Refusing to Lose Consecutively

In the beginning moments of tonight's game against the Atlanta Hawks, it appeared the offensive sluggishness had carried over from Monday's loss to the Nuggets. The Hawks jumped out to a 13-5 run, prompting Tom Thibodeau to call an early timeout. After getting to within two at the end of the first quarter, the Bulls came out like the team they are. Omer Asik slammed it home with both hands and there was no looking back. Reminding Atlanta what they did to them in last year's playoffs, the Bulls clinched the season series by winning 98-77. They remain the only team in the league not to lose back-to-back this season.

Coming off a subpar game on Monday, Luol Deng made up for that effort by leading all scorers with 22 points. Continuing what has been an impressive shooting season, he shot 5-for-8 from downtown. Why? The Hawks left him wide open and more often than not, he made them pay. There's a reason Stacey King has taken to calling him "Luol Dangerous". Hopefully, Derrick Rose will be back soon to help his fellow All-Star with the load. There is only one reigning MVP after all and his last name doesn't rhyme with "fang".

Carlos Boozer was another big reason for tonight's win. He scored 20 points and had nine rebounds. The start he got off to on Monday was impressive, but got lost in the team's overall stinky performance. Hopefully, more performances like tonight's are forthcoming. Oh, and it'd be nice if he had a highlight dunk like in tonight's fourth quarter. Taj Gibson played like a down-low force in the NBA should. 19 points and making 8 of 12 shots can never go wrong. When the season ends, he'll undoubtedly look back on tonight. Joakim Noah and John Lucas III each had 10. Lucas couldn't miss when he first came in and Noah was Noah.

Aside from Deng and Boozer, this game belonged to the Bench Mob. In addition to everyone contributing, including Butler and Scalabrine's collective three boards in the final 1:18, what impressed me was their ability to move the ball. Their crisp, clean passing gave the Hawks' defense fits all night and frequently found opportunities for shots close to the basket. Atlanta couldn't stop it. They, and we, were given another reminder of how well this unit clicks together. The chemistry between them as well as the starters is practically impeccable. It's part of the reason why they have the best record in the NBA and can't be counted out come playoff time. Everyone knows their role and isn't afraid to start or play hefty minutes off the bench. They use that to play well together as we saw tonight.

Friday's match-up against the lowly Detroit Pistons at the United Center will probably just be a tuneup for Sunday's contest against the Thunder. Rose will probably still be out, but will Rip? He's getting close to returning. We'll find out in due time, but for now, continue to feel good about your Chicago Bulls.

Guess Those Nuggets Are Golden After All

I have to take responsibility for tonight's debacle. I'm guessing somebody on the Nuggets saw my pregame post, relayed it to the rest of the team right before they went out for their final warm-up and decided to use it as motivation for a 108-91 victory at the United Center.

Ty Lawson led all scorers with 27 points and came within one rebound of a double-double. ONE REBOUND! FROM A POINT GUARD! This wasn't Magic Johnson doing that. It was future Hall of Famer Ty Lawson. But Andre Miller came off the bench and took over double-double duties instead. 12 points and 10 rebounds for him.

As for the Bulls, well, it looked good for much of the first half. Then, the Nuggets took the lead right before the break and it all fell apart when they came back out on the floor. C.J. Watson scored 17 points and three players each had 14. The Bulls actually shot better from three-point territory better than Denver, but many other variables made it not matter.

The Nuggets outrebounded their hosts 45-32 (14-5 offensively) and had six fewer turnovers on a night where the teams were even in the assists department. Very often, those turnovers led to easy fast break opportunities that were converted upon. In fact, as I wrote that last sentence, I think another player in a dark blue jersey just threw down two more points, so the final score may not be so final. On many nights, the Bulls have been able to get easy shots. Not on this one though. The shooting looked okay on paper, but the offense didn't look in sync during that second half. Plus, every time it seemed like a run was forthcoming, the Nuggets were quick to respond. They weren't going to be pushovers for the best team in the NBA.

As well as the Bench Mob has carried this team, they can only survive without their MVP for so long. Yes, their record with him sitting is really good, better than it should be, but they can't win without him all the time. It was going to catch up to them eventually. Though I missed almost all of Saturday's game, all accounts point to that they should have lost. All that game did was delay the inevitable. The result is the Bulls' worst loss of the season.

Just gotta put it behind you and move on to the next one. That next one is in Atlanta on Wednesday. Remember, the Bulls lost when they last went to Philips Arena in January. A bit of revenge has to be in the forefront of the teams' minds.

Not-So-Golden Nuggets In Town

For the first time in the history of this blog, I'm making a pregame post. True there are other match-ups that deserve it more, but seeing as I haven't posted in a week, I want to make up for lost time a bit.

Before getting to tonight's game against the Denver Nuggets, let me briefly reflect on what happened Saturday. While my face was glued to a computer screen at my job, I barely missed Luol Deng's buzzer beater against the Raptors, which I only learned about when people who actually saw it reacted. In any case, Luol Deng only continues to add to the best season of his career. I've already posted a lovefest for him, so I won't repeat myself. Instead, I'll just say that on a team that prides itself upon sharing the wealth with each other, especially without Derrick Rose, Deng is the one to bring the most consistent game night in and night out. Sure, he might be overmatched by LeBron when the Bulls play Miami, but he's still a pretty damn good player that we in Chicago are lucky to have.

Now, as for tonight's game against the Denver Nuggets, Rose and Hamilton will be out again. However, considering the opponent, it might not matter (again). The Nuggets have been struggling quite a bit lately and while they're somehow in the playoff race in the West, it's pretty clear that even if they make it, nothing will fall in their favor. They traded some pieces at the deadline that helped make who they were and even before that, they still weren't impressive. Oklahoma City and San Antonio, whichever lucky team draws them if they make it, would be only too pleased. The Thunder are just too strong and the Spurs aren't likely to let another first-round disaster happen.

Yes, I know this post kind took a Nuggets-bashing turn, but I'm just stating facts and the general consensus here. On the other hand, the Bulls barely pulled it out against Toronto the other night, so don't put everything you have on tonight's contest just yet. Instead, just sit back and see if there's another example of how stacked and well-coached the Bulls are.

D for Domination

The image to your left was shown on the Orlando Magic's website to encourage their fans to buy tickets to tonight's game. Many of those who did had already left their seats well before it was even over and for good reason. That Mavericks game won't be any easier for the Magic faithful to stay for all 48 minutes if their team plays like they did tonight.

As far as the Bulls go, they've blown out opponents worse this season. However, I don't think they've smothered or outplayed an opponent as badly as they did tonight's 85-59 victory. In Orlando and without Derrick Rose no less. Not only did this game make Tom Thibodeau the fastest coach in NBA history to reach 100 victories (congratulations by the way, Tom), but it set a Bulls' opponent record for offensive futility (Game 3 of the '98 Finals remains the overall record with 54 points allowed against the Jazz). For being one of the better teams in the East, Orlando played nothing like it. This contest made you wonder how Philadelphia and Indiana have worse records than them. True that all three of those teams have defeated the Bulls once this season, but at least Philly and Indy have almost always been competitive against the best team in the East. Orlando tonight was just pathetic.

Enough about that. Let's get to the Bulls. Carlos Boozer embarrassed Dwight Howard and everyone else in the Magic's frontcourt by penetrating at will. Why he doesn't drive that frequently more often is beyond me, but tonight, he took over double-double duties from Joakim Noah by compiling 24 points and 13 rebounds. And what is it about John Lucas and teams from Florida lately? An 11-point run in the first half was part of a 20-point night. 12 of his points came from four three-pointers, a career-high. Luol Deng continued to work through his bad wrist by scoring 14.

The Bulls continued to personify team basketball with 19 assists to only nine for the Magic, whose assist-to-turnover ratio would simplify to a little over 1:2. The fourth quarter saw the visitors outscoring their hosts 25-11. That's what you call mentally conceding on your home floor. Either that or the Bulls just found another wind. In any case, a very satisfying win. Reasons for picking against the team to win the East are getting fewer by the game. I could go on about how dominating they've been, but just about all the superlatives are becoming exhausted.

Now they go to Canada to take on the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. The Raptors are battling with the Nets to stay out of the Atlantic cellar. Let's see if they can hurt their cause.

No Need to Panic: Bulls Gain Control

I'm recovering from oral surgery as I'm typing this. Specifically, I've got gauze where my wisdom teeth once were and an ice pack on my mouth. My face has swelled up. But all that didn't stop me from catching some of tonight's game against the 76ers in between my all-day March Madness marathon.

It looked for awhile like the Bulls were in danger of dropping two in a row for the first time all season and two in a row at the United Center for the first time in two years. I was going to write about how the Bulls truly need Derrick Rose, who sat out again tonight, in that lineup. I wanted to talk about how your superstar can only miss so much time before the team starts to look lost and out of sync on the court. Fortunately, a third-quarter comeback saved me from having to give that lecture. I still might at some point, but in the meantime, let's just be glad the pesky 76ers left Chicago with an 89-80 loss.

For the second time in three games, a point guard from the Bench Mob rose to the occasion. In his green St. Patrick's Day uniform with the rest of his teammates, C.J. Watson was the hero tonight. He countered Jrue Holiday's 30 points with a 20-point performance of his own, shooting 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Another double-double for Joakim Noah consisted of 13 points and 11 boards. There were 11s across the scoring column from Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson and Kyle Korver.

Much has been made lately about how strong a rebounding team the Bulls are. It was a factor against Miami and it happened again tonight. They outboarded Philly 53-39 overall and 17-9 on the offensive glass. I know the phrase "defense wins championships" is used a lot, but it wouldn't be if it weren't so true. Basketball is about controlling the rock and using it to create possession time in your favor. There have been many times this season that the Bulls have gotten an offensive rebound and instead of forcing up a putback or a bad shot, they just kick the ball out to the point and reset the offense to hopefully create a better opportunity the second time around. They'll be tough to beat in the playoffs if they protect the ball by all means necessary.

After a day off, real or imagined, the Bulls will play the Magic in Orlando. Now that Dwight Howard is in that city to stay for at least the time being, maybe some stability has been created there. We'll find out more on Monday. And hopefully for me, I'll have stopped bleeding inside and my face will have shrunk a bit.

Oh, and before I forget, I direct you to the retweet I received from Bill Wennington during halftime tonight: https://twitter.com/#!/gfclark89/status/181183339565285376

Please, Derrick. Do NOT Hurry Back

The above image is all you really need to know about last night's 106-102 win against the Miami Heat. If John Lucas has anybody to thank last night, it should be Derrick Rose. Had the reigning MVP been in the game, a healthy C.J. Watson would have been playing backup point guard and Lucas likely would have seen the whole thing from the sidelines. Instead, Lucas was called into the line of duty as No. 2 on the depth chart. All he did was lead the Bulls with 24 points and shoot 75 percent from the field. Imagine how this would have gone if he had been the player the public generally makes him out to be. It wouldn't have been pleasant.

Don't think it was just Lucas though. Every other starter except Carlos Boozer scored in double figures. So did Kyle Korver, who along with Jimmy Butler shot 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. This is what you call team basketball. No overly relying on one or two superstars to get the win. Just play well together and good things will happen. Take away D-Wade and LeBron's scoring totals from last night and the Heat have a collective 31 points with Chris Bosh leading everybody with a hapless 12.

This brings me to a conversation I had on the air with The Score's Les Grobstein late last night after I got home from work. I've provided the link for the hour below and my call is a little before the halfway mark. In summary, I express concern about how James Jones knocked down a pair of threes towards the end that kept Miami in it. He hadn't attempted any prior to that. Grobber responds that while the Heat might have role players just as good, they don't have as many as the Bulls. In a sense, he's right. Just read last night's box score and you'll get a taste of what he's talking about. Like last year, with all the money they had to dish out for that three-headed monster, they couldn't afford better players. They did add Shane Battier, but that signing is really starting to look like it was overblown. Then again, everything seemingly good the Heat does these days is. And that's why I'm immune to everything the national media says about them.

With all the injures the Bulls have had to their stars, there should be more tallies in that loss column. They really had no business winning last night. But whether it's Thibodeau's coaching or the talent on the bench or a combination of both, it's working. The Bulls are 3 1/2 up on the Heat and have the best record in the league. They must be the better team because it's getting increasingly difficult to find reasons other than James/Wade to pick against them.

Not only that, it's easier to get behind them than some might think. Miami has star power. The Bulls personify what basketball is supposed to be about: all 12 guys finding a way to contribute. They're as likable as last year's Mavericks were too. How happy were people that Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd finally got that title they had been pursuing for so long? And how happy would people be that hometown boy Derrick Rose has truly played for his city and added another championship banner to the UC rafters? The Heat is filled with imports. Even Wade is from Chicago.

Now that the largely hyped game is behind them, the Bulls will continue their homestand by playing the far more modest Portland Trail Blazers tomorrow night. Hopefully, they'll have recovered enough from their Miami hangover to pull off a win. In any case, the United Center will be rocking again, even if it won't be the most important basketball on the minds of most people there.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/?podcast_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.podtrac.com%2Fpts%2Fredirect.mp3%2Fnyc.podcast.play.it%2Fmedia%2Fd0%2Fd0%2Fd1%2Fd0%2Fd2%2FdP%2FdH%2F102PH_3.MP3%3Fauthtok%3D5561720329875440244_pmasj7wQFPG7hZ4vInRoWMcQPU&podcast_name=Les+Grobstein+Show+Hour+2+%5B3-15-12%5D&podcast_artist=Les+Grobstein&station_id=391&tag=pages&dcid=CBS.CHI

Let Me Step Back and Kiss Myself!

This'll be another short post, but let me just say "wow". As in wow, Derrick Rose is amazing. His latest heroics in Milwaukee only do more to exemplify who he really is. He's got ice in his veins and he's not afraid to take the last shot of a game. If you need to find to second coming of MJ, at least one that wears a Chicago Bulls uniform, you're looking at him right now.

And don't even think about putting LeBron James in the same conversation when it comes to this topic. Although I'm sure he's doing his best to shake off the notion that he's not a clutch player, he lately has only been adding to it. Meanwhile, Rose leaves it all out on the court and holds nothing back. Hopefully, there'll be more of this in the future.

Orlando is on the docket tonight, so enjoy.

Rip Ain't Cutting It

My title says it all. I've been more than patient with Rip Hamilton throughout the course of the season and I'm sure most of the rest of the city is just as guilty. But with Monday's latest setback against the Pacers, it only adds to what has been a frustrating year for the former Piston. While the Bulls have been able to survive without his services for most of the year, how much longer can they really? As we get closer to the trade deadline, it's been a hot topic around Chicago lately. I'm not going to waste blog space writing about potential shooting guards for them to acquire as I'm writing this shortly before I have to go to work. Instead, this is more of a chance for me to let off some steam.

I've had a habit of being more patient with underachieving and disappointing athletes than I really should be and Hamilton is just the latest example. Now, I'm wondering whether he should just live in a plastic bubble until it's time to play Miami in the playoffs. After all, isn't that why he was brought here in the first place? A lack of a decent player at the two has been a bit of a kryptonite for this team, especially when it comes to that team from South Beach. Someone is going to need to step up against Dwyane Wade when the time comes and Hamilton was touted as the guy. Really, he still is. Ronnie Brewer won't be able to do it. Neither will Kyle Korver. So that's where Hamilton has to step in. But in the journey to get there, do we really want to not worry about the fact that our starting two guard is an injury waiting to happen? A trade for the opposite would be nice, but Foreman and Paxson likely won't allow it to happen. Instead, we better hope the glass that is Hamilton doesn't break before mid-May.

Once again, the next game is tonight at Milwaukee against the Bucks. Rip might play, but I'm guessing he won't. In the meantime, pray to whatever deity you happen to worship for his well-being.

You Like That, Indy?

I get the feeling that Derrick Rose wanted this game more than any other played so far this season. Why? He didn't take very kindly to the way the Indiana Pacers celebrated when they beat the Bulls during their last United Center meeting in January. Afterwards, he let everyone know that he and the rest of his team would be ready to play the next time around.

For a bit, that didn't look so promising. The teams went back and forth during the first half and the Pacers had the lead at halftime. Then they came out for the third quarter and all bets were off. A 33-13 scoring run by the Bulls in that quarter, consisting of shots both in and out as well as tight defense, paved the way for a 92-72 win. It was the lowest scoring output by the Pacers in five years, proving once again that this is the most smothering defense in the NBA. It was a playoff-type atmosphere in which Bulls fans did not leave disappointed.

Not surprisingly, it was Luol Deng and Derrick Rose leading the way, though neither came alive until that eventful third quarter. Deng had 20 points, Rose had 13 and each knocked down three three-pointers. Also with 13 was John Lucas III, who likely played since C.J. Watson did not dress due to the ankle injury he suffered against Philly. His minutes were probably increased with Rip Hamilton being knocked out with a shoulder injury (and that's getting ridiculous in and of itself). Even so, he kept the Bulls in it when the starters struggled to find their groove in the first half. Another example of anyone being able to step off the bench at anytime. Also off the bench, Ronnie Brewer scored 12 and Taj Gibson collected 10. On the boards, Joakim Noah grabbed 17 rebounds.

Time to make the trek up to Milwaukee on Wednesday. Bulls support promises to be plentiful. Sorry, Bucks fans, but Chicago fans travel in bunches. You should know that every time one of our baseball teams comes to your town.

Phun in Philly? Barely

The Bulls had revenge on their mind when they entered the Wells Fargo Center to take on the Philadelphia 76ers. They couldn't have thought it would be an easy task either. The Sixers didn't allow it to be one, taking leads throughout the night and building upon them. The Bulls refused to give into pressure however and put together a nice run or two before knocking down the shots they needed in the fourth quarter. Though Philly had a chance to tie it at the end, a three by Andre Iguodala badly missed and the Bulls escaped with a 96-91 win.

As expected, Derrick Rose was the man again. He knocked down buzzer-beaters at the end of the second and third quarters while tying a season-high with 35 points, but more importantly, he came up with the buckets when he needed to do. To borrow a Ken "Hawk" Harrelson phrase, "Don't tell me what you score, tell me when you score 'em". All Rose did tonight was provide more evidence that he is indeed one of the league's most clutch scorers. Forget what that Miami radio host said about him being the most "fraudulent" MVP ever. The guy knows how to win. Maybe not NBA championships yet, but at least games. Look out for him in games like tonight because he WILL get the job done.

Carlos Boozer had 13 and Joakim Noah's latest double-double consisted of 11 points and 18 rebounds. Luol Deng had a disappointing night with only eight points, but they all came in the fourth quarter. A box score can only tell you so many things and Deng heated up at the right time. I'll give him props for tonight. Same with C.J. Watson. After spraining his ankle tonight, his return was questionable. But he returned for the home stretch and made some big plays to help ensure the victory. Don't be shocked if the Bulls give Mike James another call in the next day or two as insurance though. Hopefully, Watson will miss minimal time if any at all.

Three-pointers are often seen as an overrated aspect of the game and it very well might be. Still, they made the difference tonight. The Bulls knocked down seven of 16 attempts from beyond the arc while the Sixers were a putrid 1 for 11, including Iguodala's shot that tried to tie it at the end. I probably won't say a whole lot more about that, but you never know what discussion any given game will trigger.

Another tough test comes tomorrow night at the United Center against the Indiana Pacers. Again, the Bulls will be looking to avenge a tough loss. Indy will be ready to play, so the Bulls better be too. Hope I'm blogging about another game with an outcome like tonight's in 24 hours.

No Mercy in Cleveland

It actually looked for awhile that this might be a highly paced and close game. Though the Bulls were knocking down shots, the Cleveland Cavaliers were resilient throughout the first quarter. Then, the visitors broke it open in the second and third frames to clinch a 112-91 victory over their divisional rivals, who were without the flu-ridden Kyrie Irving.

Making his presence known early and often was Luol Deng. He got off to a fast start in the first quarter and knocked down all four of his three-point attempts to lead all scorers with 24 points. There's a reason he was selected to the All-Star Game this year and you just saw a taste of why. All other Bulls starters finished in double figures except for Joakim Noah, who registered a 6 in both scoring and rebounding. Assuming Noah's double-double duties was Carlos Boozer, posting a 13-point, 11-rebound performance. Derrick Rose almost did the same, but had to settle for a 19-point, nine-assist night. Ronnie Brewer played he still belonged in the starting lineup by knocking in 13. As for Kyle Korver, plenty of hot sauce was given as he made three of four shots from beyond the arc.

Normally, I'd say after a contest like this that these types of games separate the great teams from the mediocre teams, but with the Cavs at less than 100 percent tonight, I'll refrain from making that statement. Instead, I'll put this win down as an example of how dangerous the Bulls can be when they choose to step on the gas. Fans in Chicago are very blessed to have this particular group represent them. The best is yet to come and hopefully, not far away.

A date with the 76ers is up next in Philadelphia on Sunday. The Bulls have already taken their lumps there once this season, so revenge will no doubt be on their minds. Let's make them even more nervous about being threatened by a hot Knicks team in the Atlantic.