Bulls’ Zach LaVine is not thrilled with his analytics department

INDIANAPOLIS – Zach LaVine will play good soldier for now.

If the Bulls’ analytics team wants him to either shoot only threes or attack the rim each possession, all but forfeiting a mid-range game that the guard really embraces as part of his repertoire, so be it.

Let them pound on their calculators and make their little colored pie charts for the time being. LaVine will go with the program. That is, until it’s time to push back on the program.

“I know … ain’t this crazy,’’ LaVine told the Sun-Times on Friday, when asked about his mid-range game being grounded.

According to LaVine, the organization’s numbers department is convinced that his mid-range game has to go away. For how long? LaVine wasn’t sure. Maybe it’s just a preseason thing or maybe it’s just until the new up-tempo offense finds its legs. Either way, LaVine feels like it’s killing an already “lost art.’’

“I mean I grew up being a Michael Jordan, Kobe [Bryant] fan,’’ LaVine said. “I know that some of the greatest scores in NBA history were mid-range, mid-post guys. It’s sad to see it be pushed to the side. I mean Carmelo [Anthony] is one of the greatest scorers ever, but he’s out of the NBA right now somewhat because the analytics don’t want mid-range twos.

“I think it takes away a little bit of the skillfulness and it takes away some of the weaponry. But I’ll tell you this, there’s still guys in the NBA – and I think I’m one of them – that can still get it done.’’

Through the first two games of the preseason – LaVine didn’t play in Friday’s game against Indiana – LaVine has followed orders.

Of his 29 combined shots, only two have been mid-range.

Analytics bloggers – many of whom try and use the numbers as their access into the locker room far too often – love to call this the “modern NBA.’’ LaVine laughed at that phrase.

“I’ll one-up [the analytics guys] – the best mid-range shooter in all the NBA played for Golden State – Kevin Durant,’’ LaVine said. “Playoff basketball will show … I mean guys like DeMar DeRozan or C.J. McCollum, I mean [McCollum] killed Denver [in the playoffs last year] because he got into his mid-range.

“Playoff basketball [defenses] are eliminating the threes, they become tougher shots, so you want to get to a shot where you know you can make it and you worked on it. I think the mid-range is a lost art now because everyone is moving towards the threes and the analytics. I understand that because how it looks and how it sounds like it makes sense, but sometimes there’s nothing better than putting the ball in your best play-maker’s hands and letting him get the shot he needs rather than the one you want.’’

Blame the Houston Rockets.

Last season, the Rockets had the lowest usage percentage of shots both 16-24 feet (2.53 percent) and 8-16 feet (7.12 percent), while leading the NBA with a 51.74 percent from beyond 24 feet. Houston’s average shot distance was 15.11 feet.

The Bulls were 21^st from 8-16 feet (14.31 percent), 19^th from 16-24 feet (10.05), and the average shot distance was 11.90 feet, which was last in the league.

Of course the Bulls need improvement, but LaVine also pointed out that Kawhi Leonard was not only an NBA Champion last season, but the series MVP. And his mid-range game destroyed the Warriors.

That’s why he hopes his analytics department isn’t going overboard.

“It’s a decision we’re going with right now,’’ LaVine said. “When the real games start, if we’re in dire need of a bucket, obviously I know what I’m going to.

“Obviously, I’m going to take a mid-range or an isolation when I need to, especially if I’m hot.’’