Sam Smith: Arrow is on the upswing for the Bulls

Actually, being on a midseason pace for 36 wins given more injury games missed already than all of last season and a rookie coach and point guard suggests the Bulls have a shot at 40 wins and a playoff position in the wide open East. The key will be getting through the early February two week Western Conference road trip because the Bulls close in April with a favorable run of five of six games at home and a good chance for a closing kick to get the seventh or eighth spot.

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The big talk is whether the Bulls will make a major trade. I'd doubt it, and I believe it will be difficult to deal Larry Hughes until after the season or during next season when his contract finally is expiring. I expect the Bulls would send him home once the trade deadline is past if they cannot trade him. His contract remains too much of a potential asset to release him. If there is a trade, I think it will be looking toward the future and the first one out, I'd guess, would be Andres Nocioni.

Not because the Bulls don't like him.