Rest not an option for Billy’s Bulls
It would be nice if coach Billy Donovan could give veteran forward DeMar DeRozan more rest and take advantage of the secondeasiest remaining schedule in the NBA.
The problem is Donovan knows exactly what he has at his disposal: an NBA team that has shown it can run with the big dogs on any given night and also lose to the 12win Pistons . . . twice.
“With our team, I just don’t look at it that way because every game is hard for us,” Donovan said Saturday. “I don’t think any of us, certainly including the players, have made any excuses.
‘‘I do believe there is enough in the locker room. We have to play well no matter who it is. We went to Miami and won. [This team has] been very competitive.
‘‘I know the record doesn’t say that. Sometimes the records with some teams can be a little misleading because a lot of times the net rating, the margin of loss by them, it’s only a possession or two with some of these teams. For us, we don’t have a wide margin.”
Not with Patrick Williams and Zach LaVine sidelined after season-ending foot surgeries, Coby White nursing an injured right hip and rookie Julian Phillips in a walking boot.
The Bulls had a fragile roster even when fully healthy, so Donovan has had to get creative with his depth and his matchups.
“I’ve talked about this: We have to play well,” Donovan said. “Obviously, we’re giving some other guys an opportunity to play that haven’t had that opportunity in the past with what we’ve had to deal with.
‘‘For us, I don’t necessarily look at who we’re playing and what their record is as much as I think we have to look at the fact that we’ve got to play well. That’s going to be the important part for us.”
And while the organization knows that remaining in the No. 9 spot in the Eastern Conference is likely the Bulls’ reality, it’s more about playing their best basketball going into the play-in tournament and taking it from there.
If the season were to end today, the Bulls would host the Hawks, who also can’t find their way from game to game, then face the loser of the No. 7-No. 8 matchup on the road, which currently would be the Heat or the 76ers.
Out again
White missed his second consecutive game with the hip injury he suffered in the road victory Wednesday night against the Pacers.
Progress has been made, but there’s a good chance he could sit out until the game in Houston on Thursday.
“He’s doing pretty well,” Donovan said.
“The hope is if he can continue to progress as he has the last couple of days, certainly coming out of the weekend, this upcoming week is the hope.”
White was second in minutes to DeRozan and was averaging 19.5 points, 5.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds in his breakout season.
Details on the rook
Donovan provided more details on Phillips’ injury, offering a timetable for the forward to be evaluated as he deals with a foot injury.
“He had been dealing with the foot issue on and off for a little bit of time,” Donovan said. “I think it got to the point where it flared up and was really bothering him. They were hopeful that maybe in a two-week timetable we’ll find out.”