The Chicago Bulls you see today are a far cry from the team that started the season. At 25-25, the team has been rising above and below .500 and finding ways to stay afloat in a weak Eastern Conference. The team just wrapped up its annual ice show trip, going 3-3 while being away from the United Center for nearly two weeks.
In October, the Bulls were considered Championship contenders, but after losing former MVP Derrick Rose for the second consecutive season and trading away former All-Star Luol Deng, the team is just hoping to finish the season with it remaining players healthy.
However, don’t tell the Bulls that and certainly not head coach Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau’s “more than enough” motto has gotten the best out of the players and relies heavily on the team’s second ranked defense.
Jimmy Butler and Kirk Hinrich are above average on-ball defenders while Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson provide hard-nosed defense and solid rebounding.
One may look at the roster and wonder where the scoring is going to come from but the team’s play mirrors its city which prides itself on being a hard working, tough, blue collar town.
It’s tough to imagine where the team would be without the addition of D.J. Augustin. Since joining the Bulls in mid-December, Augustin is averaging 13.9 points and 5.7 assists while shooting 41 percent from the field. Augustin has also had five games with 20+ points. He has added a much needed spark to a team that is very thin at the point guard position.
The emergence of Gibson and the All-Star play of Joakim Noah has allowed the Bulls to quietly keep exceeding expectations. It also seems the team has finally shook the injury bug that had been plaguing them since early on in the season.
Don’t look now, but the Bulls are only one game behind for third place in the East and even without Rose they would be a tough out in the playoffs!
