Steven Senne/AP
BOSTON – Billy Donovan isn’t looking for cute nicknames to hand out to his bench players.
No, that’s not how the Bulls coach works.
Floor burns, some bruises, loose balls being corralled at any cost? That’s what Donovan can get behind. Nicknames? Save those for a different coach.
That’s why Donovan has been challenging his second unit for weeks, trying to get them to buy into the idea that doing the little things wins games, and winning games in that fashion means more playing time.
Message heard.
Down four entering the final quarter against the defending world champions on Thursday, Donovan watched reserves like Lonzo Ball, Talen Horton-Tucker, Jalen Smith and Julian Phillips, along with current starting guard Ayo Dosunmu, make the game grimy.