2012 NBA standings: Bulls hold strong atop Central Division

The Chicago Bulls may not look the same offensively as they would if Derrick Rose were healthy and playing, but they're still off to a strong start to their season. They're sitting at 3-1, with a win over the Orlando Magic in their last outing and their loss coming at the hands of the New Orleans Hornets in the game prior to that one.

Without Rose, they've been winning games based on strong defense, though the offense has been showing up here and there. In their lone loss, the offense was virtually non-existent. But without their best player, they could be a lot worse off than 3-1.

More than that, the 3-1 record is good for first in the Central Division in the Eastern Conference. The Milwaukee Bucks are the only other team presently with a winning record at 2-1, while the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers both sit at 2-3. Lastly, the Cleveland Cavaliers find themselves winless at 0-5.

In the conference, the New York Knicks are 3-0, while the Miami Heat are 4-1, and the rest are below the Bulls in some form or fashion. You can go here for a full list of standings for the entire league.