In that world, we find a Bulls team that has exceeded expectations without Derrick Rose. You'll find a short list of people who expected them to be 30-22, fifth in the East and 1 1/2 games out of first in the Central, at the break. For a team that was more about cutting salary than finding a way to stay competitive as Rose recovered from ACL surgery, things aren't that bad.
Let's begin with the All-Stars. Luol Deng is the offensive heart of a team that continues to rely on defense as its main weapon. He's a quiet leader, but without him, the Bulls wouldn't be in a lot of games. If he leads by example, Joakim Noah leads by emotion. His presence is most felt because he lets everyone know when he's on. In the middle of the best season of his career, Noah's defensive intensity has made him a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year while putting up points well above his career scoring average. Averaging a double-double for the year, the only thing that could stop Noah is the recent plantar fasciitis he has developed. Deng may do what he's being paid to do, but when Noah gets energized, so does the rest of the team. If Rose is unable to return this year, these two will have to continue to split leadership duties.
Carlos Boozer is doing a fantastic job himself. While he's still not playing up to the contract he signed in 2010, he hasn't had a better year in a Bulls uniform. That's the best way to describe a season when he's one of the league leaders in double-doubles. I wouldn't say he's an All-Star snub, but he merited consideration and might have made it had either Deng or Noah's seasons been subpar. Rip Hamilton continues to showcase himself as one of the better shooters around. He can't do much anymore with an older body, but shooting is why the Bulls signed him a year ago. If he gets going, not much can be done to stop him. Kirk Hinrich's return has been rather successful. He leads the team in assists, though his shooting remains suspect at times. However, that's not likely to change as he's not getting any younger. Like Hamilton sticks to shooting, Hinrich should worry more about passing in order to make this team work. Returning from his recent injury should provide a boost to a club that has slumped since he went down at the start of February.
The revamped bench doesn't have the persona of the original Bench Mob, but that's not why these players were brought in. Nate Robinson has proven to be its best scorer and has even ascended to third on the team in that category. If he needs to start or provide energy, he's sure to bring what he needs almost every time he's called. After gaining Tom Thibodeau's trust, Marco Belinelli brought the long ball and will usually deliver when he's open. As long he gets the opportunity to play, you can count on him to step up. Some question whether Taj Gibson has truly performed up to expectations as the bench's most tenured member and I'll say he has. He's not a flashy player by any means, but he fits the Thibodeau mantra of grabbing boards, getting close buckets and playing tough defense. The most recent addition to the regular rotation, Jimmy Butler, has developed earlier than expected and will stay on his man defensively while providing an offensive spark at times. His game will continue to develop in the second half as he builds on what I think will be a successful NBA career.
Marquis Teague has shown flashes of a being a good player, but as Thibodeau likes to do, he doesn't feel the need to call upon the rookie every night. Teague will continue to give good minutes this year, but like Butler last year, we might have to wait until next season before he does anything especially meaningful. Daequan Cook has been a decent recent addition, filling the role of a veteran who is best off giving you a boost every now and then. Expect him to log more minutes down the stretch when the veterans need a rest before playoff time. Not much can be said about Nazr Mohammed or Vladimir Radmanovic. Mohammed has been disappointing in limited minutes while Radmanovic barely plays. Many wonder if they'll even survive the end of the season and it wouldn't shock me if one them didn't.
Thibodeau continues to face criticism that he's riding his regular players too hard on game night. People are worried there won't be enough left in the tank for a deep playoff run if he doesn't back off a little. I stand by my view of sticking with his philosophy because you're not going to change the way he operates, nor does I think he knows any other way. If it turns out to be a mistake on his part, he'll learn from it. Whether he chooses to carry such new found knowledge over into his job won't be seen until it happens. All of this may not happen for another year or two, when Rose returns and the Bulls are (hopefully) completely healthy.
I made my opinions on the Rose situation clear a couple of posts back, so read that if you really want to know. I will say that the Bulls have been prepared to proceed without him from the beginning of the season, so that approach should not change. They sit fifth in the East now and regardless of whether the former MVP returns, this group can still earn home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They just have to get out of their recent funk and keep pace with Indiana. It's nice to get home-court in the first round. A little insurance by winning the division would be even better. The Bulls are equipped and they'll work hard to make it happen.
The second half of the season begins tomorrow against the New Orleans Hornets. Right out of the gate, remind the soon-to-be Pelicans that they're still the Hornets and this is a season they're willing to forget. Get hot and don't let up.
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