Posey suspended for taking down Bulls’ Deng

The Chicago Bulls were outraged at Miami’s James Posey for taking down Luol Deng in Wednesday’s game. The NBA agreed on Friday, suspending Posey for a game for the flagrant foul.

The play happened in the fourth quarter of Chicago’s 109-103 win over the Heat. Posey pulled Deng down from behind, although Miami coach Pat Riley tried to claim Posey was just trying to block Deng’s shot.

“There was no intent except to block the shot,” Riley said after the game. “He didn’t go after his head.”

Riley also complained about Kirk Hinrich injuring Dwayne Wade earlier in the game when Hinrich allegedly grabbed Wade’s wrist on a screen. Wade also suffered a sprained wrist.
 

The Bulls begged to differ. Ben Gordon said Posey’s play, “was way more blatant.” Posey was suspended for a game last year when he took down Hinrich in the playoffs. Deng sprained his wrist on the play but looked fine on Friday, scoring 25 points in Chicago’s win over Toronto. Posey missed Miami’s game with the Nets on Friday. The Bulls face the Heat at home on Jan. 27. That should be a most interesting night at the United Center.

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Bulls hanging tough

Despite that hiccup on Dec. 22 (an inexcusable loss at the New York Knicks), the Chicago Bulls have been keeping a strong December going. After Friday night’s 107-97 win at Toronto, the Bulls are now 13-3 in December heading into Saturday’s home game against Cleveland.

The Bulls are now 18-12 on the year, tied with the Cavaliers for second place in the Central Division.

Luol Deng showed no ill effects from his sprained wrist, suffered in Wednesday’s win over Miami. Deng scored a game-high 25 points as the Bulls beat the Raptors for the 15th consecutive time. Deng was 11 of 16 from the floor.

It was also a big win because it came away from the United Center. Chicago is just 5-10 on the road this year and had lost its last three - including that terrible loss to the awful Knicks.

As the Bulls head into the new year, they have put themselves in good position for a run at the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference - the NFC of the NBA - finishing the season over .500 should be good enough for a playoff berth. Finishing 10-16 games over .500 should earn home court advantage in the early rounds.

After Saturday’s game, Chicago is off until Tuesday when it hosts Pacific Division leading Phoenix, which recently had a 15-game winning streak snapped. The Bulls have several key games in January, including Jan. 6 (hosting Central Division leading Detroit), Jan. 15 (hosting San Antonio), Jan. 20 (hosting Northwest Division leading Utah) and Jan. 25 (hosting Southwest Division leading Dallas). That’s a home schedule worth checking out.

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Is Ben Wallace Proving to Be Worth the Investment?

People around the NBA shuddered when the Bulls gave Ben Wallace a four-year, $60 million contract.  The common cries included such “points” as he’s not an offensive player, he’s on the downside of his career, he’s never going to dominate again and the rest of the Pistons made him better.

However, Wallace is proving all the critics wrong.  His statistics are consistent with previous years, and he’s one of those players whose stats simply don’t tell the story.  He got off to a rough start, as did the rest of the Bulls, including the ridiculous controversy over wearing a headband, but he’s overcome that, and the Bulls’ record is showing it.

Wallace is delivering the defensive presence the Bulls need in the paint, and his passing is letting sweet shooters like Ben Gordon light it up from the outside.  If you want to see true intimidation on the basketball court, go to StubHub to secure some Bulls tickets, and you won’t be disappointed.

Ben Gordon - Is there a Deadlier Shooter in the NBA?

If a basketball coach could draw up the perfect jump shot, all he or she would need to do is check out a video of Ben Gordon.  Gordon simply doesn’t miss if he’s given any room, and many times that room isn’t even necessary.  Even though Gordon has been the topic of several trade rumors in recent years, he’s found a nice niche in Chicago coming off the bench.

In fact, national writers are beginning to notice, as Gordon’s role as a sixth man is headed to potentially-historic levels.  Gordon can go off for 40+ points on any given night, and his presence makes everyone around him instantly better.  If you want to see a truly beautiful stroke, pick up some Chicago Bulls tickets and see Gordon live.

It’s All Starting to Come Together

After a horrible start to the season, the Bulls have been putting things together quite nicely over the past couple of weeks.  They’ve won seven of their last ten games, and the players’ rolls are beginning to take shape.  The Bulls recently won a thriller over the defending champion Miami Heat, and that game was a microcosm of what this team can achieve over the long season.  Ben Gordon, one of the sweetest shooters in the game, had 40 points and Ben Wallace had 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocks.  They’re still chasing the Cavaliers and Pistons, but they’re gaining ground quickly.

Bulls fans have been waiting for nearly 10 years for this team to rise towards the top of the NBA once again, and Bulls tickets now offer fans a chance to see the team do just that.  There may not be a more complete team in the league, as the Bulls can score, rebound, defend and share the ball.  Come see what’s causing all the excitement at the United Center, and you’re sure to be entertained by a top-notch display of team basketball.