Felicio returns to Bulls rotation
Jimmy Butler had an explanation for backup center Cristiano Felicio's recent success, but frankly, it sounds a little far-fetched.
"He's out there lifting, doing 1,000-pound squats in the middle of the season," Butler said after Thursday's win over San Antonio. "I don't understand it, but I guess that's how you elevate the way he does."
OK, maybe Butler exaggerated a little, but he made his point. Through hard work, Felicio has been able to provide good minutes off the bench and throw down a two-handed follow slam against the Spurs.
Felicio delivered his best game of the season on Thursday, with 9 points and 7 rebounds in 18 minutes. He appears to be back in the Bulls rotation after disappearing for the entire month of November in favor of Bobby Portis.
"That was frustrating for me a little bit, because I was working to get in the rotation," Felicio said. "I just kept working and I knew my chance was going to come again and it came in Detroit (on Tuesday). I tried to take advantage of it. I had a solid game there. I'm just trying to stay ready and take advantage of every chance I get.
"I know I'm not going to score a lot, so I'm just trying to play defense, get the putbacks that I can, try to get the guys in good position on the pick and roll."
The 6-foot-9, 280-pound native of Brazil was a pleasant surprise late last season, playing well defensively while displaying an impressive basketball IQ for a rookie.
"He can change the pace of the game when he's out there," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "It was a matter of time before we got him back out there and he certainly has taken advantage of that."
Gasol looks back:
Spurs center Pau Gasol reflected on last year's disappointing Bulls season when he returned to Chicago for the first time Thursday.
"There was a coaching change. That was a big change for the team," Gasol said of the Bulls switching from Tom Thibodeau to Fred Hoiberg. "We did have quite a bit of injuries, once again. So we didn't have much continuity and it was kind of an adjustment season, I feel, for the team, trying to understand what the coaching staff wanted the team to do and the coaching staff trying to understand the personnel and the players.
"So it was a difficult year in that regard. It was hard to get the continuity, the consistency that the team needed to be successful."
When the season ended, Gasol opted out of his contract and joined the Spurs, while the Bulls didn't seem very interested in bringing him back.
Friend of fine arts returns:
One entertaining aspect of Pau Gasol's two seasons with the Bulls was following his night life on Instagram. Gasol spent much of his free time at the Lyric Opera, Chicago Symphony or a local theater and often posed for photos with performers backstage. Last year, legendary tenor Plácido Domingo was Gasol's guest at a Bulls game.
San Antonio is known for its Riverwalk, not the opera or symphony, so how is Gasol dealing with the culture change?
"The truth is every city in every part of the world has its own culture," Gasol said. "You've just got to be able to relate to it and find it and enjoy it. In Chicago, it's a city with a lot to offer in that regard. San Antonio also has its own beauty. I've been to the theater already there. They don't have as much, obviously, as far as productions and pieces and stuff, but it's still great."