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Coming off one of the league's best debuts this season, Lauri Markkanen is ready for Year 3

"I’ve always said when the lights come on, he’s a different cat. The lights came on and he was ready to roll. I think he is a special player." - Coach Boylen on Lauri Markkanen

Once the NBA season starts, it becomes like a marathon race with the games coming relentlessly like mile markers, concerned less with the last than the next. So Thursday early afternoon in the wake of the disappointing opening night loss in Charlotte, Bulls players considered Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Certainly, there was no ignoring the defensive lapses in Charlotte, the drive-kick-swing of the youthful and eager Hornets players, sniping away with 23 three pointers in 44 attempts, often seemingly enough alone that they had to check if there was a timeout.