in their 104-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday as he struggled with back problems.

While scoring 51 points, the former UCLA player went 19-of-32 from the field and 7-of-13 from beyond the arc in 37 minutes of play. He also finished with four rebounds and a steal. DeMar DeRozan followed with 20 points, two rebounds and four assists.

Lavine’s latest scoring output is a new career-high, eclipsing the 50 he scored against the Atlanta Hawks on April 9, 2021. The loss, meanwhile, dropped the Bulls to a 1-2 record in their first three games of the new NBA season.

Zach Lavine reiterates need for the Bulls to show results this season to validate Big 3 with DeRozan and Vucevic

Two-time NBA All-Star Zach Lavine highlighted the need for the Chicago Bulls to show significant results this season to validate their ‘Big 3’ of DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic.

In the upcoming NBA season, the three All-Stars will play their third season together in Chicago. However, after joining forces in the 2021-22 season, they have been a marginal playoff squad, with only one playoff appearance to their credit in 2022.

That, according to Zach Lavine, needs change in the coming season if they are to persuade management and Bulls fans to keep their core together.

He said during media day earlier this month:

“For how explosive we are as individually, it hasn’t been shown as a unit. So we have to do a better job with that, and it’s been 3 years of it. It’s time to put pen to paper and actually see some results.”

Check out what he had to say below, beginning at 36:14:

In three games so far this season, the Bulls have been shaky, going 1-2, with their lone win a narrow 104-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday