Meet the NBA's newest offensive juggernaut: Yes, it's the Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls had an interesting February.
They went 5-5, which isn't great, but a .500 record would be good enough for the seventh seed in the East right now.
They pulled off a major trade on Feb. 6 to acquire Otto Porter Jr. from Washington and went 5-2 in the games he played.
What's fascinating is the Bulls turned into a legitimate offensive juggernaut last month.
A common measure is offensive rating, the number of points scored per 100 possessions. In that category, the Bulls ranked third in the NBA in February, behind Golden State and Houston, according to nba.com.
Somehow the Bulls managed to go from last by a wide margin in December to 26th in January to third in February.
Here are some other significant offensive categories:
The Bulls were 11th in scoring last month at 116 points per game. They were fourth in field-goal percentage (.489), second in free-throw percentage (.848), 10th in free throws made (19.5), tied for fifth in turnover percentage (11.8) and fifth in effective field-goal percentage (.547).
The addition of Porter no doubt helped. Defenses respect his 3-point shot, which opens the floor for the rest of the team. Porter has logged plenty of minutes during his NBA career, so he's able to serve as a veteran influence, even though he's just 25.
After producing 20 points, 3 steals and 3 blocks in Wednesday's 109-107 victory at Memphis, Porter said the left lower leg strain that forced him to the sideline for a game-and-a-half wasn't a problem.
"I feel good, just a little winded," he said, according to bulls.com. "That's how it is when you missed a game in a couple of days. The ball went in. That's all that matters. The shot was feeling good. I had my legs up under me. We got out in transition a couple of times.
"We are growing each and every game. We're trying to build for the future and trying to start something new."
The Bulls' offensive improvement began before the Porter trade, when Lauri Markkanen finally got past his early-season elbow injury. The second-year forward from Finland averaged 26.0 points and 12.2 rebounds in February, impressive since he didn't even shoot well (34.8 percent) from 3-point range.
For context, those numbers put Markkanen in elite company. Three NBA players are averaging at least 26 and 12 on the season: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis.
Markkanen was remarkably consistent, hitting at least 20 points and 9 rebounds in all 10 February games. He scored in the 30s four times.
With Porter on board and Markkanen playing at an all-star level, Zach LaVine seems to have found happiness on the floor. He's getting room to attack the basket, making plays for teammates and picking his spots to launch 3-pointers.
LaVine averaged 24.5 points and 5.8 assists in February, while shooting 53.2 percent overall and 49.0 percent from 3-point range. These also are numbers that would get LaVine to the All-Star Game if the Bulls win with a little more regularity.
Center Robin Lopez also has contributed to the offensive surge, averaging 15.5 points and shooting 64 percent last month.
Lopez used to be known as more of a defensive specialist, but his game has evolved and he's tough to stop one-on-one in the post. It's reasonable to say the Bulls would be better off defensively if rookie Wendell Carter Jr. (thumb surgery) was still playing.
With nothing left to play for, it will be interesting to see if the Bulls can continue this whirlwind offensive improvement in their final 20 games. Porter may not be feeling the warmth in Chicago so far, but he does see a brighter future.
"I'm still getting use to the wind and the coldness, but it's not going to be like that for long," said the St. Louis native after Wednesday's game. "The city is beautiful. I always wanted to be in Chicago when I was younger. It's been great."
• Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls
Bulls game day
Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks, 6:30 p.m. at State Farm Arena
TV: NBCSCH; Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Outlook: Rookie PG Trae Young has been on a tear, scoring 36 points in his last two games. During an OT win over Minnesota on Wednesday, Young added 10 assists and 8 rebounds. For the season, Young is averaging 17.8 points and 7.7 assists. ... Young has not fared well in two games against the Bulls, averaging 9 points, while shooting 16.7 percent from the field. The Bulls won in Atlanta 97-85 back on Oct. 27. The Hawks came back with a 20-point win at the UC on Jan. 23 as PF John Collins exploded for 35 points and hit 14 of 16 shots. ... Tanking doesn't seem to be a high priority for the Hawks, since they've gone 7-9 starting with the win over the Bulls.
Next: Atlanta Hawks, 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the United Center
- Mike McGraw