CHICAGO_After so many instances of bad luck, from a broken orbital bone to a snapped anterior cruciate ligament, fortune has smiled on the Chicago Bulls in the early stages of this season.
They're at full strength, a rarity in seasons past. They have played two straight opponents who were finishing a back-to-back set of games and missing rotation players.
You might say everything is coming up roses _ small r.
Of course, a team still has to take advantage of such situations. And the Bulls did with another impressive performance, downing the Pacers 118-101 Saturday night at the United Center. Doug McDermott's 23 points led the Bulls, who led by as many as 29.
"We knew they were coming off a back-to-back and wanted to put pressure on early," Rajon Rondo said.
That's two victories over two teams many preseason prognostications placed in the top four of the Eastern Conference.
"It's a talented group, man. It really is. We have a lot of options," Taj Gibson said. "You can tell this is a great group of guys as far as just everybody hanging around each other, communicating. It's completely different from where it was last year. It's going to take all of us, not just the first five or the first eight. It's really going to take the whole team."
All 10 rotation players who appeared before garbage time scored as the Bulls assisted on 34 of 45 field goals. Jimmy Butler scored 16 points in just 26 minutes, while Dwyane Wade added 14 points in just 21 and Rondo had 13 assists in 25 minutes. None played in the fourth quarter.
For the second straight game, the Bulls decisively won the rebounding battle. Gibson grabbed eight despite also sitting out the final period because of the blowout.
Paul George and Myles Turner each scored 20 points to lead the Pacers, who were without Rodney Stuckey and Aaron Brooks.
There were plenty of highlights to choose from but perhaps one third-quarter sequence best summarized the Bulls' night. Michael Carter-Williams blocked Georges Niang's shot and dribbled up to find an open Isaiah Canaan, who had a good look on a 3-pointer. But Canaan kicked it to an even more open McDermott, who drained a corner 3-pointer.
This ball movement defined the Bulls' offense whether in the half-court or in transition. They enjoyed a 30-14 edge in fast-break points. And the bench contributed 58 points.
The rotation appears set for now. Cristiano Felicio is ahead of Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine, who made his NBA debut in garbage time, is out of the reserve backcourt picture in favor of Carter-Williams and Canaan.
"Everybody is going to get opportunities at some point over the course of the year," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "I'm confident in that."
Carter-Williams missed 6 of 7 shots but ran the team well.
"It's a good offense for him," Hoiberg said. "We want to get quick strikes coming down the floor before the defense gets set. You can see his downhill ability getting into the paint. We've been working with his shot. It was good to see him rise up with confidence and knock down that 3 when we needed it in the opener and then made that big play in the lane when he got that floater. So I've been very pleased with the way he has played."
