Denzel Valentine Says Bulls Are 'One of the Better Teams in the East'

Two weeks ago, the Chicago Bulls were 3-20 and appeared destined for a laughable season in the Eastern Conference cellar.

But after Wednesday's 112-94 win over the Orlando Magic, the Bulls have ripped off seven straight wins and ascended to 10-20 overall.

Take it from guard Denzel Valentine, and that run has been a reflection of the team's true talent.

"I think we're one of the better teams in the East," he said Wednesday, according to 670 The Score's Cody Westerlund.

On the whole, that statement is rather audacious.

Over the past 12 days, though, it's not.

According to NBA.com, the Bulls have outscored opponents by 9.8 points per 100 possessions throughout their winning streak. The only team with a superior mark during that stretch has been the Toronto Raptors (12.6).

Furthermore, the Bulls' defensive rating of 98.5 is tops in the NBA dating back to Dec. 8.

Perhaps most encouraging for the Bulls is that they appear to have the makings of a solid young core with Kris Dunn, rookie Lauri Markkanen and 2015 first-round pick Bobby Portis all shouldering significant workloads alongside veterans Nikola Mirotic and Robin Lopez.

And with Zach LaVine aiming for a January return from his torn ACL, per Westerlund, the Bulls could continue their slow and steady climb up the Eastern Conference standings when the New Year rolls around.