Bulls return home after uneven road trip
The comfort of home was small consolation for the Bulls.
They practiced at the Advocate Center for the first time in two weeks and will play Toronto on Tuesday in their first game at the United Center in 16 days.
The Bulls have won 10 in a row against the Raptors, but the Bulls' task seems difficult, even with Toronto losing 10 of its last 14 games.
There's a chance Jimmy Butler (heel) could play Tuesday, but Dwyane Wade (wrist), Nikola Mirotic (back) and Paul Zipser (ankle) all appear doubtful.
Coach Fred Hoiberg found both optimism and disappointment in the six-game ice show road trip. The Bulls started out with three quality efforts, then finished with probably their worst three-game stretch of the season.
"It seems like a long time ago that we had that game against Oklahoma City," Hoiberg said after Monday's practice. "That's the message to the guys, we're fully capable of playing good basketball. You have to get off to good starts, take care of the basketball, rebound. It's basics, fundamentals we have to do better if you want a chance to win."
The trip started with an impressive win against the Thunder. Then with Butler sidelined by a bruised right heel, the Bulls turned in a surprising performance before losing in overtime at Houston, then beat Sacramento three days later.
The Kings played well lately. They just finished a six-game homestand that featured victories over Golden State, Boston, Atlanta and New Orleans.
A loss at Golden State was predictable, but the Bulls followed with a disappointing performance in Phoenix with Butler and Wade both in the lineup. The team's two stars sat out Sunday's final stop in Minnesota, which was essentially a wire-to-wire blowout.
" You have to find a way to bounce back, get refocused (for) these two important games before the break," Hoiberg said. "The big thing is getting off to good starts. When we didn't play well on the trip, that was the common theme.
"We turned the ball over and it affected our transition defense. It's about getting back to basics tomorrow, making the easy play, getting back in transition, rebounding."
The Bulls have played well without Butler and Wade a few times this season, but as is always the case, Hoiberg has no idea what to expect from the younger players from game to game.
Point guard Michael Carter-Williams was king of the inconsistent crew on this trip. He averaged 22 points while shooting 63 percent from the field against Houston and Sacramento. During the last three games, he averaged 6.3 points, shot 29 percent and had as many turnovers as assists.
Doug McDermott finished the trip on a high note, hitting 4 of 7 shots from 3-point range at Minnesota. Rookie Denzel Valentine shot 3-pointers well in the D-League, then went 2-for-13 after returning to the Bulls.
The NBA trade deadline is looming on Feb. 23. Bulls management figures to do something, so some of these guys may be in their final days with the team. Typically at this time of year, there's plenty of talk between teams, while things tend to get serious in the final two days before the deadline.
Asked if he'd like to get some help for the roster, Hoiberg stayed loyal.
"I like the guys we have," he said. "Hope to get a couple of them back (this week). If not, get healthy over the break. We had a pretty good rhythm for a stretch."
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Bulls game day
Bulls vs. Toronto Raptors at the United Center, 7 p.m. Tuesday
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Outlook: In one of the great mysteries of NBA life, the Bulls have won 10 straight games against the Raptors, most recently a 123-118 overtime win at the UC on Jan. 7. Toronto's DeMar DeRozan scored 36 points in that game, while PG Kyle Lowry added 27. The Bulls answered with 42 points from Jimmy Butler and 20 by Dwyane Wade. The Raptors have been slumping, with a 4-10 record since Jan. 18. The problem has been blown leads and lack of support for the two stars. On Sunday, Toronto held a 16-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, only to lose at home to Detroit 102-101. C Jonas Valanciunas has played well lately, averaging 18.8 points in the last five games. Super sub Patrick Patterson has missed the last five games with a knee injury.
Next: Boston Celtics at the United Center on Thursday, 7 p.m.
- Mike McGraw