Vinny Del Negro's Chicago Bulls did something no other NBA team has been able to do this season on Monday night. They beat the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena.

It wasn't easy. The Bulls' dramatic 101-100 win came when Larry Hughes nailed a long jumper at the buzzer.

The Bulls, of course, didn't play a Jazz team at full strength. Far from it, in fact.

The Jazz were without two U.S. Olympians — Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer — as well as Matt Harpring, Jarron Collins, Kyle Korver and Brevin Knight.

Six Jazz players were out with various injuries.

"The Jazz, no question, are banged up," said first-year Chicago coach Del Negro. "But they are still very difficult to beat (in Salt Lake City). You never want players to be injured, but it's part of the game. Every team has injuries and you have to fight through your schedule. We go by the motto 'no excuses."'

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan isn't one for excuses, either. And injuries are indeed a major part of the game.

The fact remains that the Jazz have been bitten hard by the injury bug this season.

Consider that last year Jazz players missed a grand total of 45 games due to injury or personal reasons through the entire 82-game regular.

Through Friday night's home win over the Sacramento Kings, however, Jazz players had missed 52 games due to injury or personal reasons already. And that's in only 17 games.

Williams, Utah's unquestioned floor leader, missed 13 games with a sprained left ankle. His return this week has seemed to energize the entire club even though the Jazz are still missing Boozer, one of the few NBA players who can average 20-plus points and 10-plus boards.

So, all things considered, Utah's 11-6 mark through Friday night's game is impressive. It's just one game worse than last season when the Jazz were 12-5 after 17 games.

Perhaps the only other team that has been Utah's equal in terms of losing stars to injury is the San Antonio Spurs, who had both Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker out for long stretches. The Spurs got off to a rough start, but are now back closing in on the Southwest Division lead and Ginobili and Parker are back in the lineup.

Utah and San Antonio's ability to tread water with star players out may bode well for the future of this season right into the playoffs. It may turn out to be a blessing in disguise as long as the teams can get to full strength by the stretch run and the playoffs. Backups, like Utah's Ronnie Price and Paul Millsap, have gained valuable playing experience as starters and will be better prepared in case they are needed later in the year.