Chicago has played solid basketball this season, currently holding the Eastern Conference's sixth–best record (40-33).
That's not a bad record at all, seeing that alpha dog Derrick Rose hasn't played a single minute due to a torn ACL. Other key members of the Bulls have also missed time with injuries, such as Joakim Noah, Richard Hamilton and Kirk Hinrich.
The team is averaging 23 assists per contest, tying them with the Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks for sixth place in the league.
With Derrick Rose sidelined, Joakim Noah has played like a point guard, producing a career-high 4.1 assists per game.
Chicago's roster included a great reserve big man last season in Omer Asik, but management allowed him to leave as a free agent during the summer.
The Bulls went out and picked up Nazr Mohammed to replace Asik. Unfortunately, the Chicago native hasn't quite worked out, contributing 2.1 points and 2.5 rebounds a night.
Five members of the team are shooting over 80 percent, with the oft-injured Richard Hamilton leading the way with 88 percent.
Free-throw percentage may not be the sexiest stat in basketball. Yet, being able to get it done from the charity stripe gives you a chance to win ballgames.
Chicago ranked fourth in three-point percentage last season. This season, though, has been a totally different story, as they rank 24th in the league from downtown.
The offseason loss of Kyle Korver has a lot to do with Chicago's poor outside shooting. Korver, who the Bulls traded in July, is now shooting lights out as a member of the Atlanta Hawks.
While Joakim Noah serves as a superb shot-blocker, the team also possesses a slew of perimeter defenders like Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich and Jimmy Butler.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau preaches defense on a daily basis. And it's clear that the Bulls have bought into his system for the third consecutive season.
While the Bulls are a top-notch defensive team, they struggle mightily to put the ball in the basket. They rank dead last in scoring with 92.9 points per game.
The absence of Derrick Rose has obviously hurt. A healthy D-Rose is capable of dropping 30 points on a given night, possessing the ability to get to the rim with ease.
Guys like Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah have stepped up in Rose's place. However, their contributions aren't good enough to make Chicago a dangerous scoring threat.
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