Vinny Del Negro Benches Larry Hughes (and Other Reasons For Bulls Optimism)

Normally, I reserve judgement on my favorite teams based on a small stretch of games.

However, in a season marked by inconsistency and home losses to NBA bottom-feeders like the Timberwolves and Bobcats, don't blame me for trying to take a little bit of hope away from the Bulls latest two-game winning streak that featured victories against the Raptors and Cavs.

Here are three reasons for optimism for the rest of the season, and for the future.

1. First-year Coach Vinny Del Negro has finally shown some testicular fortitude in his decision to give Bulls' malcontent Larry Hughes the "Starbury treatment."

Even though the Bulls have played close to .500 basketball during the first 40 games of his coaching career (at any position or level), Del Negro has not given Bulls' fans many reasons to think he will turn into a successful NBA coach.

So far, he has been unable to keep his team from making mental mistakes, convince them to play defense, and worst of all, motivate them to even show up to play (see a New Years Eve Day home loss to Orlando in which the Bulls were down 33-17 after the 1st quarter and 65-38 at half time).

He has also been unable to get an even semi-consistent effort from young big men Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah, the latter of which Del Negro unsuccessfully attempted to motivate by publicly calling him out for not being in shape.

More than anyone though, Larry Hughes has tested Del Negro's patience constantly, with his consistent complaints for more playing time all season and even his public displays of disrespect (he broke team rules by eating in the locker room).

After a game in which Hughes, in an effort to reinforce the "selfish" label he has earned throughout his career, twice failed to pass the basketball (and subsequently turned it over) while leading a 2-on-1 fast break with the Bulls' best finisher, rookie PG Derrick Rose, to his right, Del Negro finally stood up for himself and removed Hughes from the rotation, not playing him a single minute in the victories over the Raptors and Cavs.

Whether it's a matter of removing a trigger-happy Hughes from the lineup, or whether its a respect for, and a fear of, a coach who will do something (bench you) when you aren't playing to his expectations, the Bulls finlly started the kind of unselfish team basketball Del Negro has been preaching, assisting on 33 of 49 baskets against the Raptors and 22 of 45 baskets against the Cavs.

Moreover, they made late-game defensive stops, including Tyrus Thomas' block on LeBron James near the end of regulation that allowed the Bulls to eventually tie the game and send it to overtime.

Now the question remains, will Del Negro keep Hughes on the bench, or will he give in to outside pressures to play Hughes, particularly of his GM John Paxson, who may ask Del Negro to showcase Hughes for a potential trade?

If Del Negro stands his ground, and keeps Hughes off the court, it will go a long way to Del Negro finally earning the respect of his players and this team developing some much-needed chemistry.

2. Kirk Hinrich is back from injury.

The Bulls co-captain, who has sat out the majority of the season due to thumb injury, finally rejoined the Bulls last week, and his presence has been key in igniting the Bulls current winning streak.

Although he is not very vocal, Hinrich is the Bulls' best leader, a guy who will lead by example on the defensive end.

Forced to chase around big shooting guards for the majority of his career because of Ben Gordon's lack of height and defensive ability, Hinrich was at it again last night, working hard on defense and coming up with two steals. For a team that doesn't play much defense, this is welcome to see.

Hinrich's return will also take the pressure off of rookie point guard Derrick Rose. With Hinrich out, Del Negro was forced to play Rose at least 40 minutes a night, out of the utter fear of using his backup point guard options, which, for some time, were the quick-triggered Hughes and the dribbling-deficient Gordon.

Although Rose has been better than expected, he has struggled of late, possibly due to the fatigue of playing 40 minutes a night. Having Hinrich back will give Rose a blow, and allow him to even play off the ball, allowing him to focus on scoring, and give the Bulls an offensive punch they desperately need.

It's a shame that the Rose-Hinrich backcourt combo has looked so good, as Hinrich is the best asset the Bulls have to use in any potential trade for a low-post scorer.

Maybe Paxson will keep Hinrich, let go of Ben Gordon, and find a way to add a low-post scorer through a trade of Hughes, Thomas or Noah.  There is no sense in trading a player who is the best leader your team, devoid of guys who consistently play hard.

3. Derrick Rose showed the ability to be "clutch".

While Rose has shown flashes of greatness, he has shown an unwillingness to take over games, passively deferring to Hughes and Gordon in late-game situations.

Not so in the Toronto game though.

Rose, attacking the basket at will as he has shown the ability countless times to do, led the Bulls to a close victory, scoring 17 of his 25, and 17 of his team's 34 points in the 4th quarter.

Most importantly though, Rose showed the ability to shake off frustration and make free throws down the stretch. As most people know, late-game free throws have been a problem for Rose (see: Kansas-Memphis 2008 National Championship game).

Last night, it looked like Bulls fans were in for more of the same, as Rose, with the Bulls trailing the Cavs by 2 with 1:32 to go, not only missed two free throws, but looked uncomfortable at the line, seemingly yelling at himself after the first miss.

However, with the score the same, and Rose back to the line for two more with only 17 seconds left, it looked like another Bulls loss. But Rose, forgetting his previous failure, stepped to the line and calmly knocked down two free throws.

If Rose, a player with a world of potential, can withstand his passive nature, take over games and have a short memory of late game mistakes, the Bulls could potentially have their first All-Star, and a guy to lead them back to relevance, and contention, for the first time since Jordan.