DETROIT _ Robin Lopez has never experienced anything like the in-and-out nature to his season, which continued with the Bulls' 117-95 loss to the Pistons on Saturday.
That's five straight losses, one each to match the number of games Lopez has played since management moved to the player development/draft lottery ping-pong ball combination enhancer stage of the season.
Lopez, who hadn't played since March 15, started along with Justin Holiday, another veteran removed from the rotation save for select games. Coincidentally, the only other time those two started the same game since the All-Star break came here on March 9.
Neither player has complained, which is as admirable an achievement as the Bulls have accomplished since the All-Star break.
"I'm still practicing with the guys, still getting up and down in that capacity," said Lopez, who finished with four points and three rebounds in 17 minutes. "It's a little different. But I'm not somebody that's just commanding the ball every possession. So it's easy for me to kind of find my spots where I feel comfortable."
Speaking of comfortable, the Bulls' defense laid out the welcome mat for a Pistons squad playing its first home game since that March 9 night Lopez and Holiday started here. The Pistons put a 2-4 west coast swing in their rearview mirror by shooting 50 percent, including 16 3-pointers, and posting 33 assists on 43 field goals.
Anthony Tolliver led eight Pistons in double figures with a season-high 25 points, including a career-high six 3-pointers.
That's what happens when you continue to play new combinations and leave Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen at home.
On the same day his older brother, Drew, advanced to the Final Four with Loyola as an assistant coach, Denzel Valentine led the Bulls with 18 points. Valentine advanced to the Final Four in 2015 with Michigan State, losing in the semifinals to eventual national champion Duke.
Andre Drummond finished with 15 points, 20 rebounds, four assists, four steals and four blocks. He's the first person to reach those levels in almost 25 years, the last player being Hakeem Olajuwon in November 1993, according to www.basketball-reference.com.
Drummond's early damage came against the rusty Lopez, a voraciously curious Stanford graduate known for his exotic offseason travel. Lopez has spent considerable offseason time in Asia.
Asked how he stays in shape while traveling the world, Lopez smirked.
"Lots of backpacking, but no inclines," he said. "Only flat surfaces in those cities."
The inclines are saved for the Bulls' rebuild.
