The sample size is small.

No one is crowning the Bulls a playoff team just 15 games into the season. Not after they started off so well last year, before completely unraveling by the time April rolled around.

There’s no doubt, however, that this has a different feel to it.

It’s a group that likes each other, handles adversity, and more importantly as was on display throughout most of the first month of the season, can play opposing teams any style of basketball they choose, and in most cases play it well.

If the Bulls can get by Philadelphia Friday night, they would conclude the annual Circus Trip with a 4-2 record.

Considering veteran Dwyane Wade set the bar at 3-3, and the recent history for this team has seen more stumbles on the West Coast than successes, call it a stellar trip.

They out-ran Portland, out-muscled Utah, gave the Los Angeles Clippers everything it could handle, and then came back a night later with Wade sitting, and beat the young up-start Lakers. Yes, the game in Denver was a disappointment, but considering they have now lost 10 straight in the Mile High City, well, some habits die hard.

What has impressed Wade so far, however, has been his new team’s ability to adapt to the style of play of the opposition.

“You want teams to play to you, too,’’ Wade said. “You don’t always want to have to match up to teams. You want teams to have to match up to you.

“Good teams can play many different styles and we want to get to be a good team. We want to build to be that.’’

To do that they need these three players to pick it up as the season goes on, or at least play with more consistency.

1. Nikola Mirotic – His importance off the bench can’t be understated. The problem is when “Bad Niko’’ shows up he becomes almost unplayable for coach Fred Hoiberg.

In Bulls wins this season, Mirotic was shooting 46 percent from the field, getting 25 minutes of work per game, hitting 37 percent of his threes, and grabbing 7.6 rebounds per contest. In the six losses? Mirotic earned just under 20 minutes of work, shot 29 percent from the field, 23 percent from three, and pulled down just 2.8 rebounds.

Year three in the NBA is supposed to be the telltale season. The time when an organization either deems you a future asset or baggage. Mirotic knows this, but it’s time for the Euro star to start changing the narrative with some consistency.

2. Doug McDermott – Concussion issues have cost the third-year player seven games so far this season, with Hoiberg already ruling him out of the game with the 76ers. He’s already shown this season that he can be a spark off the bench, so that’s not the concern.

Two concussions in the first three weeks of the season leading to memory loss and headaches? That’s what has to be watched closely. A healthy McDermott keeps the bench less exposed.

3. Rajon Rondo – The veteran’s numbers haven’t dipped much when comparing wins and losses, but for Rondo it’s about staying engaged. Not only does he have to keep the pace going from game to game, but Hoiberg wants full-court pressure on the opposing point guard.

Rondo’s best showing of the season actually came in the loss to the Clippers. Not because of the nine points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, but the way he harassed Chris Paul on the defensive end. If he can keep that up, well, there will be playoff plans in April this time around.