East-leading Bulls are opening eyes

CHICAGO » The “MVP! MVP!” chants are ringing out in Chicago once again, this time for Bulls star DeMar DeRozan as fans have something to cheer about in the Windy City.

The resurgent Bulls (2714) are one of the surprising stories in the NBA, opening eyes sitting atop the Eastern Conference with DeRozan and Zach LaVine leading the way. They will be looking to end a three-game losing streak Jan. 17 when they visit Memphis (30-15) as part of the league’s MLK Day lineup.

The soaring Grizzlies are also raising more than a few eyebrows around the league. Memphis is currently third in the Western Conference and have won 11 of its last 12 games behind their own MVP candidate, Ja Morant.

Chicago is still in first despite being blown out by the Brooklyn Nets blew in a matchup between the top teams in the East. After being dominated by the Nets, the Bulls were pounded at home by a season-high 42 points against Golden State before a tight loss at Boston on Saturday.

“It’s been a great group to work with,” coach Billy Donovan said. “We just have to keep getting better. I know I’ve talked about that, I know it’s a broad term, but the reality is we have to keep getting better. There are areas we have to keep getting better at.”

While the Bulls are establishing themselves as a serious threat for the first time since Derrick Rose elicited MVP chants from his hometown fans, not many could have predicted they would be sitting atop the East.

“I’m not gonna lie and sit here and be like at the beginning of the year we’d be No. 1 in the East,” guard Coby White said. “But I knew we’d be good from training camp. We’ve got a team full of winning players and hungry players that want to win. It’s definitely been dope. It’s definitely been super fun.”