Leaving 2012 Behind

366 days is a long period to reflect on.  Yet somehow, people always take the time at the end of the calendar year to do it.  Not wanting to be left out, I've decided to reflect on what these past 12 months have brought our Bulls.

Many times in sports, a team's fortune takes a 180 between the days the ball drops in Times Square.  While I wouldn't say that describes the Bulls in 2012, we've had expectations take a bit of a dive.  In the beginning, the Bulls were going full steam ahead to win home-court advantage throughout the NBA playoffs.  They were able to do it with amazing depth and tough defense.  No Derrick Rose?  No Rip Hamilton?  No Luol Deng?  No problem.  The Bench Mob kept the team first in the conference to the end of the regular season.  While the reigning MVP and the other starters nursed various injuries to keep healthy for the upcoming playoff run, others held down the fort.  It was the beloved Bench Mob that kept things looking up.  The group of Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson, Taj Gibson, Omer Asik, Jimmy Butler and the beloved Brian Scalabrine made the price of admission to the United Center worth it more times than not.

Better yet, much of the country was getting behind this bunch.  They were going to return to the conference finals and maybe even knock off Miami this time.  It'd be tough, but this group could be very dangerous when it was on.  Once the playoffs began, everyone figured the first two rounds would just be appetizers to prepare for the inevitable rematch with the Heat that was sure to come after.  But my oh my, how things can quickly change.

The championship run ended before it could pick up any steam.  Derrick Rose, after a less-than-healthy regular season, tore his ACL at the end of the first playoff game with Philadelphia.  The air and excitement were sucked out of Chicago with a straw.  All anyone could think about was a lost opportunity and what would become of this hometown hero.  Then, when Joakim Noah badly sprained his ankle two games later, all bets were off.  That precious home-court advantage the Bulls had worked so hard for all year proved for naught as the 76ers bounced them in six games.

Realizing the Bench Mob didn't provide as much depth as previously though, Gar Forman and John Paxson let most of them go.  Gibson and Butler were the only to survive.  It might have helped if they paid Asik, who has become a prolific rebounding starter in Houston and is currently one of the best in the league.  Otherwise, none of the other former Bulls have really made the front office regret their decision.

As we await Rose's return, we're able to concentrate a little more on the new faces that make the current roster.  Kirk Hinrich has returned after a two-year absence and leads the team in assists, though his shooting leaves something to be desired.  Nate Robinson has a tendency to score and despite earlier shortcomings, Marco Belinelli has emerged as the outside threat he was expected to be when signed.  Some have called for him to permanently replace Hamilton in the starting lineup, but I'll save that debate for another day.

Several things are the same or better.  Deng continues to play at an All-Star level and the wrist issue has gone away.  Noah keeps grabbing rebounds and is an all-around improved player whom the Bulls would be in trouble without.  He's sure to be an All-Star this year.  Tom Thibodeau still goes all out whenever his team plays.  It doesn't always work favorably and he can be a bit stubborn, but there's no one else I'd rather have coaching this club.  And of course, people are still calling for Carlos Boozer to be amnestied.  That day will probably come later instead of sooner, so for now, we'll have to settle for the double-doubles that make him look better than he's actually worth.

Most amazing is that the Rose-less Bulls are in a dogfight for first place in the Central.  No one believes a championship is in the immediate future because frankly, it isn't.  Whenever Rose returns, he still won't be in 100 percent shape.  While he returns to his groove, the team won't be at an elite level.  They aren't now and that won't change with an immediate addition.  For now, the Bulls have to concentrate on clinching a good playoff spot.  When that's wrapped up, we'll see how far this group can go.

It's nice to leave 2012 in the distance because it means we can begin 2013 with renewed hope and optimism.  Maybe this will be the year the Bulls finally get that true second scoring option to compliment Rose.  Perhaps then, we'll have a team with a more legitimate chance at a title than ever before.  Until then,  Happy New Year and be safe tonight.  See you next year!

Win Comes, But Boards Don't

The Bulls were lucky to get a reprieve when Wednesday's game in Indiana was snowed out.  In the previous two games, both big losses, they were outrebounded.  More on that in a bit, but first, let's discuss the positive elements of last night's 87-77 victory over the lowly Washington Wizards.

Richard Hamilton returned to action for the first time in nearly a month, sending Marco Belinelli to the bench.  No matter.  The hot shooting guard led all scorers with 17 points.  Carlos Boozer achieved a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds while Joakim Noah was one point shy of his own, grabbing 11 rebounds.  Luol Deng, having benefited from the last game's postponement with his ankle, showed he's fine by dropping 11 points, though a 4-for-13 shooting night could have been better.  Kirk Hinrich had 10 points and seven assists while Hamilton put up a respectable nine points.

While the Bulls will accept any win, Tom Thibodeau will not accept his team getting beat on the boards, which happened last night for the third game in a row, this time to the tune of 56-49.  Emeka Okafor himself finished with 18 rebounds, which no doubt kept the game close.  Thibodeau said afterward he'll be adding more rebounding drills to the practice routine.  Definitely a good idea.  For a team that prides itself on hustle and defense, those elements have been a bit lacking since about the fourth quarter of the win in New York last week.  Yes, it's probably just a bad stretch in a long season, but Thibodeau doesn't want to make this a long-lasting problem.  You're in a jammed Central thanks in no small part to the loss of its biggest superstar and you want to stay as far ahead of the pack as possible until said superstar returns.  Not easy as there's a three-way tie for first as of this writing.  To pull ahead, the Bulls have to remember a simple philosophy:  get the ball and take away second chances.  When that happens, another blowout will come.

The Bulls will close out 2012 with a New Year's Eve matinee against the reeling Charlotte Bobcats, who are making a run at the record 26-game losing streak the Cavaliers from just two years ago.  Maybe this is just what the team needs to shake out of the doldrums.  I'm not sure if I'll recap it, but I'll definitely take a look back at the Bulls during the first full calendar year of this blog.  Hey, everyone else in the media seems to be doing these things.  Why not me too?

Bah, Humbug

I work in a 7-day-a-week business.  That means people even have to work in it on holidays.  I had to labor on Thanksgiving, but was fortunate to have today off.  Even so, I had co-workers making the trek to Tribune Tower to put out tomorrow's paper tonight.  They most likely brought everything they had to the table, which is more than I can say about the Bulls tonight.  It appeared they'd rather have been eating ham tonight than slowing down the Houston Rockets.

In one of the worst showings of the Tom Thibodeau era, the Bulls were run right out of the United Center, losing 120-97 and bringing their unbeaten home winning streak on Christmas to an end at seven.  It was an embarrassing performance on the NBA's biggest TV day of the year and former Bull Omer Asik was only too pleased to dish the worst blows out.  Continuing to show the front office they made a big mistake letting him walk, he delivered a crushing double-double of 20 points and 18 rebounds, of which five were on the offensive end.  That was just the beginning.  The Rockets' starting trio of James Harden, Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin gave respective scoring performances of 26, 23 and 20.  Just for good measure, Marcus Morris, the remaining starter, poured in 10.  He was one of four Houston starters with at least five rebounds.  This team was properly prepared and had every intention of turning the contest into a blowout if the opportunity came.  Sadly, the Bulls were in too much of a giving spirit on this holiday.

The hapless Bulls were led in scoring by Nate Robinson, whose 27 points off the bench somehow provided a late spark that proved too difficult to overcome.  Marco Belinelli had the best scoring game by a starter with 15 points.  Luol Deng trailed just behind him with 14.  He sprained his ankle in the first quarter, but played through it for 36 minutes.  A healthier Deng might have given his team more of a chance, but it wasn't to be.  His status for tomorrow's game is questionable.  Even though a struggling offense was an issue, it would have had to be close to lights out to win tonight as the Rockets shot 56 percent.  But that doesn't excuse poor shooting nights from Carlos Boozer (3-for-11) and Kirk Hinrich (2-for-8, including 0-for-4 from beyond the arc).  They're supposed to be the leading veterans on this team.  Nights like tonight only prove detrimental to the rest of the roster.  It's discouraging and I don't wish to see them simultaneously stinking up the joint again, though that may be asking too much.

There's no better way to describe tonight's performance than the Bulls let the Rockets do whatever they wanted almost all night.  Houston controlled the tempo early and just wouldn't let up.  One thing we're learning about this team is they don't stick with opposing full-court offenses too well.  I was reminded of the loss to the Clippers that turned into a dunk contest between teammates.  The Bulls have to learn to adjust to these teams or more games like the one tonight will happen.  They're not pretty to watch and they're not fun.

Perhaps more concerning right now is this is the first time since Thibodeau took over as head coach that the Bulls have sustained back-to-back double-digit losses.  Granted, the first one came the night after grinding out a tough win against the Knicks in New York, but this will no doubt cause Thibodeau to take longer looks than usual at the film.  To get back on the right track, the Bulls will have to remind themselves that their strength lies within Thibodeau's philosophy of playing lockdown defense from start to finish.  It begins tomorrow on the road against the Indiana Pacers, who have no respect for this team.  They just moved into first place with tonight's loss and now, they'll want to build on that.  Look for some bad blood and pray Deng's ankle has healed enough for him to go.  The Bulls can still win if he can't, but their chances drop in that case.  Time to show them who's boss in the division.  Take the Bankers Life Fieldhouse crowd out of it early.

And of course, Merry Christmas to all!

Garden Rumble

If I had taken a time machine from 1993 to tonight and sat down to watch the Bulls-Knicks game, I never would have known the NBA has changed much over the years.  It was at Madison Square Garden (albeit reconfigured), a Bulls victory of 110-106 and the teams were going at each other's throats before it was all over.  The general sentiment afterward was that this rivalry was back in full force.  The fact that no blood was actually spilled is nothing short of a miracle.  All that was missing was a fight between Derek Harper and Jo Jo English.

Before I get into the gruesome details, let's recap some of the heroes for the Bulls tonight.  None was bigger than Luol Deng, who led the team with 29 points and 13 rebounds, hitting nearly half of his shots.  He's the focal point of the offense right now and he showed it tonight.  On a night the Bulls got off to a hot start and never let the Knicks back into it until there was too little time left for a complete comeback, a leader was needed and Deng filled the role.  Marco Belinelli played a career-high 45 minutes and made the most of it with 22 points, half of which came on an 11-of-12 night from the free throw line.  Something happened to Kirk Hinrich on his way to New York because he looked nothing like the player who's struggled for most of the year.  He scored 16 points and was 4-of-5 beyond the three-point line.  If you're looking for one player to epitomize how hot the Bulls were tonight, Hinrich's your guy.  Or if you choose, try Joakim Noah with another double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds.  More on him in a bit.  Nate Robinson helped close it out thanks an 11-point game.  Terrific performances from many different guys.

As big a story it was that the Bulls appeared to hit everything and the Knicks struggled, it took a backseat to all that transpired in the fourth quarter.  It began when J.R. Smith fouled out with 26 points.  Tensions were already high with questionable officiating and a liberal number of technicals being called.  Carmelo Anthony (29 points) and Knicks coach Mike Woodson each got T'd up for the second time and earned early trips to the locker room.  The Knicks crowd let the officials know exactly how they felt and it wasn't pretty.  The boiling point came when Noah and Tyson Chandler ran into each other going after a Jason Kidd three that eventually counted.  Then, they got in each other's faces, causing the rest of the players on the floor to intervene.  Both were tossed for their actions and may face suspensions.  It won't be pretty when these guys are matched again.

By the time I started following the NBA at age 7, the prime of the Bulls-Knicks rivalry had mostly passed.  They were starting to have more intense games with Pat Riley's Heat than with the Bulls.  The physicality just wasn't as brutal as when Patrick Ewing's window to a title was realistically open.  But tonight, I got a good lesson in what it's like when the two teams genuinely despise each other.  This won't be forgotten anytime soon.  You just know everyone involved has already circled the Jan. 11 rematch on their calendars.  I'm likely to be working when it's going on, but I can still imagine the badder blood that's sure to come.  It'll be every man for himself.  As others have already said, this is a good thing for the NBA.  Everyone looked forward to this game when the league saw some of its very best days in the '90s.  When both teams are competitive, it can rival any match-up between the Celtics and Lakers under similar circumstances.  Those who watched nationally on NBA TV tonight got their time's worth.  Ratings are sure to be higher when the next game is broadcast on ESPN.  Bulls fans are typically trained to hate the Knicks.  Hope you brush up on your history between the two teams in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, the Bulls have a quick turnaround as they head to Atlanta to play the Hawks.  This holds significance in that a win would move the Bulls into third in the East.  The Hawks continue to be on their way up, though they may not have enough to get further than the conference finals.  No matter tomorrow night though.  Just concentrate on beating them and forget how good they are.  That's what hot teams like the Bulls do.  But you knew that already, right?

Jo Puts Pistols Away

I could talk about Joakim Noah's triple-double of 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists during last night's 100-89 win over the Boston Celtics, but two reasons tell me I won't.  First, I was working last night and thus couldn't watch much of the game.  Second and more importantly, I would just be recycling the post I made last week about how Noah's on his way to his first All-Star appearance.  It was in that very post I used the above picture minus the touch-up.  Nobody could have anticipated I'd be coming back to it for reasons we wish wouldn't exist.

You won't be seeing the celebration anymore.  After turning in his latest big performance, Noah told the media he's retired it for good in the wake of Friday's elementary school shooting in Connecticut.  He said he received a few comments on social media regarding his schtick which contributed to his decision.  It probably wasn't the ultimate reason it happened, but at least Noah did something about the pistols before it turned into major backlash in the immediate aftermath of this tragedy.

Honestly, I only began to notice Noah's routine when I attended the win over Orlando last month and my friend John brought it up.  I probably would have caught on eventually as Comcast SportsNet has even run promos with the pose.  Like many Bulls fans, I'm sorry to see it go, but am perfectly understanding of the reasons.  Way more often than we'd like this year alone, we have seen too many mass killings at the hands of people who use these weapons.  Continuing this celebration would not only be insensitive to the families of the victims, but given the mental states of many of those who pulled the trigger in these cases, you want to discourage anyone in similar situations from even considering these acts.

The violence in this country will always be a topic of debate.  Both sides are able to make convincing cases for why there is or isn't too much or whether or not certain images send the message that absolutely nothing is off limits.  What's not debatable is that young people's lives are ending far too prematurely because some of their fellow men don't hold the same regard for human life as everyone should.  It's a shame that Noah's act had to end like this.  We'd rather have seen it conclude on his own time.  Sometimes however, circumstances force your hand.  By taking it down a notch, Noah can restrict at least some of the violent messages people are exposed to.  You can guarantee he'll be doing more than he ever has to push his anti-violence agenda.  It's something we should all get behind because this way, we can prevent more tragedies like those in Newtown and Aurora.

The slightly calmer Noah will continue the season with the rest of his season Friday at Madison Square Garden to visit the hot New York Knicks.  Last time the Bulls were there was on Easter and they lost a heartbreaker thanks to a big three from Carmelo Anthony that was played over and over again on highlight shows everywhere.  They'll be ready to play as I'm sure the memory remains fresh in their minds.  And hey, as long as Noah looking for new ways to find enemies in opposing crowds, how about doing something to rile up Spike Lee?  That would be entertaining.

Sputtering Down South

After pulling out a win over the Nets Saturday, some might have finally been convinced the Bulls can stick with above-average teams in the NBA.  While that certainly may be the case, it wasn't shown Monday when they took on the Memphis Grizzlies in Tennessee.  To the tune of 80-71, the Bulls have now lost seven of eight when visiting the town Derrick Rose called home for a year.

It appeared things would run smoothly on this night as the club got hot in the first quarter and the Grizzlies shot poorly.  Then, Lionel Hollins sent in his bench and everything changed.  Led by the hot shooting of Wayne Ellington, who finished the night with 11 points, Memphis made all five three-point attempts in the first half.  Ellington knocked down three of those tonight.  Mike Conley Jr. shot 50 percent from the field and led all scorers with 17 points.  Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph, the best known members of the Grizzlies' roster, had respective point totals of 12 and 10.  Randolph achieved a double-double with 15 rebounds and Marc Gasol grabbed 11 boards.  It was an all-around effort that showed why this team is challenging San Antonio for first in the Southwest.

Don't let Carlos Boozer's 16-point, 13-rebound performance fool you.  Both of those numbers should have been much higher.  Tonight was the latest reason why some people can't see him amnestied soon enough.  While the Grizzlies' defense may have simply overwhelmed him, it was still very discouraging to see close shots not falling and rebounds he should have pounced on taken away.  He may be averaging close to a double-double per game, but those stats are often bloated.  You have to actually watch him play to know he's not worth his contract.  Of course, there's likely the thought in the back of his mind that he should improve immensely if he ever wants to make this kind of money again.  When you have the roster the Bulls do, you can't afford this liability.  Hoping Boozer plays up to his contract may be wishful thinking by now, but perhaps that time is coming.  Probably not, but we can still hope.

Marco Belinelli had 13 points, but shot just 4-of-12.  Luol Deng was worse, tallying just 11 on 4-of-17 shooting.  His point total matched that of Joakim Noah's.  The toughest shooting came from Kirk Hinrich, who scored just four points and missed all four attempts from beyond the arc.  I know he doesn't have the best range, but how much does he actually have left?  That's something to watch out for.

Surprisingly, the Bulls shot just 0.2 percent worse than the Grizzlies at 37.3.  Still, other than that being a season low, there were at least three reasons the problem was more glaring than that for the home team.  Memphis grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, seven of which came from Randolph.  Take those away and the Grizzlies have just one more than the Bulls as opposed to eight.

Strangely, the Bulls won the turnover battle 16-19.  You couldn't tell by watching though.  The Grizzlies smothered the Bulls with their defense, which was its own problem.  More glaring was that a lot of bad passes were made and trouble holding onto the ball was imminent.  Hollins has really emphasized defense with his team, so if you don't play smart, they'll make you pay.  The Bulls will have to remember that when the clubs meet again on January 19.  It's something to remember when you play teams with this style.

Finally, the bench was badly outplayed.  The Grizzlies have five substitutes come in while Tom Thibodeau called upon only three.  Consequently, the final score for the second unit was 31-16.  A lack of depth and injuries hurt in games like this.  When you're without Rip Hamilton, your offense can suffer.  It will be a relief to have him back in the lineup whenever that time comes.  In the meantime, the Bulls will have to make do with who they have.

It'll be a quick turnaround as the Bulls return home to play the Boston Celtics tomorrow night.  The game is at the United Center and the Celtics have their own problems right now.  A perfect opportunity to return to the win column.  Whether the offense shows up will be a question.  Just reach 80 points and you'll have a shot at winning.  It's practically Winning in the NBA 101.

Jo Sticks It to Philly, Luol Regains Groove

I've got a few friends who love nothing more than to stick it to Philadelphia sports teams whenever possible.  Most of the time, it has little do with the actual players.  It's the fans that rub people the wrong way.  Remember, these are the same folks that pelted Santa Claus with snowballs back in the '60s.  So it wasn't just the fact that the Bulls won 96-89 tonight at the Wells Fargo Center that satisfied some people.  More like who had the best game.

Joakim Noah doesn't have fond memories of Philly.  It's where his sprained ankle in last year's playoffs broke the final straw in the Bulls' backs.  The 76ers fans actually had the nerve to cheer this unfortunate event.  Other fan bases would applaud him as he left, but no, not in the City of "Brotherly Love".  They love seeing opposing players in pain.  Blood is the very reason the exist.  Due to all of this, Noah decided to lead the Bulls with 21 points and hit some big buckets that put the Sixers away.  Early in the game, he showed off his pistol routine to the expected boos of the Philly faithful.  Just one more city in a long list that will surely continue to grow as his career goes on.  Sorry, but these people asked for it.  You do something to anger Joakim Noah, he's likely to go Jordan on you.

Luol Deng had the game he needed after a disappointment last night.  It's rare for him to disappear in consecutive games and that trend continued tonight.  He registered a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds.  He'll have games when he doesn't produce, hurting his team.  In the NBA, you need a short memory, especially if you're highly thought of.  Deng answered the call just as he was expected to.  So did Marco Belinelli and Nate Robinson, the makeshift starting backcourt that combined for 30 points.  Sadly, Carlos Boozer took on Deng's role from last night after coming up huge in said game.  He had just five points and three of those came from the free throw line.

The Bulls have continued to play hard and have left the last five games feeling satisfactory (at least most of their fans), even if one of them was a close defeat.  It's why this team currently finds itself ahead in the Central.  As long as Tom Thibodeau continues to have his guys properly prepared every night, they'll be in a good position once Derrick Rose returns.  Don't forget, Rip Hamilton and Kirk Hinrich haven't exactly been able to help much or at all, depending on who you look at.

After a couple of days rest, the rechristened Brooklyn Nets come to the United Center for the first time.  This is a team that doesn't mess around.  The Bulls will know that even before they take the floor.  Can they send Jay-Z's club away empty?  Let's watch and find out.

Dunked Out By Hot Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers were hot coming into tonight's game and let everyone know it.  They also made it known that they've owned the United Center in recent years.  Yes, the franchise that was once a punchline has evolved into one that makes fans of most other teams jealous, including the one here in Chicago.  Despite staying within striking distance all night, the Bulls simply got outplayed in a 94-89 loss, bringing the three-game winning streak to an end.

It's easy to be a Lakers fan in L.A., but Clippers fans have to be growing at a rapid pace due to their style of play.  I haven't seen so many dunks in a game since Space Jam.  There were enough that they could have filled out SportsCenter's Top 10 tonight.  While that didn't quite happen, it was still like watching a live-action version of NBA Jam.  The Lob City duo of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul combined for 40 points while Griffin and DeAndre Jordan each had 10 rebounds.  This team is young, athletic and very big.  If a window of opportunity for a title isn't opened this year, it will come in the foreseeable future.  They'll have to rely less on flash and more on simplicity if they are to ascend to the top of the NBA (I frankly don't believe Vinny Del Negro is the coach to make it happen), but I'm sure everyone in the organization is well aware of that.

Carlos Boozer often registers double-doubles, but they actually meant something tonight.  Without an impressive 24-point, 13 rebound performance, the Bulls would have been in much worse shape at the end of the game.  Alas, he kept them in the thick of things until the last flickering hope was snuffed out.  Can Boozer have more games like this?  I'd like to see more than just a bloated line every night.

Marco Belinelli continued to step up in Rip Hamilton's spot by scoring 18.  He hit four of his 10 three-point attempts, often sending the UC into a frenzy.  Joakim Noah appears to have cooled off from his recent tear, but he was still respectable with 10 points and 11 boards.  Taj Gibson made up for his Saturday ejection by totaling 10 of his own.  It was a disappointing night for Luol Deng, who had just eight points on 3-of-14 shooting.  When you're having a good season and Nate Robinson scores one more point than you, that's a disappointment.  Had he played up to his season average, this may have been a victory.

It could be argued that the Bulls had a better game tonight than their win over the Pistons.  That's simply because they stayed with a top West team throughout while they trailed plenty of times against a reeling Detroit club.  This may have been a loss, but I was very happy with the effort tonight.  Often times this year, they've had trouble when facing top teams.  Not tonight.  They were shades of the last two Bulls teams who could give balanced clubs fits even in defeat.  While this team may not be able to pull this off in every match-up like tonight, you have to at least give them a chance before the opening tip.  This game is an example of that.

Rather than dwell on what could been a win for a day, the Bulls head out to Philadelphia, where their season concluded last year.  The 76ers already lost to the Bulls once this year.  They'll want to protect their home court.  Time to see if our team can have some sort of revenge for having such a miserable time at the Wells Fargo Center last spring.

Pistol Jo

I rarely discuss my work life on here, but it has a bearing on this post.  Last night, I was given the task of creating a chart regarding Joakim Noah's career performance Friday in Detroit.  Consider the line he turned in:  30 points, 23 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks.  Never before in his six NBA seasons had he registered higher scoring or rebounding numbers.  According to basketball-reference.com, only five other players since the 1985-86 season (the earliest the box scores on that site go back) have posted those numbers in a single game.  The last to it was Kevin Garnett, whose performance came exactly nine years and two days prior.  Rounding out this elite list are Dirk Nowitzki, Charles Barkley, Joe Barry Carroll and Charles Oakley during his rookie year with the Bulls.  In that time, there have been 22 instances of a 30-23 game with 2 steals and 30 of one of 2 blocks.  Both are obviously bigger numbers, but you get the idea of how rare you see a game like that from Noah just a few nights ago.

If you didn't believe it before, and you might want to re-evaluate your status as a fan if that was the case, you can certainly say now that Noah is on his way to the best year of his career.  Even before the season began, there was a lot of talk that this could finally be the season Noah nets his first All-Star bid.  I don't see much reason to doubt that these days.  He's well on his way to playing with the best in the league in a couple of months.  He may not put up double-double numbers every night, but you'll see that kind of performance more often than not, pistol signs and all.  As I've said many times before, the energy he consistently brings make him the heart and soul of this club.  Without him, the Bulls would easily be below .500.

I'll take this opportunity to once again be glad I didn't jump on the anti-Noah bandwagon in the time before his playoff dunk over Paul Pierce.  I was probably being unreasonable then, but as I tend to do, I held out hope that this particular player would be of immense value to the Bulls eventually.  It was probably because of his role in Florida winning back-to-back national titles.  My optimism for certain guys fails more often than not, but I'm happy this one paid off.  Hate to tell certain people I told you so, but...well, you get the picture.

The next opportunity for Noah's magic comes Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.  8:30 is a late start for a home game, but that's likely to accommodate ESPN's schedule.  That's right.  Lob City is visiting the Windy City.  Despite a rash of injuries and recent lack of success at the United Center against the Clippers (they've lost 9 of 11), I truly believe this will be an entertaining game.  The Bulls themselves are on high ground with their first three-game winning streak of the year.  The Clippers have won six straight, so someone's run will be cut short.  Can Noah win the battle with DeAndre Jordan at center?  Will he challenge Blake Griffin?  The nation will be watching to find out.  Hope you will too.

Keeping Ahead

Although the Bulls never trailed in Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, there were times when the lead didn't appear safe.  You have to give the Cavs credit for continuing to push even when their aspirations looked bleak.  They were able to give the Quicken Loans Arena crowd reason to erupt a few times.  Unfortunately for them, the Bulls had an answer each time and won 95-85.

Marco Belinelli, making his second consecutive start, had the best game of his young Bulls career by leading everyone with 23 points.  He shot 7-of-15 from the field and 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.  If I were Tom Thibodeau, I'd make sure he's not out of the rotation for the rest of the season.  Then again, this is the same coach who had no reservations of sitting John Lucas III last season, even after his big performance against Miami.  On the flip side again, perhaps Thibs has finally warmed up to the shooter.  That coupled with this contest can only do wonders for the shooting guard going forward.

Luol Deng shot 8-of-13 from the floor and made all five free throws for 22 points.  Joakim Noah expressed his continued love of Cleveland by dropping a double-double of 13 points and 15 rebounds.  Carlos Boozer loved that feat so much he decided to collect one of his own, this one to the tune of 10 and 12.  Kirk Hinrich looked better than I've seen him all year.  Going 4-of-7 from the field, he scored 11 points and dished out eight assists.  He looked aggressive, confident and not afraid to do anything.  The same could be said of Belinelli for the reasons listed in the previous paragraph, so the backcourt was key tonight.

With all the talk there's been lately about how the Bulls can't close the door against playoff teams, this game was refreshing compared to some of the heartache this team has recently experienced.  The Cavaliers are on their way up, but they're too inexperienced to stick with a seasoned team for an entire game.  There's a reason they're 4-15 right now.  It will probably be a couple more years before we see them back in contention.  That said, be fortunate that even with the Bulls' current struggles, they're at least treading water until Derrick Rose returns for the late playoff push.  I'm sure you'd rather see what a team can do in the playoffs than look forward to the draft lottery.  That's my view at least.  We may not see a title this year, but competitive basketball is better to watch than below average.  Some may not find the season worth watching with the lower expectations.  Not true Bulls fans though.

Friday means the Detroit Pistons will host the Bulls, probably in front of a sparse crowd.  I saw a picture of tonight's Palace crowd as the home team played the Raptors.  Not very impressive.  We might see more Bulls fans there than the club the place is supposed to be home to.  It routinely happens in Milwaukee.  Why not invade Auburn Hills too?

By George, That Stunk

One quick glance at tonight's 80-76 final in a losing effort could tell you that this was a defensive struggle with the Indiana Pacers.  It could also say that both teams are struggling for offensive firepower (keep in mind the Pacers don't have Danny Granger right now).  Both are legitimate arguments, but upon looking deeper, you'll know this ultimately came down to who had the right players to push their club over the top.  The Bulls were not the beneficiary tonight.

Paul George was the man of the evening.  His 34 points were just a few more than his total over the previous four games.  Who does he think he is?  Ersan Ilyasova?  It's probably just bad luck that opposing players are breaking out of recent slumps against the Bulls, but that doesn't make it easier to take.  If he came of age tonight, I hate that it had to be in Chicago.  David West scored 10 as did Roy Hibbert, whose double-double came by virtue of 11 boards.  But it was the George Show tonight.  He's shaping to be someone who could do some real damage in this league as his career progresses.

For awhile, it appeared Nate Robinson would break the Bulls enough out of their offensive doldrums.  Some big plays in the fourth quarter gave everyone at the United Center a lot of energy.  Sadly, his best Joakim Noah impression and 19 points were overshadowed by some questionable decisions down the stretch.  He attempted a failed alley-oop pass in the closing moments that would have been better seen at almost any other point.  People wondering why Robinson isn't always highly thought of got a good lesson tonight.  He may be able to excite you for a few moments, but he's not the one to lead you to a championship.  You might see him towards the end of games like tonight, but not with bigger stakes.  If he wants to change those types of views, his basketball IQ in the clutch needs to be higher.  However, I'm wondering if that ship has sailed at this point in his career.

Luol Deng chipped in 17 points and Carlos Boozer had another double-double, this one to the tune of 14 and 10.  The Bulls really could have used Rip Hamilton tonight.  Perhaps he could turned this into a victory.  Even past his prime, he provides just enough to win you close games.  Maybe with him in the game, he could have also prevented more turnovers.  The Pacers had 23 points off 19 times the Bulls lost the ball.  That's the kind of stuff that translates into losses along with a shaky offense.  These scoring woes are not pleasant to have, but were expected at the start of the year.  We'll probably see a few more of these games before the season ends.  Brace yourselves.

A quick turnaround means the Bulls have to get right back at it tomorrow night.  The Cleveland Cavaliers await at the Q, where the Bulls already have a victory this season.  They'll do everything to make sure we don't sweep them for the year.  Put tonight's game behind you.  And for the love of God, score some points and control the ball more.

Rose May Practice Soon? Stop the Presses!

I'm breaking my rule on not writing about Derrick Rose's recovery unless there's a major development.  Why?  Look no further than the back page of today's Sun-Times.  Rose's picture is on there with the headline "Christmas Wish".  The sub-headline mentions that his teammates expect him to be practicing before the end of the calendar year.  Stories have mentioned he's mere weeks from it.  Then today, Tom Thibodeau told the media he wouldn't expect that.  I hope he's put a stop to the brief nonsense this "story" caused.

Yes, Rose has begun cutting on his repaired knee and sprinting.  Yes, that's an encouraging sign.  But as Chicago sports fans typically like to do, a few made it out to be something better than it actually was.  In fact, one of my high school friends posted about this on Facebook and concluded his post by saying "we going to the Finals."  I don't know if he was just kidding or dead serious, but I know that there's a better chance the Bears win this year's Super Bowl than the Bulls even win the East. 

We all know the Bulls need a second scoring option along with a healthy Rose to be a contender again.  I'll bypass that issue right now in favor of the current one.  Whether Rose returns to the lineup in February, March or even late January, nothing about this team's aspirations is going to change much.  I know I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but Rose will be at a bit of a disadvantage against players who have been playing for months.  Better players are licking their chops at the prospect.  As much as they respect the 2011 MVP, none of that matters if they're on the same court as him.  They'll leave nothing back and drop 30 points if possible.

At least when Michael Jordan returned in 1995, he wasn't coming off a debilitating injury like he did during his sophomore campaign, which was abbreviated by a broken foot.  He was still in athletic shape thanks to baseball in '95.  Broken feet don't take as much time to heal as a torn ACL.  That's why Jordan looked as fresh as ever when he came back each time.  Rose has a greater mountain to climb.  How long it will take is anyone's guess, but it's not debatable that he won't have enough to win a title this year, especially with the current roster.

Back-to-back nights mean back-to-back divisional games for the Bulls.  I'll be posting after both beginning with tonight's home matchup against the Indiana Pacers, the preseason favorites in the Central.  Marco Belinelli will start in place of Rip Hamilton, who won't play for a few games as he deals with his foot injury.  These two teams have had some serious blood the past couple of years, so this one should be entertaining.  Time for the Bulls to make a statement.

See, Thibs? The Bench Can Play

Sometime between the end of Monday's game and before Wednesday's contest with the Dallas Mavericks, Tom Thibodeau was convinced that using more of your bench is in fact beneficial to your team in an 82-game grind.  The result was a 101-78 victory thanks in large part to that very second unit.

Luol Deng got off to a hot start in the first quarter and led all scorers with 22 points.  Joakim Noah kept a low profile, but still had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds.  Deng and Noah were the most productive starters, but as mentioned, the bench was let loose unlike on Monday.  The results were pleasing and just what Bulls fans were looking for.  Nate Robinson shot 5-of-6 from the field and finished with 14.  Jimmy Butler set a new career high of 13, which was boosted by a 9-of-10 night from the free throw line.  I don't know where Butler will go in his career.  Personally, I think he'll be a role player at best in this league, but I would also be happy if he turned into a regular starter once he pays his dues.  Marco Belinelli, who sat all of Monday's loss, received brand confidence after turning in an 11-point performance.  Taj Gibson's magic number was 8, which was next to him in both points and rebounds.

All you can say after this is that's more like it.  The defense was strong throughout, the bench was used just like it should be and the offense didn't let up.  The best play came in the second quarter when the Bulls outscored the Mavs 34-19.  Dallas never seriously threatened after that, but the club kept up the intensity even when the game appeared out of reach.

See what happens when you play all 48 minutes?  Thibodeau really emphasized that during his postgame press conference Monday.  He probably mentioned it a lot during yesterday's practice and this morning's shootaround.  As I talk about this, I further realize that this is the coach the Bulls have and he's not going to change.  Asking him to lighten up is just too much.  He'll drive his guys hard and he'll do it often.  It will either raise him up in the NBA coaching ranks or lead to his downfall.  Only time will tell.

The Bulls will have a couple of days off before getting into a rematch of last year's playoffs Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers.  Thibodeau needed his bench to even stay competitive in that series.  Has this new group fully regained his trust?  Hope so, but nothing this man does should shock us.  Not even if he drinks water a certain way.

Buckled

How my post tonight was going to go:  it was a typical night at the office for the Bulls as the offense got hot at the right times and the defense cracked down when they needed to.  They cruised to an easy victory over the Milwaukee Bucks coming off an underwhelming Circus Trip and regained first place in the Central.

How my post tonight will actually go:  what seemed like a typical night at the office for the Bulls turned into disaster as the offense shut down and the defense got overwhelmed by the Milwaukee Bucks' bench at the worst possible time.  They lost 93-92 following a 27-point third quarter lead and dropped a game below .500 as well as 1 1/2 games behind the first-place club in the Central.

The Bulls won the first three quarters by a collective 17 points.  Then, the Bucks proceeded to outscore their hosts by 18 in the last frame, just enough to complete the collapse.  At times during the game, I felt it was kind of dull and wished for some more interesting play.  Unfortunately, I got more than I wanted:  a run that not even the 1992 Bulls had to go on to close out the Trail Blazers in the NBA Finals that year.  Like that game, the winning team's bench was responsible for the outcome.  With Scott Skiles using the same five guys for the final quarter-plus and not one from the starting lineup, the Bucks shocked the Bulls and the United Center faithful.  Whether this surprising start by them holds up remains to be seen, but they deserve the top spot in the Central at the moment.  It was on the line and they showed they're not ready to give it up.  At least their second unit did.

Here's a list of names you won't forget anytime soon along with their point totals:  Ersan Ilyasova (18), Beno Udrih (11), Ekpe Udoh (11), Doron Lamb (8) and Mike Dunleavy (6).  Okay, maybe saying you won't forget them is a bit of a stretch.  Or a humongous stretch. "Who are these guys?" you're probably asking.  Well, I'm not going to pretend to know either.  This isn't a Bucks blog and the club has few players of note.  But I do know Ilysaova had been struggling.  Too bad that slump had to be broken at the expense of the Bulls.

Until the collapse was completed, a main focus of this game was Rip Hamilton and his game-high 30 points, shooting 50 percent from the field.  Like the rest of the offense, he disappeared down the stretch.  Carlos Boozer had a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds, failing to grab a critical board off two missed free throws in the final seconds.  Kirk Hinrich scored 17, but his shooting woes continued at 4-of-11, the same numbers from the field for Luol Deng, who finished with 10.  Joakim Noah grabbed 10 boards despite finishing with a "6" in the scoring column.

There are a variety of reasons you could point to this collapse.  I haven't been able to actually sit down and watch a game for awhile, but I've heard that the Bulls aren't closing opponents out like they should.  That could be a season-long problem for this year's team with or without Derrick Rose.  Hopefully, I won't have to keep coming back to it. 

What I'm more puzzled about is Tom Thibodeau's stubbornness regarding his starters this early in the year.  Of that group, Hamilton played the fewest number of minutes tonight:  36.  Deng sat for all of 42 seconds.  Only Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Nate Robinson got off the bench.  No Belinelli, no Mohammed, not even Teague.  That falls squarely on Thibs.  I know he may not trust everybody sitting next to him at the moment, but even so, you have to get your starters out of there if the game looks out of reach.  The minutes they played tonight should be reserved for Miami in the spring, not Milwaukee in late November.  Racehorses get tired if they have to run a track longer than they're required and the same can be applied to basketball players.  If Thibodeau isn't careful, his insistence on coaching every single game like it's do-or-die is going to catch up with him.  He also needs to realize that this team isn't championship-caliber.  I dearly hope he's already well ahead of me.  Otherwise, I wonder what goes on in his mind.  The bottom line:  in wild blowouts, give others some playing time.  At the very least, do it to protect your main guys.  Do the opposite and you get what happened tonight.

The Bulls will try to put tonight's nightmare behind them on Wednesday when the Dirk-less Dallas Mavericks come to town.  It might not be easy, but something good needs to happen to get this bad taste out of their mouths.  I'll leave you with the tweet I posted that made it onto Bulls Postgame Live.  Mark Schanowski said I was about spot on.  Too bad I couldn't have written something more positive, but it was appropriate for this game I'd like to forget about, but may not for awhile.

Looking For a Second Quarter

I could spend this whole post lamenting on a bad weekend for the Bulls and everything that went wrong.  Instead, there's one issue I'd rather hammer home and it often gets overlooked in basketball.  In the second quarter of the two losses to the Clippers and Trail Blazers, the Bulls were outscored 63-38. 

They didn't have the manpower to keep up with Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and the rest of the Lob City crew, so I'll cut them a little slack for that game.  I saw none of it, but I viewed a good chunk of last night's game in Portland.  The Bulls took a slim lead in the second half, but the Blazers came roaring back and put the game away late in the fourth quarter.  Don't let that 102-94 final fool you.  A Bulls run in the final minute made the contest look closer than it was. 

Looking at the box score, I initially had trouble finding a clear cut reason why they lost.  Joakim Noah was two assists shy of a triple-double and the teams were close in most statistical categories.  Finally, I saw the 28-13 score between the teams in that second quarter.  While working, I was able to glance at the TV from time to time and saw the score get out of hand.  It's somewhat a miracle the Bulls had a lead at all.

The late Norm Van Lier often said that to win an NBA game, you need to play "48 minutes of intensity."  Maybe it's travel lag, maybe it's being away from the United Center for a long period, or maybe this is just the result of a team without its best finisher.  At any rate, the recent slide in the 12 minutes leading up to halftime can't be pleasing to Tom Thibodeau.  He rides his players hard and expects nothing less than their best effort.  We'll never know what he said during the last two breaks, but my money is on a lot of obscenities flying in that locker room.

What the Bulls need to realize is that there are some teams in this league that can shoot the ball, another reason for the offensive outbursts by the last two opponents.  Maybe more pressing is we could be starting to see teams who are all too happy to take advantage with Derrick Rose not on the floor.  We knew it was coming.  The Circus Trip seemed to be a perfect place for it to begin. 

The Bulls will have to make some adjustments if they want to erase this weekend's memories.  It starts with playing the second quarter like it's the fourth.  If you fall too far behind early on, any late run is for naught.  Even if you take the lead during said run, it can evaporate quickly because you didn't keep points off the board earlier.  Thibodeau needs to emphasize all of this as his team prepares for Houston.  Wednesday will show what they learned.  Will it result in a win?  Hopefully.  And they should find a way to stop James Harden while they're at it.

We Talkin' About (a New Place to) Practice

The Bulls may be on the road, but that's not stopping them from making big announcements at home.  Making good on the plans they revealed early in the offseason, the organization unveiled plans for a new practice facility next to the United Center.  The spot currently known as Parking Lot J at the UC is where the new building will sit.  The project, which will be completely funded by the Bulls, is expected to be completed for the beginning of the 2014-15 season.  Other plans to build an entertainment complex near the arena haven't been finalized because funding would require a tax break.  I'll touch on that issue more as it moves forward.

Jerry Reinsdorf says it was Mayor Rahm Emanuel's idea to bring the Bulls' practices to the city from Deerfield, home of the current practice facility, the Berto Center, which the club plans to sell.  I have to admit I don't know everything about Emanuel's policies or his accomplishments since taking office, but I'm glad he's played an active role in this decision.  He must have carefully observed the success the Blackhawks have had in practicing at Johnny's Ice House, which I walked past after attending my recent Bulls game.  It only makes sense that both United Center tenants conduct all operations in the same vicinity.  Why it took both teams until their arena was 18 years old to finalize this arrangement is beyond me.  It's a lot better than having to fight rush hour traffic to get to games from the northern suburbs, something Bulls players have done for 20 years.  That's why they and the coaches are glad this will soon become a thing of the past.

Not a lot of time to celebrate this new development.  The Los Angeles Clippers are awaiting the Bulls fresh off their victory over the Heat.  This will be a tough test, but even if the Bulls lose, it will still be fun to watch one of the most exciting teams in the league.

Surviving the Suns

I pray the final four games of this road trip aren't this stressful at the end, but that may be asking too much.  Just when it seemed like the Bulls had put the Phoenix Suns away, they were outscored 31-17 in the fourth quarter, sending the game into overtime.  It seemed like the Suns had more energy and were lined up to fully complete the comeback.  Then, Luis Scola fouled out along with his 24 points and 14 rebounds on the first possession of the extra five minutes.  The Bulls were only too glad to take advantage of this opportunity, squeaking out a win by a 112-106 final.

Carlos Boozer mostly disappeared when it counted, but his earlier contributions allowed him to lead everyone with 28 points.  He achieved a double-double with 14 rebounds, something he was more potent in as the game reached its stretch run.  Joakim Noah also had a double-double by virtue of a 21/12 line.  His shot at the top of the key late in overtime all but sealed the victory.  It was from an area he's grown comfortable with this season and if he's open, he'll knock it down most of the time.  Luol Deng also had 21, Rip Hamilton scored 15 and Nate Robinson came off the bench with 11.  Kirk Hinrich was tops in the assists category with seven.

I wish the Bulls could have ended this game a lot sooner.  They should know you can't let up your defense against a team with a run-and-gun style, even when Steve Nash is no longer present.  In fact, this game got off to a quick offensive start on both ends.  It seemed for awhile that both teams would cross the century mark well before the last minute of regulation.  They only managed to tie at 100 right before overtime.

I know this kind of offense isn't what the Bulls are accustomed to running and I doubt moving quickly out of the gate had anything to do with the bad defense late in the fourth quarter.  Still, they gave the Suns too many opportunities off the glass.  You need to grab those rebounds.  Fortunately, Phoenix's second chances failed more often than not.  Teams like Miami won't be so generous.  They'll make you pay quickly and take the game themselves.  If you're Tom Thibodeau, you drill that into your team's mind at the next practice.  At least they were resourceful when Phoenix's most productive player picked up a DQ.  Now try and end it before it gets to that point.  No need to give everyone ulcers.

The Bulls have a couple of days off before they travel to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers.  As I'm writing this, they have a big lead on the Heat in the fourth quarter.  That should tell you what kind of test the Bulls will face at the Staples Center.  They'll be clear underdogs, but let's keep the L.A. faithful on the edge of their seats.  That would be fun.

For My 100th Post, The Best of the First 99

It was just over 11 months ago, just after the NBA lockout had ended, when I was inspired to create my own Bulls blog.  Now, I've finally reached triple digits.  Perhaps this milestone might have been achieved already had the NBA schedule gone the full slate last year.  Regardless, I'm just happy to be writing when I haven't been able to write a full-length newspaper article since the start of the year.

There are some posts that have been read more than others, so let's look at the top five by view count as of this writing.  I'll explain what they were about and give my own interpretation of why they got as many hits as they did.  They may not be entirely accurate, so feel free to form your own opinion.

5) Please, Derrick. Do NOT Hurry Back - March 15, 2012 (30 views) - The only full-length game recap to make the list, this comes from last year's victory over Miami in which John Lucas III had the game of his life with Derrick Rose out of the lineup.  I also talk about a call I made after the game to Les Grobstein's radio program on The Score.  I even provided a link to the hour which contains said call.  Chicago was in a celebratory mood after the Bulls had bested the evil Heat without the reigning MVP.  Confidence was high that once Rose returned for the playoffs, this club was going to give LeBron and Co. a run for their money.  They might even get past them and reach the NBA Finals.  People are already starting to make plans to be in Grant Park on a June morning.  Of course, this makes the next post on the list ironic.

4) Oh Bother - April 29, 2012 (31 views) - All of the highs expressed above came crashing down thanks to the event I dissect in this post, one we'll still be feeling the effects of for awhile.  In the very first game of the playoffs, Derrick Rose tore his ACL, putting an end to any championship hopes and the future of the Bulls star in question.  My lament in this post echoed what many Chicago fans were thinking at the time.  People must have hoped I could offer some sort of consolation, but I didn't.  It was virtually impossible to think positive when this happened.  If I left you feeling even more down in the dumps, I apologize.  Hopefully someday, I can write about how Rose has come all the way back and won a title in doing so.  Until then, all that can be done is watching his recovery unfold.

3) No Bull: Gasol Not Coming - February 22, 2012 (43 views) - When this post was made, there was a lot of talk that Pau Gasol was ready to move on from the Lakers.  Several rumors pointed to him coming to the Bulls.  Here, I expressed with utmost confidence that the front office was confident enough with the group they had that they weren't going to make the sacrifices required to trade for the power forward.  Doing so could upset the chemistry they had at the time.  Trade rumors are a part of everyday talk in the NBA, especially when the deadline draws near.  When one gains steam, people want to see the chances of a certain player choosing a certain destination, preferably their favorite.  I feel my argument was short and on target.  Maybe I disenchanted some people who read it, but I have no regrets expressing my opinion on this matter.

2) Brian Scalabrine - The Man, The Myth, The Legend? - December 14, 2011 (77 views) - The title speaks for itself.  The post was longer when I initially wrote it, but I disobeyed the laptop law of keeping your charger plugged in when working on something, so this was shorter than I intended.  The man is still immensely popular and apparently, people love to Google the title of this post.  In fact, if you do it, this link will appear as the second web page and fourth hit overall.  It explains why this still appears on my recently read articles list from time to time.  Also, it has to have attracted fans in both Chicago and Boston.  These days, Celtics fans are probably typing this in more, but I have to thank them for increasing traffic here.

1) Let Me Step Back and Kiss Myself! - March 8, 2012 (105 views) - It may be the shortest post on the blog as I wrote it minutes before leaving for work, but it's the most popular.  The night after Derrick Rose hit the game-winning buzzer beater to beat Milwaukee, triggering the Stacey King phrase which inspired this title, I decided to further express just how much he was worth as a player.  He was as clutch as they came and therefore, had to be admired.  King makes Rose plays as memorable as Johnny "Red" Kerr did to Michael Jordan plays.  Bulls fans love to Google King's phrases.  Since the post here shows up on the first page when you type it in, it will invariably receive a lot of attention.  I only wish that those people would check out the rest of what I have to offer instead of just trying to figure out why I wrote that as the title.  Still, I consider this my own proof that King is in the TV announcer's chair to stay.  As long as he finds ways to stay creative, he'll keep us entertained for years to come.

My 200th post will likely come sooner than 11 months from now since we have more games to discuss.  I can't wait to see where the Bulls will be whenever that time comes.  Please continue to read as I'll continue to keep you informed on what happens with this team.  If you have any feedback or a suggestion on what to write about, message me on Facebook or hit me up on Twitter @gfclark89.  Leave comments too.  Those are always nice.

Post 101 will come tonight once the Bulls are finished playing the Phoenix Suns.  Hope I'm talking about a nice start to the Circus Trip.

Sourly Hitting the Road

With a season-high five-game homestead ending, the annual Circus Trip on the horizon and Kirk Hinrich out with an injury, the Bulls needed to beat the Boston Celtics last night in the worst way.  Much like the Oklahoma City game, it was competitive most of the way, but the opposition's star power couldn't be matched.  A major difference was the Bulls tied it once, but never led in a 101-95 defeat.

I have a friend from college whose favorite athlete is Rajon Rondo and she wasn't disappointed after the game.  In another reminder that Rondo may be the most important player on the Celtics, his final line was 20 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds and five steals.  If that's not a sign of a valuable point guard, I don't know what is.  It just about epitomizes the fact that the NBA is moving toward a perimeter-oriented game that no longer relies heavily on big men.  Rondo is among those leading that charge.  With Hinrich's defense unavailable, Nate Robinson and Marquis Teague could do nothing to slow down their assignment.  All five Celtics scored in double figures, no doubt largely having to do with the decisions Rondo made.  If there was ever a "welcome to the NBA" moment for Teague, it came in this contest.  Now, I'm going to stop praising Rondo before I turn into my friend.

Luol Deng played nearly the whole game and led all scorers with 26 points, shooting 55 percent from the field and 60 percent from the free throw line.  His 11 rebounds gave him a double-double, which Joakim Noah also achieved with a 17/11 line.  Carlos Boozer's shooting improved from the win over the Timberwolves, making 50 percent of his shots and scoring 15.  Nate Robinson made all four of his free-throw attempts, adding onto his 11-point total.

The Bulls finish their homestand at 2-3, which only highlights that they should have beaten New Orleans when it began.  That's a disappointing record, but 4-3 overall is about what we should expect from this team.  Sooner or later, one would hope a win against a quality team is forthcoming.  I would like to expect a lot of wins against good teams as we have the last two years, but this group is different and still learning what they are without Derrick Rose.  Again, we see why expectations are lower this year.

Tomorrow, the Circus Trip kicks off with a trip to Phoenix against the Suns.  Marcin Gortart is tied for the league lead in blocks with Serge Ibaka, so the inside players will have their work cut out for them in the beginning of this long stretch of road games.  For the first time in the regular season, I'll be able to actually watch a full game on TV, so expect a post to come soon after.  Before that however, I'll be making post number 100.  Something special will be part of that, so check me out both before and after tomorrow night's game.  You won't want to miss it.

Just Lacking the Horses

Unlike when the Bulls played the Oklahoma City Thunder during the preseason, last night's game counted.  So both teams were as healthy as could be at the moment.  In front of a national TV audience, the Bulls battled back and forth closely almost the entire night.  But their best wasn't good enough as the defending Western Conference champs, as expected, left Chicago with a 97-91 victory.  If I may make one more parallel to the two Bulls-Magic games I've been (I promise, no more after this), both have been followed by a Bulls defeat.  They lost to Atlanta right after my 1997 game.

Luol Deng led all scorers with 27 points, though scoring was his only notable accomplishment.  Rip Hamilton broke out by scoring 20 and Kirk Hinrich had his best offensive game of the season so far by pouring in 12.  Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer each came within a point of a double-double thanks to respective rebounding totals of 13 and 11.  Had Noah put on a more dominating performance, he might have finished with a triple-double as his six assists led the team.

I can point to three factors that cost the Bulls this game, starting with the least pressing:

3) As mentioned, the Bulls were in it the entire way.  That said, there were some things at the end they could have done differently, mainly taking more time to find an easy shot.  One play in particular comes to mind.  With the game tied and less than four minutes to play, Taj Gibson rebounded a missed Kevin Durant layup.  Hinrich ended up with the ball and eight seconds after the board, he launched a 23-foot jump shot that missed.  Noah missed the tip, leading to a Thabo Sefolosha rebound.  The subsequent Thunder timeout set up a Durant field goal.  Against a top team like this, you need to find the best possible shot rather than try to be a hero yourself.  If there's plenty of time on the clock late in a tie game, running the offense is the best option.  Hinrich should know at this point in his career he's not Ray Allen.  He never was and never will be.  If possible, try to get the ball to more polished shooters like Deng or Hamilton.  Just stick to setting up plays and passing.

2) This is how things will be until Derrick Rose returns and another reason why expectations have been drastically lowered.  With the former MVP gone, the Bulls are lacking that go-to player who can take over by himself if need be.  That requires the rest of the roster to step up their play at the end of these types of games.  Those left are either uncomfortable with or incapable of acting as the guy the whole team rallies around.  When there's an indisputable name at the top, everyone knows who to turn to.  Now, they feel a bit lost.  Everyone plays their hearts out, but in the NBA, if you don't have somebody who strikes fear at their mere mention, you are limited by what you can accomplish.  Hopefully next year, the Bulls will fall back into the right category with a healthy Rose.  For now though, if you're wondering why they won't be able to close out many games against superior clubs, you can look to last night as the most recent evidence.

1) The Thunder have exactly what the Bulls are lacking:  a healthy superstar.  The James Harden deal may not have seen its full consequences yet, but I do know that Oklahoma City will continue to win close games as long as Kevin Durant is around.  We saw it with our own eyes last night.  In the final minute, Durant nailed two 17-footers to stick a dagger.  Two free throws with seconds left clinched it.  Of the Thunder's final 12 points, last year's scoring champion was responsible for eight.  That's an MVP performance right there.  I envy that the city where this team is based hasn't had it for long, but has been put on the NBA map thanks to this player.  Plus, Chesapeake Energy Arena is loud during every game.  Regardless of whether Rose is back when these two teams meet there on February 24, the contest won't be as close as this one barring a strange turn of events.  We saw how badly the Bulls got blown out there last season.  I don't anticipate things going much better there in a few months.

After losing a close contest, the Bulls will welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves to the United Center tomorrow night.  The Timberwolves have started the season in first place in the Northwest.  I doubt they'll stay there the whole year, but even so, you can't sleep on this club.  My uncle in St. Paul often calls them the Timberpuppies.  Let's make sure they feel like just those when they step onto our home court.

November 5, 1997: 15 Years, 1 Day Later

I honestly don't think a better script could have been written.  The morning after I wrote about my second Bulls game 15 years to the day, I received a text/voice message from my aunt.  She said my uncle was offering me two tickets to tonight's game against...that's right...the Orlando Magic.  Also, like the game I just reminisced about, it was the fourth game of the season.  As soon as I got my high school buddy John Minser on board, my Election Night plans were shifted from watching returns on TV to watching hoops at the United Center.  In honor of the occasion, I decided to wear the Jordan jersey and cap I wore to the game I just chronicled.

Much like I saw the Shaq-less Magic when I was 8, this Orlando team is in a similar situation.   They've lost another superstar center to L.A. in Dwight Howard and have even less star power than Shaq left them with.  No one knows what will become of them this year, but the early forecast is they're lottery bound.  The Magic I looked down upon from Section 315 tonight weren't even at full strength.  Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson were both out with injuries.  Still, the game was closer than I would have liked, as I shall explain.

Following a moment of silence for the newly deceased Jim Durham, the contest was a close one for most of it.  The Bulls took an eight-point lead in the first quarter, but allowed Orlando to take it to close it out.  It would be a battle from behind for most of the next two frames, but it was never a big margin.  That paved the way for the Bulls to put on a shooting clinic in the fourth, taking a lead large enough to hold off a final surge by the Magic.  My friend and I went home happy thanks to a 99-93 score in the home team's favor.

Luol Deng was among those who found a groove at the right time.  On 9-of-16 shooting and 5-6 from the free throw line, he led the Bulls with 23 points.  Joakim Noah was his usual energetic self.  From dunks to long jump shots, he not only scored 20, but finished one rebound shy of a double-double.  Carlos Boozer played the post like he owned it on both ends.  He shot just 33 percent from the floor, but ended up with 12 points and eight boards.  Off the bench, Taj Gibson had 12 and the feisty Nate Robinson added 11 to go with his team-high six assists.  The offense overall was strong as shots, layups and dunks came in all forms.  That's the sign of a balanced system getting points every which way, even if it's against a rebuilder like Orlando.

Naturally, this game had its flaws.  There was a lot of pregame talk about how the Magic were great from long range and they didn't disappoint tonight.  Led the makeshift starting backcourt of Aaron Afflalo and E'Twaun Moore, the team was 8-of-19 from beyond the arc.  Afflalo and Moore were a collective 6-of-11.  Perimeter defense is usually not a problem for the Bulls, but there were too many open looks.  Some of them were set up by offensive rebounds.  If a team is hot, you've got to keep the ball out of their hands as much as possible.  It didn't hurt in the end, but better teams will pull away if given those opportunities.  Tom Thibodeau might want to stress that during the next practice.

The defense locked down at the right time.  By taking away easy buckets in the fourth quarter, the Bulls forced the Magic to rely on the three that had been falling for much of the night.  Some fell through, but not enough to prevent points at the other end.  Noah had five blocks, letting everyone know once again he knows how to stay between his man and the basket, something I learned all about in junior high.  When he plays well, he's on an emotional high that everyone responds to.  Robinson played some equally impressive defense.  He also must be taking lessons from Noah on how to bring energy because he pumped up the crowd at one point.  I guess I should expect nothing less from a three-time Slam Dunk Champion that has experience in bringing houses down.

It was a fun night and I want to thank John for accompanying me.  He says it was his first time ever at the UC, which shocks me considering he also loves sports and we're the same age.  In either case, we'll both hope the Bulls can be competitive in their first real test of the season Thursday:  a nationally televised game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.  They might have lost James Harden, but they're still very tough to beat anywhere.  Look for some weaknesses on this team to be exposed.  That doesn't mean a loss is guaranteed though.  Losing Harden has caused the Thunder to slightly reshape their identity with the addition of Kevin Martin.  If they're struggling with that, a win could be in store.

For the record, I was in the food court at Ogilvie Transportation Center when I learned President Obama had been elected to a second term.  Without getting too political, I'll close with what I tweeted shortly afterward:

"Bulls win + Obama win = Victory night in Chicago"

November 5, 1997: 15 Years Later

Nearly 11 months ago, I made a post about my first ever Bulls game 15 years to the day.  Today, instead of recapping the weekend dates with Cleveland and New Orleans, I've decided to go down memory lane again.  Why?  It's the 15th anniversary of Bulls game number two.  There's the ticket stub on your left to prove it.

Being a year older (8), I remember a little more from this one than the first, but like last time, let's go back to when I found out I was going.  I was in my driveway with my miniature basketball hoop I had gotten the previous Christmas, frustrated that air was escaping my ball to the point I couldn't dribble it.  In retrospect, it was not very durable, which should be expected from a product made by Little Tikes.  Maybe I should have moved on from that size a hoop already, but that's not what matters here.

My mom called me inside and told me my dad was on the phone.  He asked if I wanted to go to the game that night, to which I responded "Thanks!"  My spirits were quickly uplifted.  My reaction this time was admittedly not as excited, but when your dream experience at the time has already been checked off, the euphoria wears off a bit.  Next thing I knew, my dad came home and we were off.

On the way to the United Center, we made a detour to pick up my uncle in La Grange Park.  After getting in the car, he gave me the hat you see on the right to go with my Jordan jersey.  It was too big for me at the time, but I wore it to the game anyway.  I really didn't mind him coming along.  All I cared about was seeing Michael Jordan and Co.

We got to the game early enough that the pregame warmups hadn't started yet.  Once in our seats, the video board showed the Bulls in the tunnel getting ready to take the court.  This way, I was able to see them perform the pregame chant they had become renowned for.  Naturally, the crowd went nuts when they emerged, ready to play the Orlando Magic in the fourth game of the 1997-98 season.  It was a nationally televised game on TBS, explaining a 7:00 start rather than the usual 7:30 at the time.

The Bulls at this time were adjusting to life without Scottie Pippen, whose foot injury would keep him out the first 35 games of the season.  On Opening Night, they had lost to a bad Celtics team.  After blowing out the lowly 76ers next, they needed double overtime to keep the Spurs from stealing one on their home court.  Although they still had some key pieces from the '95 Eastern Conference championship team, the Magic weren't the threat they had been with Shaq.  Plus, they were now learning under a new coach in the late Chuck Daly.  Even with Pippen temporarily gone, the Bulls were clear favorites here.

It was an unusual starting lineup for the Bulls that night.  Randy Brown and Jason Caffey were included, but the rest consisted of the usual Luc Longley, Ron Harper and Michael Jordan.  Unlike last time, I could hear MJ's name as Ray Clay belted it out.  After Jordan did his usual dust-off with Johnny "Red" Kerr, Orlando won the opening tip.  It took a couple of minutes for either team to get on the board, but Jordan finally dunked for the first two points.  Because I got to see this great athlete do what he was best known for with my own eyes (well, maybe I saw it on the video board instead), it will forever be my favorite moment of his career.

As great as that dunk was, there was one other moment involving His Airness that I know I looked down on.  I think it captured the essence of just how much people loved to watch this man play.  At some point during the game, he stepped to the free throw line.  Whenever he got into his set motion, dozens of flash bulbs behind the glass went off.  It looked so automatic that I thought a camera had been set up in that area to take a bunch of pictures with the push of a button.  Of course, I also knew that couldn't have been the case.  With the future of the Bulls dynasty in doubt, people wanted to savor every moment they could with its centerpiece.  Plus, at 34 years old, nobody knew how much he had left in the tank.  This was history right here.  A once-in-a-lifetime player.  If you got that kind of photo opportunity from those seats and passed it up, you would have kicked yourself for the rest of your life.  Us Bulls fans knew what we had and never took it for granted.

In a theme that would repeat itself many times that year, Jordan carried most of the load and did so splendidly.  He made the Bulls' first and last buckets of the game, finishing with 29 points and 17 rebounds, one off his career high.  Toni Kukoc came off the bench to score 14, Ron Harper collected nine and Dennis Rodman, whom I'd missed in my first game, had seven boards to place second in that area behind Jordan.

As for Orlando, I recall seeing a lot of Rony Seikaly that night.  It was for good reason, too.  He led all scorers with 34 points.  During a timeout, he was even shown as part of a celebrity lookalike feature on the video board (I think the subject was "Seinfeld").  Penny Hardaway lived up to the household name he was at the time by dropping 20.  Veteran forward Derek Strong had 10 off the bench.

For two Magic players however, it was a night to forget.  Nick Anderson missed all eight shots from the field and Horace Grant was 1-for-3, leading me to another memorable moment for me.  Having brushed up on Bulls history for over a year, I knew Grant had once been an integral part of the Bulls.  He made one trip to the charity stripe, during which the 8-year-old smart alec in me came out.  I shouted things like the club didn't need him anymore.  After all, the Bulls teams of the last two years had won more games than his teams ever had.  Sitting in the first row of the 300 level, I doubt he heard me.  Still, he clunked both shots, leaving me with a rather satisfactory feeling.

It was another successful game for me as the Bulls emerged victorious 94-81.  After we left our seats and got to the 100 level concourse, we saw the arena lights had been dimmed and the court being taken apart for the Blackhawks game the next night.  I was able to get my hands on one of the "Brick" signs somebody had left behind.  It might have actually been handed to me by a staff worker, but the bottom line is I came away with one more memento of the evening.

A 3-1 start seemed pretty good, but it soon became clear that Pippen would be missed.  The Bulls lost six of their next 11, putting their record at 8-7.  Of course, this story has a happy ending:  Pippen returned, the team regained its form and it all culminated in a sixth championship that took harder work than anyone would have liked.  Still, a rally in Grant Park at the end of the season is all that mattered.  No one ever judged a title based on style.

My next Bulls game came in 2000, so these 15-year time capsules will come to an end.  The early 2000s were not happy days for the franchise.  Even though I remained undefeated until late 2003, I'd still rather not remind you of names I'm sure you'd rather forget.  Instead, I will fondly remember the two games where I got to witness one of the best teams in sports history.  Here's the box score from my second game, which indicates a later infamous referee named Tim Donaghy blew one of the whistles that night.  If that's not enough, here are some Jordan highlights from the game featuring a postgame interview with a normally-dressed Craig Sager.

This is not how I wanted to end this post, but some sad news broke today that's worth mentioning.  Jim Durham, who announced Bulls games on TV and radio from 1973-91 and had been ESPN Radio's head NBA voice, died yesterday at age 65.  I was only 2 when he left Chicago, but I always had great respect for him and admired the way he called the action.  In fact, I shaped much of my basketball play-by-play in college from his descriptive style.  I mainly picked up on this from an old cassette tape I constantly listened to when I was younger.  The way he describes the plays in John Paxson's surge late in Game 5 of the 1991 NBA Finals told me a lot on how a basketball game should be narrated to people who can't see what's going on.  I don't know if I'll ever get to call another game as the job market for play-by-play announcers isn't that great right now, but regardless, I have to thank Jim for eloquently demonstrating his skills which could have a positive effect on many aspiring broadcasters.

Many know him for calling The Shot, and even then, he did a terrific job of capturing the mood on both sides.  It was a moment that showed Michael Jordan was clutch as well as flashy.  He brought that moment to us and it's the most famous call ever uttered by a Bulls announcer.  Fewer know that he also called Jordan's other famous shot, but this time, for ESPN Radio.  Perhaps it's fitting that they use his call on the sixth championship film as opposed to Neil Funk or Bob Costas:  the announcer for their first title calling their last.  RIP Jim.  You will be greatly missed.