By the Numbers: Bench Points, Injuries and the Denver Gap

69 bench points. Reserves outscored the Bulls' starters 69-53 in the loss at Denver, with Leonard Miller, Buddy Hield and Jalen Smith doing most of the scoring off the bench. It shows this group can find points in October. It proves nothing about who closes games once Claxton and Giddey both play full minutes.

26 off the bench. Leonard Miller shot 11-for-14, made four of six threes and scored a team-high 26 against Denver, finishing a minus-2 in 22 minutes anyway. One shooting night like that doesn't settle a crowded frontcourt race; Buzelis, Smith and Essengue are all fighting for the same minutes.

two back Wednesday. Jaylin Sellers and Zach Collins are both penciled in to return Wednesday at Milwaukee; Nic Claxton isn't expected back until the regular-season opener in Toronto on October 21. That's the hamstring injury that's cost him every preseason game since camp broke.

plus-4.2 from last year. Vucevic, Huerter, Okoro, Giddey and Buzelis posted a net rating of plus-4.2 across 13 games last season, the best five-man group Chicago ran out. Two of those five are gone now, traded at the deadline, which is most of why last season's lineup data only goes so far as a guide.

23 wins apart. Denver won 54 games last season; Chicago won 31. That 23-win gap is the distance between a contender and a team still rebuilding, and one preseason loss in Denver won't close it by opening night.

four days rest. Denver had four days of rest before Sunday's game; Chicago had one, in the middle of its second game in seven days. Both teams get three days before their next one, so the schedule gap closes by Wednesday even if Sunday's score didn't reflect it.