Three Stars (leaderboard)

1. Derrick Rose: 24 points (.673 TS%), 13 assists

2. Carlos Boozer: 27 points (.737 TS%), 8 rebounds, 2 assists

3. Kyle Korver: 26 points (.813 TS%), 7 rebounds, 6 assists

This, friends, is what it feels like when your favorite sports team is as smart, skilled and resourceful as any in the game, from the front office to the coaching staff to the players finally charged with getting the job done.

Missing three starters and their top bench scorer, the Bulls handled Utah, a decent if not imposing lot, with aplomb. They played well. Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver, in fact, played about as well as they can.

Important though their contributions usually are, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Rip Hamilton and C.J. Watson were barely missed Saturday night. Sure, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson and Josh Howard found a few more open shots without Noah and Deng on the case, but overall, Chicago did surprisingly well with a primary lineup of Boozer, Korver, Derrick Rose, Ronnie Brewer and Omer Asik, supplemented by Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler and John Lucas III.

We’ve seen this from champions like the New England Patriots and the New York Yankees: Every man on the roster is capable of contributing in some fashion, and every man comes through when called upon.

It is perhaps the most hallowed ideal in Western team sports, and it’s not easy to achieve. Here in Chicago, we are fortunate to watch such a team on a nightly basis. It’s a privilege I hope Bulls fans are not taking for granted.

Box Score

Record: 34-9, first in the NBA

Next: Monday 3/12 vs. New York, 7:00 CT