Imrem: Next up? A true test for Bulls
OK, gentlemen, start your engines and show us what's really under that hood.
The Bulls have won three straight games against suspect competition under dubious circumstances.
The latest victory was a 104-86 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night in the United Center.
Next the Cavaliers come to town. Now a rejuvenated LeBron James is LeBron James again. Thursday the Cavs will be the test the Bulls need.
For the first time in more than a month, Mike Dunleavy was back in the lineup against the Kings and the Bulls were whole for a change.
Well, at least they were until Jimmy Butler aggravated his shoulder and missed the second half.
Butler is scheduled for an MRI on Wednesday, and head coach Tom Thibodeau said, "Hopefully he'll be better."
Thibodeau has pointed out occasionally that the Bulls haven't been healthy for most of the season.
Normally it's considered bad form for a coach to say something like that. It sounds too much like an excuse instead of a reason.
But it's true. The Bulls rarely have had their starting five intact this season.
The way Thibodeau and the Bulls talked about Dunleavy's absence sounded like he was LeBron Dunleavy.
Dunleavy is one of those glue guys Thibodeau loves, someone who moves the ball and moves without the ball and can connect on a 3-pointer if he winds up with the ball.
Ironically, Dunleavy committed 2 early fouls against the Kings and played only six minutes in the first half.
Just as ironically, Dunleavy's absence demonstrated what it means for the Bulls to be at full strength.
Instead of starting, Tony Snell came off the bench to hit all 5 of his field-goal attempts and score 13 points in the first half. Then Snell took over for Butler, played a total of 41 minutes and finished with 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting.
"Very good," Thibodeau said of Snell's confidence. "He's taking good rhythm shots."
Unless Butler's injury sidelines him, Thibodeau finally will have a place for each of his players and each of his players in his place.
Depth is supposed to be a Bulls strength, and it certainly looked that way against Sacramento. The Kings aren't good, but the Bulls' home record was 13-11 coming in with several losses to inferior competition.
The Bulls have been scrambling to stay relevant in the NBA East through Derrick Rose's comeback from knee injuries. Joakim Noah's various ailments, Pau Gasol's deficiencies on defense and Butler's inconsistent offense.
There have been doubts about Rose's agenda, about how long Thibodeau and management can coexist, about whether the Bulls' defense ever will look again like the customary Bulls defense.
Yet the Bulls have held themselves together well enough to post a 33-20 record and 1-game lead in the Central Division. But that slim advantage is over Cleveland, and the Cavaliers are charging hard into the United Center on Thursday night.
Thibodeau doesn't like looking beyond the next game - "When you start looking ahead that doesn't help" - but now the next game is worth the Bulls' attention.
With 29 games left in the regular season, the Bulls have to start indicating what kind of team they'll be in the playoffs.
Thursday night will be a good time to start, and it sure wouldn't hurt if Jimmy Butler isn't hurting.
mimrem@dailyherald.com