Chicago Bulls are now playing with a new purpose

While their lack of wins don’t carry much optimism, the Chicago Bulls are now playing with a real sense of urgency. Something they’ve been lacking mightily in prior seasons.

The Chicago Bulls are likely not going to win a ton of games this season. After all, the organization is now undergoing a full-pledged, rebuilding approach with their youthful roster.

With that being said, while the win column might not reflect the eye test, the fact of the matter is that this Bulls’ squad is playing harder than it has in previous seasons.

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Never mind some of the lop-sided losses early on. That’s going to happen on occasion when you have a bunch of first-year, second-year players running on the court together.

Look deeper than the win/loss column. Instead, focus at the way the team performed admirably against the Cleveland Cavaliers early in the week. Or the fact that they’re now holding their heads high over an impressive 105-83 victory Friday night against the Orlando Magic, a team that entered the matchup, 6-2.

The Bulls have had plenty of young players contributing on both ends of the court to begin this season. Rookie power forward Lauri Markkanen is off to a fast start, leading the team in both points and rebounds per game. Other young players like Justin Holiday, Denzel Valentine, and Kris Dunn are beginning to find their stride.

Even more surprising though is the positive spark that unheralded point guards, David Nwaba and Kay Felder have provided while coming off the bench in recent games.

The only true veteran player with valuable playing experience is center Robin Lopez. His hustle and intensity throughout games has had a carry-over effect on the rest of his teammates.

As a prideful unit, the Bulls recognize they’re going to have to play their hearts out every time they step on the court if they want to defeat more experienced, better-skilled teams.

This mindset bestowed on the “2017 Bulls” was not shared throughout the organization in prior seasons. That’s because there was more star talent on the roster back then.

Former players like Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, and Derrick Rose could rely more on their God-given talents to will the Bulls to victory. Rather than always having to play with a high level of urgency. Thus leading to a trickle-down effect over the rest of the team’s play.

While the hope is that this Bulls roster gradually improves over the course of the season, their consistent effort given in games can go a long way towards helping speed up a promising rebuild.

Talent alone doesn’t lead to sustainable success. Consistent urgency on the court is needed along the way, regardless of how much skill is currently present. It appears the Bulls are finally beginning to realize that, without a whole lot of the “former” making up this roster.

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