Just Two More

If the Bulls can just hang on for two more games (against the 76ers and the Knicks), they’ll find themselves with the third-easiest schedule over their remaining 46 regular-season games. About time. Talk about a tough stretch. Over their last eleven games, the Bulls have faced the 76ers and Heat two times each, along with single games against the Bucks; Nuggets; Cavaliers; Lakers; and Pacers. They’ve gone 6-5 in that stretch. Now, if Joel Embiid can just miss one more game… My winter team has gone 10-5 since problem-star Zach LaVine went down with an injury, and they’re 2-1 since Nikola Zucevic got hurt (actually, kicked in the groin). Holy Andre Drummond. That’s right, Zucevic’s replacement has been on fire, if a rebounding machine can do that and function at the same time. Drummond has totaled 64 rebounds in the three games he’s spelled Zucevic. The Bulls are probably a better team with Zucevic healthy (and you have no idea how much it pains me to say that), but Drummond definitely needs to play more. Keep in mind that he’s nearly three years younger than Zucevic. And speaking of Justin Fields, which I did the other day, Drummond has been nothing but a positive force in the locker room and on the bench, this while being adamant he wants to start. A monster deal featuring Zucevic and LaVine would require a good center in return, and there aren’t a lot of those around. So, I expect Zucevic won’t be going anywhere, although his understudy will no doubt be seeing more minutes. What an unexpected, happy surprise in the eight weeks before spring training starts.