WASHINGTON — The headphones were in his ears, the dental floss pick was actively going between his teeth as he listened to the question.
For a guy that had been dealing with an ailing quadriceps the last few weeks, DeMar DeRozan appeared to not have a care in the world.
Not exactly the normal body language for an NBA All-Star on an underachieving team at the halfway point of the season.
Then again, DeRozan’s a student of the game.
He knows what this Bulls roster has done so far in big-game moments, he’s well aware of what’s left in front of them.
And frankly at that moment on Monday night, healthy gums and mouth hygiene might have been a more daunting task.
“We’ve been coming together offensively and defensively, communicating, challenging each other, holding each other accountable,” DeRozan said of the first-half journey. “[We’re] at the halfway mark and we’ve made great strides the last few weeks. I feel we’re going to continue to build on that and up our confidence. We’re showing we can compete with all the top teams in the league and that’s a plus we’ve got to use going into this next half of the season. Turn it up and take advantage of everything we’ve learned from these first 41 games.”
Which means taking advantage of the easiest schedule in the NBA.
With 41 games left, the remaining teams on the Bulls’ schedule have a combined .480 winning percentage, which was 30th in the league. To put that in perspective, the Los Angeles Clippers have the toughest remaining schedule, facing teams with a combined .524 winning percentage.
Even better news for DeRozan and his teammates is teams like Philadelphia, Miami, New York and Atlanta — all teams that the Bulls will have to jump if they want a first-round home playoff series — are in the top eight in toughest remaining schedules.
The Bulls have taken the punch on the nose, withstood the 8-count, and now are actually playing consistent basketball.
It took some embarrassing losses, some hurt feelings in a halftime locker room “meeting,” and the realization that Lonzo Ball playing this season is more bonus rather than likely, but here the Bulls are.
“We struggled so much early on,” DeRozan said. “We felt the frustration and let downs and went through almost every negative emotion the first half of the season. Lately channeling everything we went through to the positive, and that’s the team you’ve been seeing over these last 10 games and I think the next 10 we know what it takes to close out games, how to come together, win games, guys understanding what role is needed on an everyday basis and with that we can’t do nothing but continue to build.
“Over the last 10, 12 games we’ve been playing up to that standard.”
A 12-game standard that very well could have changed the trajectory of the season in the mind of the front office.
Even when the Bulls were struggling with consistency in November and December, executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas was very limited in what he could actually do with this roster.
Blowing it up was fan overreaction rather than reality.
What could become reality as the Feb. 9 trade deadline approaches is looking to add some depth, especially in the shooting department.
Either way, it’s now a roster of players that feel good about what’s in front of them.
“I think we’ve caught our rhythm and stride,” guard Zach LaVine said. “We’re understanding players’ roles and what we’re doing out there and how to compete and how to win games, especially after these last 10 [games].”