Chicago Bulls' "Big Three" ready to take on the responsibility of carrying a full load

It's time for LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic to turn the Bulls' season around.

© David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA is a star-driven league. This means the fate of NBA teams generally hinges on the performances of their star players. The Chicago Bulls are no different, as fans rely on their Big Three - Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic - to carry the full load this season.

So far, Chicago has failed to live up to lofty expectations and stands in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a 10-14 record. However, could the "Big Three's" stellar performance against the Washington Wizards earlier this week bode well for the team's future?

Big scoring night from the trio

For the first time this season, LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic scored at least 25 points each—Deebo led the way with 27 in the Bulls' 115-111 victory over the Wizards. DeRozan said their teammates had encouraged him, LaVine, and Vucevic to be more impactful, and against Washington, they delivered.

"That's been a conversation of late," DeRozan shared. "Our teammates have been encouraging us to do that; they've kind of been on us, just telling us it's on us three to carry this thing, and they're going to be behind us. Tonight we tried to be assertive and prove that point, and we played well."

DeMar on the big 3 stepping up pic.twitter.com/mZFmDLbqL9

— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) December 8, 2022

Can the "Big Three" continue to shine?

The Bulls are a top-heavy squad. Beyond their high-scoring trio, the numbers significantly drop off, with Ayo Dosunmu being the next double-digit scorer with 10.2 points per game. Beyond that is a sea of role players and journeymen, who are all vital to the team's success but won't be expected to carry the load every night.

The Bulls will look to their Big Three - LaVine, DeRozan, and Vucevic - to continue this impressive level of play. 

LaVine and DeRozan should be able to keep their scoring rate up, and Vucevic is a consistent double-double threat every night. The Bulls have already seen what their Big Three can do when they're firing on all cylinders, and if they can replicate this performance in the future, the Bulls could make their way up the Eastern Conference standings.

Been waiting! pic.twitter.com/laTXIyFfOL

— Bulls Talk (@NBCSBulls) December 8, 2022