Backup Grant filled Rondo’s shoes ably
LOS ANGELES — Jerian Grant definitely held down the point- guard spot while Rajon Rondo was nursing a sprained left ankle.
Grant, a second- year player from Notre Dame, made two starts, and the Bulls won both games.
‘‘ I thought Jerian did a great job,’’ coach Fred Hoiberg said before the Bulls’ game Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers. ‘‘ I thought he did a real nice job keeping himself ready, keeping himself prepared for when his name was called, especially in that Portland game. He went out and played with great poise against one of the top point guards in this league in Damian Lillard.’’
That doesn’t mean Rondo wasn’t missed. In fact, Hoiberg again praised him before his first game back against the Clippers.
‘‘ Where you saw we really missed Rajon was in [ the game Thursday against the Utah Jazz],’’ Hoiberg said. ‘‘ Our pace just wasn’t the same. We weren’t getting any easy baskets. That’s what Rajon gives this team — that initial burst up the floor.
‘‘ He’s done a nice job this year of throwing the ball ahead and getting the ball to our wings where we can attack or getting the ball to the post [ to] Taj [ Gibson] or Robin [ Lopez].’’
As far as where rookie Denzel Valentine fits into the backcourt, it seems Grant has moved ahead of him in the rotation.
Getting defensive
The Bulls entered play Saturday ranked sixth in the NBA in points allowed ( 97.8) and 11th in opponents’ field- goal percentage (. 441).
But before they start patting themselves on the back, remember that they were a top- five defense in January of last season before finishing 16th, allowing 103.1 points per game.
What Hoiberg likes about the defense this season is its fight.
‘‘[ The defensive philosophy] is obviously different ideas from everybody on our staff,’’ Hoiberg said. ‘‘[ Assistant] Pete Myers had some successful defensive teams in Golden State. [ Assistant] Jim [ Boylen], that’s what he’s done over the course of his career with different teams. . . . Just some different things that the staff has brainstormed over and tried to put together a plan that fits who we have on our team.
‘‘ In the three straight games that we lost, it was about effort and intensity. It just wasn’t there, especially in the first quarter. And then you dig yourself a hole, and it’s tough to get out of it. There’s been better fight lately.’’’
This and that
Forward Doug McDermott is still in the concussion protocol and now is in jeopardy of missing the entire West Coast portion of the circus trip.
McDermott suffered two concussions in the last two- plus weeks, including one last weekend against the Wizards. There’s a chance he might rejoin the team Friday in Philadelphia, but it remains a wait- and- see situation.
Hoiberg said there were no plans to rest any of the starters in the back- to- back games in Los Angeles.
The Bulls play the Lakers on Sunday and will have a day off Monday to rest. The team also will get some rest on the day off Wednesday. A practice is scheduled for Thanksgiving Day.
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