CHICAGO -- Nikola Mirotic didn't need any help.

When the Bulls' star rookie was asked after Friday's impressive 108-92 win over the Toronto Raptors how many assists his teammate, Joakim Noah, dished out, Mirotic was ready.

"Fourteen," he said. "That's awesome."

Mirotic might very well be the hottest player in the league not named Russell Westbrook this month, but the 24-year-old knows Noah is the engine that drives the Bulls' car, on and off the floor. That fact was evident again Friday nigh,t as Noah tied a career high with those 14 assists -- and changed the dynamic of the game in the process.

"[He's] the best big guy passing the ball I've seen, ever," Mirtoic said. "It's really special to play with him. He's the spirit of our team, helping us and pushing [the whole] team. I'm glad to be here and to learn with Jo."

The Bulls have become accustomed to seeing Noah dominate the game in many different areas, but it's his passing ability that continues to impress. He sees lanes on the floor that centers just don't usually see. He has the type of point guard skills centers don't usually have. He comes into Saturday's game against the Detroit Pistons averaging eight assists a game this month. As Bulls radio statistician Jeff Mangurten pointed out, Noah now has two 14-assist games in his career. No other center since 1980 has one.

The realization that Noah has become one of the best passing big men of all time is impressive on its own, but the fact that his teammates have bought into a 7-footer's helping run an offense is as crucial to the Bulls' success as anything else over the past three years. As my radio partner Jonathan Hood noted during Friday's postgame show, Noah's teammates play a critical role in his success.

Obviously, they are the ones who benefit from Noah's rare ability, but they also had to sign off on the idea that their center was going to become a de facto point guard. When Derrick Rose went down with an ACL injury in April 2012, Tom Thibodeau had to reorganize his offense. Not only did he give Noah more freedom to expand his all-around game, but his players also trusted Noah to get them the ball in the right spaces on the floor and help them create. It's a special relationship that isn't seen often in the league.

Why does it work?

"He's real unselfish," Bulls power forward Taj Gibson said of Noah. "He's always trying to thread the needle. He doesn't care about his own looks. He's always worried about getting the assists, getting the assists, and that's rare in this league. A lot of big men are not like that, and it shows his character."

Noah doesn't like to discuss his individual achievements, preferring to focus on team goals and production, but he does understand that he has been given more responsibility than most on the offensive end, especially when the almost 240-pounder is pushing the ball up the floor.

"I think Thibs will let me do it as long as I don't turn it over," Noah said. "I'm well aware when I'm bringing it up the court not to turn it over 'cause he'll be pissed at that."