Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan wasn’t about to let go of the idea that there is still something valuable at stake this season.
It’s tough to see these days with the Bulls sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and the Hawks closing in, but DeRozan wasn’t budging in his thinking.
‘‘There’s a lot on [all the] teams battling for something,’’ DeRozan said. ‘‘We’re [also] battling for something.’’
What that is, is where it gets a bit shaky.
While the Bulls’ offensive and defensive numbers have improved since their 5-14 start, they are still a team muddling around in play-in territory, much like they were for most of last season.
So while the statistics are better, point guard Coby White has emerged and their style of play is more of what coach Billy Donovan thinks will be successful in the long term, the Bulls are still mediocre.
Donovan didn’t duck any of that before the Bulls’ 129-123 overtime victory Tuesday against the Timberwolves.
‘‘I’m not a big believer in making excuses,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘Our team and what we’ve had to deal with this year is what it is. We’ve had bodies to go out there and play, and you expect guys to go out there and step up. I feel like we’re playing better, but the results are what they are, and those results are going to dictate where you are at the end of the year.’’
Donovan said he still is seeing players who are dialed in to what the coaches are asking, whether it’s in the film room or the practice court. But he also knows that because of the injuries, it’s a group that has little room for error from game to game.
‘‘The majority of the league, that’s what they’re fighting for, those margins of consistency,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘Generally, those margins are going to impact winning and losing, and I totally get that. It’s a results-oriented business at the end of the day.’’
The bad news for the Bulls is that January was one of the easiest months of the season in terms of strength of schedule, and they failed to make up much ground in the East. They now have the 11th-toughest schedule remaining.
Snub city?
With 76ers center Joel Embiid and Knicks forward Julius Randle sidelined with injuries, there was a glimmer of hope that DeRozan or White might be named a replacement for the All-Star Game.
That hope was extinguished, however, when the NBA announced Hawks guard Trae Young and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes had been selected, keeping the Bulls completely locked out from participating in the All-Star showcase Feb. 16-18.
A snub? Depends on whom one asks.
‘‘I’m always going to be biased toward our guys because I see what they do in the summer,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘There’s no question that, selfishly, I think they probably did get passed over.
‘‘Every year that’s just kind of the way it is. I think both guys would be more than worthy to be selected.’’
Minute man
Forward Torrey Craig continued to work his way back from the plantar fasciitis that kept him out for close to two months, getting his playing time increased to between 20 and 22 minutes for the next few games. As long as there are no setbacks, his minutes will continue to rise.
