In passing, the Chicago Bulls‘ 149-124 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 29 seems like a run-of-the-mill blowout. However, the game itself was so much worse. The Bulls conceded 92 points in the first half, the second-most in NBA history. They also allowed Klay Thompson to set a new NBA record by making 14 3-point baskets. Chicago’s 55-36 garbage time run after the record-breaking trey was the only thing that made the final score look that close.

It was hard to fathom how the Bulls could possibly bounce back from a loss like that. However, it seems that they have learned something from the drubbing at the hands of the Dubs. The team has gone 1-3 in the interim, but have at least managed to stay in every game until the end.

The Bulls have averaged a -2.5 point differential in their four games since the Warriors loss. That’s a sizable step up from the -9.6 points they averaged in the previous seven games. It should also be noted that two of their last four games went beyond regulation. Their Halloween tilt against the Denver Nuggets went to overtime while their Nov. 5 game against the New York Knicks took two extra periods to decide.

The defensive end has improved over the last four games, particularly on the perimeter. The Bulls apparently did not want to repeat their Warriors “effort”. In that game, they allowed GSW to make 53.3 percent of their 45 3-point attempts.

Since then, they have held teams to 28.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc, the third-lowest percentage by any team since Oct. 31. This includes holding Denver, New York, and the Indiana Pacers each to exactly 7-of-26 shooting from outside on their given nights.

As a result, Chicago has held opponents to 106.5 points per game over the last four. That’s the tenth-lowest opponent scoring average for any team since Oct. 31. Their 104.7 defensive rating is the eighth-best in the league over the same span. That’s a marked improvement from their league-worst 117.8 rating in the seven games prior.

The Bulls offense still has its share of issues, as their offensive rating is actually worse in their last four games (101.2, 27th) compared to their first seven (108.3, 17th). Their 45.7 percent 2-point shooting over that span (fourth-worst) puts a damper on things. However, their 35.6 percent shooting from 3 (11th-best) and 82.8 shooting from the free throw line (fifth-best) is keeping them afloat.

Zach LaVine continues to be the engine for the Bulls. After starting the season with four consecutive 30-plus-point performances, LaVine went on to average “only” 22.8 points over the following six games. However, he exploded again in the win over the Knicks, dropping a career-high 41 points in front of the Madison Square Garden crowd. He has averaged 27.5 points over the last four games.

Rookie center Wendell Carter Jr. has come into his own. He has averaged 15.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in the last four games. His best performance was his 25-point, eight-rebound outing against the Nuggets. However, he has also notched double-doubles in each of the last two games.

Lastly, the recent sharpshooting from wings Antonio Blakeney and Justin Holiday should also be commended. Blakeney is third on the team in scoring (14.0 ppg) over the last four and has gone 50.0 percent from 3-point range on 4.0 attempts per game. Holiday is fourth in scoring (12.3 ppg) and has hit 46.9 percent of his 3’s on 8.0 attempts. He also has chipped in 2.8 assists per game to the cause.

For the Chicago Bulls and their fans, that Warriors game was tough to endure. Another outing like that would have likely meant sizable changes to the rotation or even the coaching staff. Therefore, everyone involved needed to step up over the next several games. They seem to have done just that, locking down opponents on the perimeter and continuing to compete on the offensive end.

Granted, this is still a young (the youngest!), inexperienced roster. They will make mistakes, have rough outings, and face a lot of heartbreak. Still, over the last four games, the Bulls have realized that as long as you play hard in the NBA, there is always a chance to win.