There’s a reason Billy Donovan felt compelled to use words like “grateful’’ and “appreciative’’ when describing his feelings about the locker room.
That’s because the Bulls coach knows he has asked a lot of his team as they reached the All-Star break.
He’s asked numerous guys to play out of position, often being on the other side of a mismatch, he’s asked rookies and veterans to play heavy minutes, and he’s asked borderline role players to step up and be starters if the injury situation has called for it.
And just because the Bulls finished the first chapter of the season atop or near the Eastern Conference penthouse throughout the 2021-22 campaign, don’t think for a second that Donovan is done asking for a lot.
“I’d like to see what this group can do whole,’’ Donovan said on Wednesday, when looking ahead to the final push.
Something he may actually start seeing.
The team will come out of the All-Star Weekend likely getting healthier with Zach LaVine (left knee) expected back into the lineup, and then Patrick Williams (wrist surgery), Lonzo Ball (knee surgery) and Alex Caruso (wrist surgery) hopefully not that far behind.
Adding veteran big man Tristan Thompson to help with the rebounding and rim protection could prove to be key, especially in dealing with a rough schedule over the final 23 regular-season games.
Even with all that, however, Donovan knows that this group can’t go without being challenged. Especially in the East, where there are a lot of very good teams, but like the Bulls, are trying to get whole and figure themselves out.
Challenging this group has already worked.
After a dismal showing by the starters in a Feb. 7 loss to Phoenix, Donovan looked at the remaining five games leading into the break, saw how winnable they were, and let his players know the difference between championship teams and wannabes.
“Coach kind of set out a challenge for us five games ago, letting us know if you want to be a great team at this point, take on a challenge in closing out this half of the season with the next five games,’’ veteran All-Star DeMar DeRozan said. “We took on that challenge and we were 5-0. Now we can recharge and get close to getting everybody back and come back with fresh minds and fresh bodies and attack this thing.’’
Which hasn’t been an issue for DeRozan.
In a first half of great storylines, whether it was Chicago’s own Ayo Dosunmu or how well executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas flipped the roster from last season, no one’s star has shined brighter than DeRozan’s.
At age 32, he’s not only playing the best basketball of his career, he’s proving to be a legitimate MVP candidate, erasing team and league records.
The latest one he’s still working on? DeRozan surpassed Wilt Chamberlain on Wednesday, now putting together seven straight games of 35-plus points on at least 50% shooting from the field.
But the record he is most proud of? The 5-2 win-loss one over that span.
DeRozan doesn’t just talk about winning, he’s teaching this group winning, in both his words and his actions.
“I’m just completely locked in as soon as I come to work, understanding I want to be able to leave with a win by all means necessary,’’ DeRozan said. “I stand on that and I try to challenge myself every single day no matter how I feel, no matter if I’m having a personal good day or bad day. When I come to work, the only thing that matters is getting a victory. I try to lock in and do whatever I’ve got to do. Lock in and be that positive leader, be an example [in] playing hard and doing what you are there to do, which is compete at the highest level.’’
That’s a mentality Donovan can truly “appreciate.’’
