The Chicago Bulls are riding high off a 146-115 annihilation of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Bulls set season-highs in points, assists, and field goal percentage against a healthy Lakers team. Coby White led the charge, scoring 36 points, while rookie Matas Buzelis scored a season high of 31. In his second game back from an ankle injury, Josh Giddey flirted with a rare quadruple-double. Giddey posted a stat line of 15 points, 10 rebounds, 17 assists, and eight steals.

The win came on the road, against a Lakers team that saw LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Rui Hachimura all return from injury. James had missed six consecutive games with a groin injury, Doncic a game with an ankle sprain, and Hachimura made his return to the hardwood after missing 12 straight contests with tendinopathy in his right knee. Although the trio may not have been 100 percent, a 31-point win over the fourth-best team in the Western Conference made a statement.

The Bulls are on a tear following a subpar February

Chicago has won seven of its last nine games, including victories against the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, and the Lakers—all teams with 35-plus wins. The Bulls now have a stronghold on ninth-place in the Eastern Conference. PlayoffStatus gives Chicago a 50 percent chance to secure the ninth-seed and a 22 percent chance to move up to eighth.

Following a three-win February, the Bulls were expected to increase their lottery odds rather than fight for better seeding in the Play-In Tournament. Yet here we are. Despite missing Nikola Vucevic for seven games, Lonzo Ball for 10, Giddey for four, and Ayo Dosunmu for all but two games, the Bulls are 9-7 with a 4.8 net rating since the All-Star break.

Amid a myriad of lineup changes and an influx of talent post-Zach LaVine, Head Coach Billy Donovan has been the common denominator. The Bulls have continued to play at a torrid pace, emphasizing the three-ball, yet the squad’s much-improved defense has yielded positive results.

Donovan has done a terrific job of keeping the Bulls afloat, utilizing a mix of veterans and youth to achieve success. His decision to insert the 20-year-old Buzelis into the starting lineup in early February has paid dividends to the youngster’s development and Chicago’s overall improvement. Buzelis has averaged 12.3 points while shooting 45.4 percent as a starter. He adds a unique element of athleticism and competitiveness to the Bulls’ lineup.

Billy Donovan has been the catalyst behind Chicago’s improvement

While shifting the rookie Buzelis into the starting five might have originally seemed like a ploy to embrace the tank, Donovan has held the 11th overall pick accountable. Buzelis has reached the 30-minute threshold as often as he’s played less than 20 minutes in March. Buzelis hasn’t been given an unlimited leash, which is something he appreciates.

The rookie recently said, “I told Billy that I want to be pushed to the limit. I want to be the best player ever. That’s just how I think. He has done a great job holding me accountable. And I thank him. When he takes me out for a mistake, I get better.” Donovan’s coaching style has been a boon for Buzelis and it’s evident in how he’s improved over the past few months.

Besides Donovan’s persistence with Chicago’s most-prized prospect, he’s gotten the most out of Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, and Zach Collins. Immediately after being acquired, it was anticipated that the Bulls would move on from the triumvirate. Nonetheless, the trio has remained in the Windy City and all have played significant roles.

Jones has averaged 11.5 points since being traded to the Bulls—a seven-point increase following his time in San Antonio. The 6-foot-1 guard has looked rejuvenated in Chicago’s high-paced offense. Collins has increased his scoring output by 5.5 points since the trade. The big man has been instrumental to the Bulls’ defensive turnaround. Chicago is 12.6 points better defensively with Collins on the floor.

Lastly, Huerter has begun to shake off his season-long shooting slump in March. The 6-foot-7 forward has fit in well alongside Giddey and White. Huerter has averaged 5.0 more points per game since departing Sacramento. He’s canning 35.7 percent of his 7.4 three-pointers per contest as a member of the Bulls.

In the midst of a transitive era of Bulls’ basketball, Donovan has held the squad together and gotten the most out of a middling unit. From early season benching to All-Star-level play, Donovan has been the catalyst behind Giddey’s improvement—yet another example of how the coach’s detail-oriented approach has paid off. Credit must be given to Donovan for the Bulls’ second-half surge.