Bulls showing some real progress in December
Regular readers already know I disagree with the popular notion the Bulls have underachieved this season.
Quick recap: Their top scorer is a college one-and-done who has never played for a team that won more than 31 games. Two other starters are 22 and 20. There's only one guy on the active roster (Thaddeus Young) who has any meaningful playoff experience and he typically doesn't play in crunchtime.
Add in the fact they've gotten next to nothing from Otto Porter, who was supposed to bring a veteran presence to the lineup, and that's not a recipe for success in the NBA. Not even close.
Never in the history of the NBA has this type of roster had success, yet the Bulls were supposed to hit the ground sprinting for a playoff spot.
Even the most ardent Jim Boylen haters should be ready to admit the Bulls have done a nice job of showing some progress in recent weeks. With Saturday's win at Detroit, the Bulls are now 6-5 in December and they could actually slide into eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings by beating Orlando on Monday, if Charlotte also loses at Boston on Sunday.
"We're a tough team, we're resilient," Zach LaVine said, according to bulls.com. "We've obviously given up some late leads. It's a learning process and we're getting better at it."
The main catalyst to this recent improvement is Kris Dunn, just like it was two years ago. The Bulls badly needed a veteran presence in the lineup and Dunn was the best fit available. He's only 25, but has been a pro for four seasons and spent four years in college at Providence. That qualifies as a basketball elder on this roster.
After Saturday's game, Boylen pitched Dunn for NBA defensive player of the year. That's a longshot, no doubt, but not unreasonable considering how Dunn has been able to create poor shooting nights from opponents and turn the Bulls' defense into one of the league's best.
In the 12 games since Dunn joined the starting lineup, the Bulls rank second in the league in defensive rating and sixth in opponents' field-goal percentage. They've led the league all season in forcing turnovers and rank high in contesting 3-point shots. Clearly, there's some good teaching going on at the Advocate Center.
The Bulls' individual stats have looked more like what was projected at the start of the year since Dunn stepped into a starting role. LaVine is averaging 26.1 points, Lauri Markkanen 17.6, center Wendell Carter Jr. is at 10.5 points and 10.0 rebounds. Both LaVine and Markkanen are shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range.
Denzel Valentine has been another positive addition to the rotation. He's the team's fifth-leading scorer (8.7 points) in the past 12 games and, like Dunn, is a fourth-year pro who spent four years in college.
"We're starting to figure out who needs the ball in the fourth quarter and let them make the plays; then collectively just go out there and be us," Dunn said after the Detroit game. "Get stops and everything else takes care of itself."
There's still a long way to go, obviously. The toughest part of the Bulls' schedule is in the second half. They'll play Boston and Philadelphia seven times after Jan. 1, and still have to play the top six teams in the West on the road.
But any progress is good progress. The Bulls are a long way from championship contention, but if the eighth seed is within reach, it would be a worthwhile goal, simply because the majority of the roster could get their first taste of the playoffs.
• Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls
Bulls game day
Bulls vs. Orlando Magic on Monday 6 p.m. at the Amway Center
TV: NBCSCH-plus; Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Outlook: The Magic (12-17) is back at home following a four-game Western road trip. Orlando has lost three in a row and six of seven. ... The Magic is back at full strength after losing C Nikola Vucevic and SF Aaron Gordon briefly with injuries. ... SG Evan Fournier is the top scorer at 19.6 ppg, followed by Vucevic (17.4 points, 11.2 rebounds) and Gordon (13.2 points). ... Former overall top pick Markelle Fultz is starting at point guard, backed up by ex-Bull D.J. Augustin. ... The Bulls have won their last three in Orlando, but lost to the Magic in Mexico City last season.
Next: Atlanta Hawks on Saturday 7 p.m. at the United Center
- Mike McGraw