So, can the kids play?

Despite 11 wins in their last 12 contests, it's hard to say just how good this Bulls team is. Why? Because all those wins have come against teams I suspect would struggle in the Big Ten.

We know the Bulls (14-10) are good enough to beat bad teams. Question is, can they play with the big boys? Early on they couldn't, but this is a different Bulls team than the one that went out west when the circus came to town. At this point, though, who really knows?

Instead of guessing at what's behind the curtains, let's take stock of five key things we do know about the Chicago Bulls, v.2006-2007.

1. These Bulls can score. As the no. 10-scoring team in the league, averaging a shade over 100 points a game, this squad is proving more than a few doubters wrong. The Bulls still don't get much post production, and they don't have a true go-to scorer, so you figure they'll still have to deal with a few offensive slumps. All the same, the offense certainly isn't handicapping this team. What they lack in star power, they make up for with quick passing, second-chance scoring and transition buckets.

2. Ben Wallace has a few games left in the tank yet. Headband or no headband, Wallace has been a stat monster the past couple weeks. With his rebounding average back in double digits (10.6 per) where it belongs – including 20-, 27- and 15-rebound games his last three, respectively – I'm starting to wonder if Wallace is picking up a few boards during halftime breaks. With the added offensive touches that come with more rebounds, Wallace's other numbers (points, assists, even free throws) are up as well. Big Ben is clearly settling into his Windy City comfort zone, and finally sounds happy to be here. Remember: Happy Ben = Productive Ben.

3. P.J. Brown wants out; the Bulls don't need him. Nothing hostile here, but Brown just isn't a vital piece of John Paxson's puzzle, and was never going to log the 30 minutes a night he's grown accustomed to playing in his long and productive career. These days, the classy, but past-his-prime vet's value lies predominantly in his tutelage and leadership skills and that $8 million expiring contract, which could make for a nice bargaining chip in the coming months. Brown's already been linked to a potential three-team deal with Denver and Philly that would have netted the Bulls Marcus Camby and sent Allen Iverson to the Nuggets. Denver nixed the offer, and really, any trade involving Brown likely won't take place until we get closer to the February trade deadline. But eventually, he might very well get shipped off. For now, hopefully Brown, despite his dissatisfaction over minutes, keeps his word and bites his tongue in the best interest of the team.

4. Luol Deng and Andres Nocioni can play – together. Entering the 2006-2007 campaign, Deng and Nocioni rarely shared court time out of fear they didn't have the size to compete with opposing forwards. This season, Deng and Noce are averaging a not-too-shabby 34 points (on 51 percent shooting) and 12 rebounds between them. While their lack of height might catch up to them here and there, those two have proven themselves a highly dependable starting forward tandem.

5. Ben Gordon can score – quietly. Like anyone else in the NBA, Gordon wants to be a starter. Unlike, say, Andre Barrett, Gordon can make a compelling argument to scratch the starting five. To his credit, though, Gordon hasn't said a peep about having to return to the bench; instead, he's gone out and scored 20 a night (18.5 for the season) as a dynamite sixth man. I'll never understand why Gordon's ever been labeled a malcontent. There's just no evidence to support it.

The next couple weeks, the schedule gets a little tougher with games against the Lakers (tonight at 7:30 p.m. on Comcast Sports Net) and Cavs (December 30th) before the Bulls resume a full-on, day-to-day, professional-level schedule in January. Maybe then we'll know a little more.

In the mean time, the Bulls continue to welcome the tired, the poor, the huddled masses and wretched refuse of the NBA.

You know, the Eastern Conference.

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