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.