Here’s what you do when Kris Dunn is a late scratch with left patella tendintis: You post six points, five assists and three rebounds to set the tone in the first quarter as Jerian Grant did and finish with 11 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds.
Here’s what you do when you’re the Bulls leading scorer and get just four shots last game: You come out firing as Nikola Mirotic did, scoring 14 of his 28 points in his first six minutes and knocking down eight 3-pointers, one off the franchise record he shares with Ben Gordon.
Here’s what you do when you blow a 17-point lead to lose a 10th straight game and drop to 3-20, as the Bulls did in Indianapolis against the Pacers on Dec. 6: You step on their throats early and never let up, like the Bulls did Friday night at the United Center.
The 119-107 cakewalk marked the Bulls’ third straight victory and 10th triumph in 12 games. It’s also the franchise’s first seven-game home winning streak since one that bridged the end of the 2012-13 and start of 2013-14 seasons.
The Bulls, who also got a career-high 32 points from Lauri Markkanen, tied a franchise record with 18 3-pointers and tied a season-high with 31 assists. Markkanen sank five 3-pointers but also had a nasty tip slam over Bojan Bogdanovic.
“We actually talked about the last meeting,” Mirotic said. “We knew that we owed those guys.”
Indeed, this resurgence began with the Dec. 8 road victory over the Hornets the game after the aforementioned late collapse to the Pacers. Or, to hear coach Fred Hoiberg tell it, the resurgence began on the flight from Indianapolis to Charlotte.
“You could see it in guys’ faces. They were very disappointed,” Hoiberg said. “The encouraging thing is when we got into the gym at University of Charlotte that next day, we had a very productive film session with a lot of constructive criticism. We grew from it.
“Our guys are playing with great intensity and effort every time they step on the floor. We’re playing through adversity better now than we were earlier in the season.”
Other than Dunn’s minor setback, the Bulls faced little adversity from the Pacers, building a 12-point, first-quarter lead and never looking back. Darren Collison’s 30 points led the Pacers, who played without leading scorer Victor Oladipo.
Hoiberg said Dunn pulled himself out with just eight minutes left on the pregame warmup clock because he didn’t have “full flexion” and received treatment throughout the game. He’s day-to-day.
Hoiberg told Grant of his starting assignment with two minutes left on that warmup clock before the national anthem starts.
“He kind of looked at me like I had three eyes,” Hoiberg joked. “But he responded. He made simple plays.”
Grant started 14 games earlier this season and often last season as well.
“I just played confident,” Grant said. “It wasn’t too big an adjustment.”
Mirotic’s young son attended and told his father beforehand he wanted him to make five 3-pointers.
“I told him I will try. I can’t promise. But I made eight actually. So I’m sure he’s very happy,” said Mirotic, who launched 20 shots. “I’m sitting here with the feeling that I could have made more than 10. A couple of those were in and out. But at the end of the day, it’s most important we won.”
And the Bulls keep winning.
“He’s just so confident now,” Hoiberg said. “I truly believe that’s rubbing off on our entire team.”
Mirotic smiled at Hoiberg’s praise.
“That makes me even more confident,” he said. “Since I’ve been back, I’ve been trying to play fun basketball. It’s my moment.”
Twitter @kcjhoop
.
K.C. Johnson: Bulls shouldn't apologize for winning games »
David Haugh: Future still outweighs present for surging Bulls, who should trade Nikola Mirotic ASAP »
Top Bulls stories of 2017, from trading Jimmy Butler to going up 2-0 on Celtics »