The Bulls hit the midseason mark Saturday, playing host to the Spurs in an attempt to post their first three-game winning streak since April 2007.
The 41st game seems an opportune time for reflection, given that the Bulls have lost to the league’s worst team and beat the league’s best in the span of just six days.
Last Saturday’s home loss to the Thunder and Thursday’s stirring victory over the Cavaliers — both overtime affairs — underscore what rookie coach Vinny Del Negro has said all along about his team: It’s unpredictable.
Even unpredictability can be analyzed, so here’s a look at the new and the old as the Bulls chase the playoff spot they currently sit one game outside of over the season’s second half.
The new
Derrick Rose: The rookie played 40 games in college for Memphis last season, so Saturday will mark new territory. And Rose has handled new territory well all season.
Yes, he needs defensive improvement. And, yes, his offensive numbers have dropped each month thus far. But as Wednesday’s 17-point fourth quarter in Toronto and Thursday’s three-point play in overtime prove, Rose has an extra gear that’s unique.
Expect that to get better as he gets even more experience, even though opponents clearly are making him their defensive focal point.
“Teams are playing him differently, trying to get the ball out of his hands,” coach Vinny Del Negro said. “They also switch him and try to take away his penetration. I think he’s handling everything well.”
And this is telling: While his scoring average has dropped from 18.9 points in November to 16.3 points in December to 14.9 points in January, his assists average has jumped from 6.1 to 6.2 to 7.0.
Del Negro: For the most part, Del Negro hasn’t shied from holding players accountable with playing time. He hasn’t been afraid to bench players without being permanently punitive, putting them back on the floor for another chance next game.
Subtly, too, he has shortened his rotation since Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich returned from injury, playing just nine players in the last two games. If that’s a sign of Del Negro no longer trying to please everybody, it’s a good thing because that’s impossible in the NBA.
Some of Del Negro’s in-game decisions can be questioned, and it’s nice to see the offense move beyond a high screen-and-roll the last two games. He has remained upbeat and communicative with players.
“I try to stay grounded in terms of every day trying to figure out ways to get the guys to learn something,” he said. “That’s the way you build.”
Hinrich and Deng: OK, so one is a sixth-year guard and the other a fifth-year forward. But they have regained the identity each carried before last season’s train wreck — at least for the three games since returning from injuries.
Hinrich has averaged 9.3 points on 52.9 percent shooting with 4.7 assists and clearly has added intensity at the defensive end.
“Sitting and watching, I wanted to bring energy,” Hinrich said.
Deng is averaging 17.3 points and nine rebounds on 48.5 percent shooting in his last three games.
“I think it’s a combination of his health and also things we’re running offensively,” Del Negro said. “We’re getting him off slices and cuts.”
The old
Bad defense: The Bulls rank 24th in allowing 102.5 points and 19th in surrendering 45.6 percent shooting. They allow far too much dribble penetration and often are slow on rotations.
The decent job they did against LeBron James, who said he was ill and missed shots he normally makes, shows this area can improve. But it’s going to take trust, communication and more effort.
Inconsistent big men: Tyrus Thomas once again whetted the appetite with a 15-point, seven-rebound and four-block effort against Cleveland. Yet every time it appears the third-year forward has turned the corner, he hits a wall. Witness his three-point, two-rebound effort Saturday against Portland.
Noah’s minutes have dropped considerably the last three games. When he and Thomas bring energy consistently, they change the team’s dynamic because of their length and athleticism.
An unhappy Larry Hughes: If the veteran guard isn’t moved by the Feb. 19 trade deadline, don’t be surprised to see him distanced from the team a la Tim Thomas a couple of seasons ago. There clearly is no future here for Hughes, who played well and unselfishly earlier this season but now is completely out of the rotation and wants to start.
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kcjohnson@tribune.com
