SALT LAKE CITY — Denzel Valentine admits he plays the what-if game, which is understandable given that he isn't playing much else.

“I always play that: ‘What if I didn't get hurt?' ” Valentine said, referring to the badly sprained left ankle that sidelined him for almost all of Bulls training camp. “(But) everything happens for a reason.

“Maybe it just wasn't my time right now. Maybe I can learn more. I don't complain. I just keep working hard.”

That attitude, support from teammates and coaches and a previous experience are keeping Valentine's spirits up during a trying time. Even injuries to Doug McDermott and Rajon Rondo have created only limited opportunity for the first-round pick.

“I'm sitting behind a Hall of Famer and an NBA All-Star,” Valentine said, referring to Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler. “I'm still confident I can play at this level.”

In 2015, Valentine logged limited minutes as the 10th man on USA Basketball's Pan American Games team that won a bronze medal in Toronto.

“Just like then, I feel I'm still getting better,” Valentine said. “I'm definitely learning different things throughout each game that I can improve on mentally and physically. Everyone stays positive with me, which makes it easier.”

Point, counterpoint:Jerian Grant drew his second straight start Thursday, but don't think the Bulls will start calling Rondo “Wally Pipp,” the Yankee who took a day off and never got his job back from Lou Gehrig.

“He was a huge key for our early season success when we were playing with great pace out of the gate,” coach Fred Hoiberg said of Rondo, who has a mildly sprained left ankle. “A lot of that was because of Rajon and the way he was talking to our guys and getting them going after every huddle — you know, ‘Run with me.'

“Rondo's one of the reasons we've developed really good chemistry. He's had some really good moments for us, and we anticipate that throughout the season.”

Breaking right: While Rondo, McDermott and Michael Carter-Williams remained out, the Bulls can't complain about their early fortunes. They've benefited from opponents missing rotation players, playing the second of back-to-back games — or both.

Derrick Favors and George Hill sat for the Jazz on Thursday. The Wizards finished a back-to-back Saturday without their starting backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal. In the second game against the Celtics, Al Horford sat and Jae Crowder exited early with an injury.