Two consecutive solid games is exactly what Nikola Mirotic needed

If practices and morning shoot-arounds counted, Nikola Mirotic would be an All-Star.

The Bulls stretch-four has excelled in both, even going back to training camp when he was competing with Taj Gibson for the only vacancy in the starting lineup.

But there’s actual games that have to be played.

Bright lights, fans in the seats, and an opposing team.

That’s where Mirotic is having problems.

“I know I will find a way to be much more consistent, and I think sometimes I feel like I’m doing a great job in practice, at the shootaround in the morning, but something just doesn’t work in the game all the time,’’ Mirotic said. “It can happen, but I just have to find a way. I have to not have all these bad moments during the season. I’ve had some early on, and now I have to find a way to be consistent.’’

The 25-year-old, third-year player is exactly right. There have been good moments. There was 15 points and nine rebounds in the opening-night win against Boston, and even the last two games have been solid, with Mirotic averaging 13.5 points and eight rebounds in wins over Miami and Washington.

There was Indiana on Nov. 5, however.

A Bulls loss in which Mirotic was almost unusable, as Fred Hoiberg only played the forward 13 minutes after watching him go 0-for-6 from the field and play defense as if he was on roller skates.

Mirotic did get 21 minutes of work against Orlando a game later, but again six points and a lot of bad moments. Then against Atlanta mid-week, another unusable outing in which he shot 0-for-3 and only saw the court for 11 minutes.

“I think the biggest thing is try and keep confidence in him,’’ Hoiberg said of Mirotic. “That’s all you can do. Believe me, I’m a person that went through a lot of struggles in this league and there’s not a worse feeling in this world.

“As a shooter sometimes it takes that one game to take the lid off and then you take off from there. We gotta try and keep him confident, try to pump him up as much as possible through this stretch, but also show film and see the mistakes that are being made, especially on that other end of the floor, so it’s just continue to talk, keep him as upbeat as possible.’’

The hope was Thursday’s win in Miami did that. That’s now two consecutive games in which Mirotic has anchored a solid showing by the bench.

What has to concern the Bulls, however, is that Mirotic was penciled in as a key core piece moving forward three seasons ago, and what he has developed into is a player that they’re just trying to keep in the rotation from night-to-night.

“I needed a game like Miami to feel better about myself,’’ Mirotic said. “The first five games or so I thought I was consistent, but it’s a thing I have to be better at. I have to be better focused to be much more consistent and not all these ups and downs, you know. The big thing is I have to keep my head up because Coach trusts in me, my teammates trust in me. I know I can do much more than just shoot the ball. Rebound, make an assist, be effective.

“For me, I have to prepare myself better before the game. Better focus, understand who I have to guard, and then when it’s time you just have to compete. I’ll get there.’’

The clock is ticking.