The Starting Five: Bulls vs. Pacers

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Monday, Dec. 13, 2010
12:28 p.m.
By Aggrey Sam
CSNChicago.com
1. The aforementioned Rush is averaging 12.6 points per game and shooting 44.1 percent from 3-point range after missing the season's first five games due to suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. A product of Kansas--where he won a national championship, beating Derrick Rose's Memphis Tigers in the 2008 title game--Rush has range, athleticism and talent, but has failed to perform consistently over his first three seasons.

2. In his return to health, Mike Dunleavy has averaged 12.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Carlos Boozer's former Duke teammate has struggled to stay on the court because of injuries throughout his career, but proven to be a solid complementary player when healthy.

3. Veteran backup point guard T.J. Ford has seen a lot of fourth-quarter minutes recently, often keeping Darren Collison on the bench. This is a surprising development, given the reported tension between Ford and O'Brien and the team reportedly shopping him over the past few seasons, even attempting to convince him to take an early buyout.

4. After a strong start to his rookie season last year, second-year power forward Tyler Hansborough has given way to Josh McRoberts, an Indiana native considered a bust after a heralded prep career, then a disappointing stint at Duke that led to Portland picking him in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft and subsequently casting him off to the Pacers. Hansborough, regarded as one of the best players in the long tradition of the University of North Carolina's legendary, hasn't been able to bounce back from the vertigo the prematurely ended his rookie campaign.

5. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter at @CSNBullsInsider.

Aggrey Sam is CSNChicago.com's Bulls Insider. Follow him @CSNBullsInsider on Twitter for up-to-the-minute Bulls information and his take on the team, the NBA and much more.

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