Gonzales: It's all hands on deck and the motivated Bulls are thriving

The circus trip has been replaced by a must-see circus act.

Even without center Nikola Vucevic, an uplifting vibe has accompanied the Bulls through the first three games of their five-city trip to the West Coast, which often casts doom before the first game.

Their victories over the Clippers and Lakers on consecutive nights mark the first time they've beaten both teams at the Staples Center in the same season since December 2011.

But there are greater goals, with a retooled roster motivated by more than just the opportunity to impress in front of their families and friends.

DeMar DeRozan has taken the scoring load off Zach Levine while quelling suspicions about his three-year, $65 million contract.

Fellow free agent Lonzo Ball has distributed the ball unselfishly while applying tight perimeter defense.

And, for all the dazzling dunks and three-point shots, the entire roster has bought into playing effective team defense.

It's been five years since the Bulls were relegated to leaving the United Center for two weeks for a West Coast swing in November to accommodate the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

But these Bulls are doing their part to bury the bad memories that used to haunt Chicago sports teams on past West Coast odysseys.

The 1974-75 Bulls were one game away from reaching the NBA Finals for the first time, only to lose Game 6 at home by 14 points and wear down in the fourth quarter of a four-point loss in Game 7 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena.

Four Bulls starters played 40 minutes in Game 7, and the Bulls were outscored 24-14 in the fourth quarter and made only 28 of 81 field goal attempts.

That wouldn't happen with this season's team, as coach Billy Donovan has used his reserves in a variety of roles. Alex Caruso made his first start Sunday and played a team-high 38 minutes in a 10-point win over the Clippers.

Caruso shot only 2-for-11 from the field, but he limited Paul George to 7-for-25 shooting.

Caruso was treated to a video tribute by the Lakers, his former team, during a timeout. But there was more to celebrate in a festive 18-point win in which the Bulls were never seriously threatened.

DeRozan (38 points), Ball (27) and Levine (26) didn't disappoint their family members and friends who saw them play locally in college. The blowout was so convincing that they didn't need to get worked up after LeBron James was allowed to walk on the court in street clothes to protect Anthony Davis after he was ejected with the Lakers trailing by 20 with 2:20 left in the third quarter.

James has been sidelined for two weeks with an abdominal strain, but the Bulls have adjusted better in a short time without Vucevic, who didn't accompany his teammates on this trip after testing for COVID.

Vucevic's absence has allowed Tony Bradley to receive more playing time. Bradley, another free agent signing, committed two turnovers, missed a dunk as well as a pass from DeRozan in the first five minutes against the Lakers.

But the construction of the Bulls' roster allows them to opt for a smaller lineup (such as the inserting of Caruso on Sunday) and allows them to be better prepared for teams like the Warriors, who schooled them on both ends of the court in a 26-point win Friday.

The return of Coby White gives Donovan another backcourt option, although rookie Ayo Dosunmu has played fearlessly.

They'll face another challenge Wednesday night against the Trail Blazers, who are 6-1 at home. But there's an upbeat mood, even after their flight encountered turbulence after leaving Los Angeles, according to one member of their traveling party.

Chicago fans can recall much worse occurrences on the West Coast, such as the Bears getting blanked by the 49ers in the 1984 NFC Championship Game at Candlestick Park, Michael Jordan breaking his foot at Oakland in 1985, Cubs reliever Les Lancaster forgetting the count before serving a game-winning home run to Robby Thompson in Game 3 of the 1989 National League Championship Series.

And the White Sox losing 27 of 33 games during a seven-year stretch (2001-07) at Oakland.

After Friday, the Bulls won't return to the West Coast until a two-game trip in mid-March. But this current trip might be worth remembering and relishing for a while.

@MDGonzales