Chicago Bulls: 5 Reasons Behind Recent Success

Apr 1, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) guard Rajon Rondo (9) and guard Denzel Valentine (45) celebrate their win against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at the United Center. The Bulls won 106-104. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

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Mar 18, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Dwyane Wade (right) and Chicago Bulls guard Denzel Valentine (45) talk during a time out against the Utah Jazz during the first half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

A Little Trust Goes A Long Way

Following a late January outing against the Atlanta Hawks – a game in which the Bulls coughed up a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter — it appeared that this ball club was coming apart at the seams as Dwyane Wade publicly criticized the effort of his younger teammates.

Since that time, however, the Bulls have won six of the 10 games that Wade has been out of the lineup.

And according to Denzel Valentine, one of the biggest reasons for the team’s success has been the willingness to believe in one another.

"“I thought we trusted each other and that’s something we didn’t do when we went on that losing streak (after the) all-star break,” Valentine told the Daily Herald after Chicago’s 106-104 win over the Atlanta Hawks on April 1. “Jimmy (Butler) goes in there and passes to me. Nobody was forcing shots. I think Niko (Mirotic) might have forced one shot, but after that, we were moving the ball. Prior, somebody was trying to just be the hero and save the day and the next thing you know, we’re taking bad shots, nobody was playing defense.”"

While the last portion of the statement sounds a lot like how the Bulls played against the Knicks a few nights ago, the players now have a strong belief in each other, which should bode well for the team as they continue their push towards the playoffs.

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