With the All-Star break imminent and the trade deadline in a week, these can be distracting times for players.
Heck, just listen to what Brook Lopez told his twin brother, Robin, one time as the trade deadline neared.
"He once told me he would trade me to a high-school team for a bag of Cheetos, but that’s about it," Robin said.
The Celtics-Bulls matchup is one of just two in the NBA on Thursday, as other players scatter to tropical vacations or New Orleans for All-Star weekend. Lopez said the Bulls understand what’s at stake.
"All the teams I’ve been on have been locked into the last game before the All-Star break," he said.
Getting players back would help. Dwyane Wade participated in about half of Wednesday’s practice and the Bulls will see how his sore right wrist responds Thursday. Nikola Mirotic, who has been out with back spasms, practiced fully and is on track to play.
Jimmy Butler had no complications after returning from his sore right heel for Tuesday’s victory over the Raptors. Paul Zipser remains out, though he has shed his walking boot for left ankle tendinitis.
Double down: The last five times Doug McDermott has logged at least 20 minutes, he has scored in double figures. That included 20 points against the Raptors.
The third-year forward threw in one more double-digit scoring game in 14 minutes on Feb. 1 against the Thunder for good measure, giving him double figures in six of his last eight games. This, not to mention the big shots McDermott sank in the fourth quarter against the Raptors, is what the Bulls need.
"I had the hot hand," he said. "I felt really good on both ends. I was able to get rebounds and I felt I was able to kind of carry over to the offensive end," he said. "And I knew with Wade out, at the end and at crunch time, I needed to be even more aggressive."
Layups: Lopez on Celtics wondrous guard Isaiah Thomas, who stands just 5 feet 9 but averages 29.8 points: "He always has been good at attacking the rim ever since college (at Washington). Any guy that size, when they get to the league they know how to use that to their advantage" … In their annual valuations of NBA franchises, Forbes ranked the Bulls fourth at $2.5 billion.
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