Accountability is a way of life for Bulls big man Robin Lopez

DENVER – It’s not a style of basketball that is necessarily aesthetically pleasing.

It’s a tip-in here, a shove there. Crazy hair, unshaven face.

Then again, Robin Lopez isn’t exactly looking for your approval.

The Bulls center isn’t a leader, he isn’t a follower. He’s just a doer. He came in as a rookie back in 2008 and was taught that accountability is what matters. Blame is for losers.

“In my experience, accountability is a huge part of team success,’’ Lopez said. “Some of the teams I played with in Phoenix with Steve Nash, Grant Hill and Amar’e [Stoudemire] we were able to police and monitor ourselves. Accountability was huge for us then and I think it’s huge for us on this squad.’’

It’s not just talk from Lopez, either.

Midway through the third quarter of Tuesday’s loss to the Nuggets, the 7-foot, 28-year-old allowed a put-back in the paint, and as he was running down the court gave himself a slap to the head as punishment.

“I love what RoLo does,’’ Taj Gibson said of his frontcourt mate. “He and I are expected to bring that physicality to the floor and we both love it. It sets a tone.’’

The nice thing as far as coach Fred Hoiberg was concerned was that role never had to be explained to Lopez when the Bulls acquired him from New York in the Derrick Rose trade. It’s in his DNA, and a big reason the Bulls targeted him after watching far too many soft moments last season.

So while Lopez’s 9.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game isn’t exactly a sexy stat line, Hoiberg doesn’t just judge his new big man with numbers.

“He just goes out and does his job,’’ Hoiberg said. “He’s not real flashy with how he plays. What he does is he carves out space.

“Again, just little things like screening, you’re not going to see a guy get on SportsCenter by setting a screen. That’s what Robin does. He’s helped our offensive rebounding in a huge way from where we were a year ago. It’s so many little things, but it certainly doesn’t go unappreciated by his coaches and teammates.’’

Especially not going unappreciated when Lopez is third in the NBA in offensive rebounds at 3.9 per game.

Yet, when the topic of top centers in the Eastern Conference comes up the only Lopez mentioned is twin brother Brook.

“He doesn’t get mentioned and he should,’’ Hoiberg said of Robin Lopez. “Just all the little things that he does for this team. He goes out and sets the tone for us with the physicality, he and Taj. That’s them. You look at our rebound numbers this year, the physicality that we play with. That’s our frontline guys.

“The little things, getting guys like Jimmy [Butler] open. I know Jimmy tells him all the time how much he appreciates the things that [Lopez] does for him and for the team.’’

What the front office appreciates most about Lopez? His affordability. The key in landing the big man in that Knicks trade was the financial certainty that came with him. Lopez will make $13.2 million this season, $13.8 next season, and $14.3 in the final year of his contract during the 2018-19 season.

To put it in perspective, New York is now paying former Bull Joakim Noah $17 million this season, and will be paying him $19.2 million by the 2019-20 season.

“[Lopez is] going to give you an honest effort every night on the defensive end,’’ Hoiberg said of his big man. “He’s given this team so much.’’