Players who need to step it up for the Bulls' second half of the season

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The Chicago Bulls exceeded expectations for the first half of the season with head coach Billy Donovan improving his players and Zach LaVine shining. The key is to keep that momentum going in this second half.

With a record of 16-18 at the All-Star break, the Bulls start their season back up tomorrow in a meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center. It's not going to be an easy game considering that they'll be playing against the top team in the East up to this point.

The only way the Bulls can find success in this second half is if the bench continues to step it up, while the starting five stays consistent.

Here are some players who need to step it up:

Lauri Markkanen

Markkanen's name irritates me at this point because he's talented, yet injuries are constantly looming over him and holding him back from being the great player he could be. This is a guy who hasn't even come close to playing a full season in all four years of his NBA career up to this date.

His numbers were looking good this season, and just when everyone was ready to watch him go off for a great season, he went on to miss the last month of game action due to a shoulder injury.

The Bulls are expecting to have him back for the remainder of the season, but there's always some type of injury concern taped to him. If he stays healthy, he would be a highly beneficial piece to the Bulls' frontcourt. In the games he did play this season, he averaged 19.1 points per game, 6.1 rebounds and 0.9 assists.

Wendell Carter Jr.

Notice a pattern here? So far I've named all front-court guys. Carter is very productive and efficient when healthy, like Markkanen. But let's reiterate when healthy.

Carter is another guy who's missed a great amount of games due to injury. Not just this season but last season, as well. In the games he has played, he's averaging 12.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He has shot a much-improved 53.5% from the field, 35% from beyond the arc and 73.3% from the free-throw line.

He's an important element to the front court, especially when it comes to grabbing boards. He had 15 rebounds in the last game he played before the All-Star break:

Coby White

I expected more from him this season. He's been inconsistent, which has brought up questions what the front office is going to do with him as we approach the March 25 trade deadline.

White is great at scoring, but his defense needs to improve. Bringing in Lonzo Ball, who is a pass-first point guard who has strong perimeter defense, would be more beneficial to the Bulls than keeping White. Ball would complement Zach LaVine's game and would throw some great lobs.

If the Bulls keep White, he would just have to serve as a combo guard, the way Tomas Satoransky does. He's still young and has a lot more learning and growing to do. He's very talented and has potential, but has to be more consistent.

Daniel Gafford

The second-year center from Arkansas didn't get as much playing time this first half of the season. Center Luke Kornet has gotten more playing time and a bigger role in Donovan's front-court rotation.

Gafford has to maximize his rebounding skills and his ability to protect the rim to find more playing time. This would be beneficial to the team and would spike up his season averages which currently stand at 4.8 points per game, 3.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists.

I hope Gafford has been getting some rest since he got posterized by Zion Williamson in the last game he played before the All-Star Break.