The painful part is the painful part. But beyond the physical ache of a sprained left ankle (again) there is the emotional pain that Denzel Valentine went through after another missed opportunity with the Chicago Bulls (when that is exactly what he needs most).

The injury that first cost him much of training camp -- a setback for any rookie, but especially for one stepping into a crowded rotation at shooting guard -- healed and some minutes came in late November and early December.

Then he fell out of the rotation, then he climbed back in. And then Valentine sprained the ankle again. That last injury happened at the very moment there appeared to be a chance for another increased role as the Bulls’ backcourt dealt with (at various times) Jimmy Butler being sick, Dwyane Wade resting (or dealing with a swollen knee) and Rajon Rondo being shown the end of the bench.

Front offices raved about Valentine’s maturity before the Draft, and four seasons at Michigan State counts for a lot in that way. So, there is little chance he would be wounded by the opportunities that flew just out of reach. But lost minutes are lost minutes and the No. 14 pick doesn’t need to keep showing he can be patient.

He did have a very encouraging return Tuesday after missing three games, with 19 points in 30 minutes in a 101-99 loss to the Washington Wizards. Wade didn’t play, Butler didn’t play, so Michael Carter-Williams and Jerian Grant started in the backcourt with Doug McDermott at small forward, and Valentine shot 7-for-15 off the bench.

What would have been an obvious step in the right direction anyway was even more noteworthy after the layoff. He took advantage of this chance, with the possibility of more to come.

To this week’s rankings:

1. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers

Last week: No. 1

Six consecutive games with at least 20 points, while sitting out another as part of a back-to-back, would be noteworthy enough, except that Embiid got there by making 86.7 percent of his free throws. The big jump from the season-long 78.4 is another promising sign for the future, considering how often he will have the ball will translate into a lot of time at the line in the years ahead. He averaged 10 attempts in the six games, had a three-game stretch of 14, 11 and 10, and made teams pay.