Bulls trying to get used to the view from atop the East
Now that the Bulls have made their way to the top of the Eastern Conference standings, the next step - for fans and players alike - is to get used to the view.
"It's great. I don't think I've ever been there, unless maybe last year we started 4-0 in Orlando," Nikola Vucevic said. "Maybe we were there for a day or two."
The Magic did start 4-0 last season, but dropped to 15-30 by the time Vucevic was traded. That hunger to reach a new level of success is common among the Bulls.
Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball have never been to the playoffs. Vucevic made a couple of first-round exits in Orlando. Players like Alex Caruso, Javonte Green and Derrick Jones Jr. are playing more significant roles than they have in the past.
DeMar DeRozan had a nice run of success in Toronto, but could never get past LeBron James in the playoffs. While DeRozan spent three years in San Antonio, the names changed in the East.
DeRozan hit just 7 of 13 free throws in Monday's win over Orlando and he provided an interesting video bite by returning to the court and shooting a flurry of free throws, while United Center employees worked around him to make the changeover to hockey.
"We've had so many games lately," DeRozan explained. "Usually I always go back (to the gym) at night, get my rhythm. Make a couple hundred free throws, at least, in between games. But with the back-to-backs the last two weeks, I haven't been able to keep up with my rhythm and it showed tonight. No way I was going to go home feeling comfortable with shooting that."
DeRozan shared his free-throw plan. He likes to shoot in sets of 10, but if doesn't make 10 in a row, the count returns to zero. He estimated he made 250 shots during Monday's postgame routine.
"They say it takes 21 days to create a habit, or something like that, so I try to use that same mentality when it comes to basketball," he said. "So that's kind of how I come up with the 20 and 25, 10 in a rows, consistently do it over and over, the repetition."
When a team's most accomplished veteran demonstrates that sort of work ethic, it's bound to spread throughout the team. That's another benefit of adding DeRozan to a team that sorely needed an established star. He's also been close to the top before with Toronto.
"We can't be satisfied with anything," DeRozan said. "We worked extremely hard, can't take nothing for granted. We understand what's at task and that's to continue to keep getting better. Yeah, we won some games, we're on a winning streak, but we're not satisfied with none of that."
The Orlando game gave the Bulls eight straight wins and also capped a run of six games in nine days. They'll get a chance to breathe, with the next three days off, but the schedule gets serious next week. The Bulls will visit Dallas, host Brooklyn and Golden State, and squeeze in their first rescheduled game against Detroit.
"It's a special feeling to be there," Vucevic said of holding first place. "I think especially for us this early to be able to do it, I think it also gives you a different type of confidence and swag when you go into games.
"We have to understand now that people will be chasing us and they're going to be looking at us differently. So we're going to have to even play at a higher level because now we're the team to beat, because of the standings. But it's fun, man. Winning is just great."
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