If the Chicago Bulls are this good without point guard Derrick Rose —not great, but good — then could they really be serious title contenders even this season?

You'd, of course, have said no chance coming into the 2012-13 NBA season, and anytime in the first month as the Bulls lurched along around .500.

But as the snow begins to pile up in the Midwest, there's something flying under the radar. Santa's sleigh? No, it's the Bulls quietly third in fewest points allowed and second in both overall defensive shooting percentage and opponents' 3-point shooting. And as December is about to close, it's the Bulls (15-11 through Sunday) hanging in along with Indiana (16-12) at the top of the standings in the Central Division.