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"
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