With Joakim Noah out for the season, the Chicago Bulls don't have to worry anymore about distributing playing minutes at the center position.
Bobby Portis, who filled in when Noah was still recuperating, is expected to take on the role full-time from here on, but the rookie cannot afford to relax. In fact, he needs to push himself all the more since the latest developments have placed him in a more serious role.
Portis toned down a bit for the little time that Noah returned from injury. The decreased minutes could be the reason, plus the fact that he may be wary of where he truly stands.
The Bulls made it clear that he is a centerpiece for the future of the franchise and now, he has to prove that those beliefs are for real and not a spur of the moment thing. He needs to work overtime and prepare for opponents since he will now be scouted and technically tested to the hilt.
Portis doesn't need to pressure himself though, something that coach Fred Hoiberg feels he is doing right now. He will have to learn the ropes quickly and deal with the fact that this is a rare opportunity to pick it up a notch and show what he can really do.
That includes playing a lot of center in the coming games as the Bulls now come short of men to place in the middle. Portis has shown his aggressiveness and tenacity, so blending in with Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson shouldn't be a problem.
As it stands, he needs to prove to the Bulls and the fans that his recent impressive run was no fluke. Things just became serious so Portis will need to have all that sink in and contribute to the Bulls' cause moving forward.
