On paper, the Bulls’ starting backcourt should be former league MVP (Derrick) Rose and veteran shooting guard (Rip) Hamilton. Rose has been sidelined all season as he rehabs from a torn left anterior cruciate ligament, and Hamilton likely will miss at least a month recovering from a torn plantar fascia in his left foot.

Yet the Bulls will enter the week atop the Central Division and with some signature victories, including two against the Atlantic Division-leading New York Knicks.

“We got a team full of guys hungry to win,” (Carlos) Boozer said. “You can’t overlook that at this level. Look at us, and let’s be honest: You have an easy excuse to lose. You see what happens to other teams in this league. You got your best player out, another key player out, people just start giving up on games. We don’t.

“We’ve got guys in here that love to compete, love to win. That’s a character mark of this team. We fight, whether we’ve got everybody or we’re short-handed like we’ve been most of the season. All season, really.’’

via Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times