Atlanta Escapes Bulls; Milwaukee Does Not
We left off on Friday with the Bulls prepared to play the Atlanta Hawks on the road that night. Unfortunately we have to report that the Bulls lost that game 106-103, as the team could not convert on a buzzer-beating three at the tail end of regulation. It was a fair game played by the Bulls, and you hate to see those type of games get way from you. Oh well.
On a better note, the Bulls were able to get a win against Milwaukee at home, something that Bulls ticket buyers were very anxious to see. The Bulls won 114-111 behind one of the best games of Joakim Noah’s career, an 18-point, 15 rebound, 4 block performance that we hope to see much more of in the near future.
The Bulls will need Noah to step it up. Right now they are a mere 3.5 games out of the 8th spot in the East. While that’s a bad sign for the Eastern Conference, it’s some really good news for Bulls fans. It’s not over yet. Tomorrow night the Bulls will play the Boston Celtics, a game that should be plenty tough.
To get Chicago Bulls tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Atlanta Hawks to Host Chicago Bulls
The Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls will take off their shirts and go to blows tonight in the ATL. We know the game is going to be pretty far away from home, and we know that a lot of the Bulls Blog readers are also fans of college basketball. However, if you do get a chance to sneak over from the CBS coverage of the Sweet Sixteen, you ought to do so, because we’re predicating the Bulls will have a rough time tonight. Their minds might be elsewhere. Check this out.
—Bulls With Their Minds Elsewhere—
Kirk Hinrich – Kansas – Playing tonight versus Villanova
Drew Gooden – Kansas – Playing tonight versus Villanova
Shannon Brown – Michigan St. – Playing Memphis tonight
—Hawks With Minds Elsewhere—
Josh Childress- Stanford – Playing Texas tonight
Marvin Williams – North Carolina – In the Elite Eight, will play Louisville next week
To get Chicago Bulls tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Bulls Lose to 76ers in Philly
The Chicago Bulls started out sluggish and never really got back on track as they lost to the Philadelphia 76ers last night at the Wachovia Center. If you want a game summary, you can go to any number of places, but one source we always like to check here at the Bulls Blog is the Quotes section at the official Bulls homepage. You can get quotes from the players and the coaches, and sometimes even random bystanders. Check it out.
Our favorite quote from last night’s game:
“It’s not hard or tough, getting into the playoffs has been the goal since the beginning of the season. We just can’t get it together. I don’t know what exactly it is, where it’s a mindset, energy, but we just can’t get it together. These are really important games, and we just need to play as hard as we can. Every game is make or break; we don’t have time to relax. It’s now or nothing.”
—Joakim Noah
By the way, have you been to the Bulls homepage lately? There are all kinds of good things there- including a catchy into scene that’s guaranteed to get you pumped about the Bulls. There are deals on Bulls merchandise, and of course, you can always check out what the Luv-a-Bulls are up to.
To get Chicago Bulls tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Nocioni Apologizes to Boylan; Bulls Beat Hawks
You might have noticed that Bulls guard/forward Andres Nocioni was fired up at last night’s game. Nocioni was fed up with the time he was allotted to play- roughly three minutes in the second quarter. He verbally berated interim coach Jim Boylan before Boylan sent him to the locker room without any supper. After the game and in talking with reporters this morning Nocioni apologized to Boylan and to the team. He remarked that he was out of line, and that he was sorry he lost control. Case closed.
Onto the basketball portion of the evening, which also ended well. The Bulls won their game against the Atlanta Hawks 103-94. Chicago took a lead into the fourth quarter, and unlike their recent trend, they were able to hold onto it, and closed out a win. The Hawks are not a great team, but a win is a win, and it would have really been awful for the Bulls to have lost the game while all of the turmoil on the bench was happening. All’s well that ends well.
To get Chicago Bulls tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Bulls to Play Atlanta Tonight in Chicago
Bulls fans who are attending tonight’s game will be anxious for a win, as the Bulls have been struggling lately at the United Center. The Bulls dropped a game to San Antonio last week, as well as one to the Pacers on Saturday. Both games were at home. The Bulls need to step up and defend their home court. Like the Under Armor commercials used to say, “We must protect this house!”
Even though Atlanta is not the best team in the league, they have been doing well lately. The Hawks won games on the road in New York and Washington last week, and then beat the formidable Orlando Magic at home this weekend. This is bad news for the Bulls, who need a win desperately. Get out there and cheer for them tonight!
To get Chicago Bulls tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Bulls Drop one to Indiana on Saturday
Things didn’t go so well for the Bulls this weekend. Chicago dropped a game to the Indiana Pacers 108-101. The loss is tough because the Bulls share the division with the Pacers, they need to beat this team in order to get to the playoffs, and they always like to do well at home. It was the third game this week that the Bulls lost, following losses to San Antonio and New Orleans.
The story of the game was really the Pacers, who came from behind to win this game- their fourth in a row. This is the first time the Pacers have won four in a row this year. Indiana, unlike the Bulls, appears to be making a late surge to try to get into the playoff race. The Bulls were ineffective at the end of the game, and let one that they should have won get away from them. Disappointing, of course, but they will have a chance to rebound very soon.
To get Chicago Bulls tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Bulls Fall to Spurs
The Spurs righted their ship and snapped their four-game losing streak Thursday night. The Bulls fell at home to the San Antonio Spurs 102-80, meaning that Tim Duncan would not get the first ever five-game losing streak of his career. Duncan led the way for the Spurs, pouring in 22 points to go along with 10 rebounds. While Tim Duncan had his way on the inside, the speedy Tony parker was able to get wherever he wanted to on offense, in rout to a 23 point, 6 assist evening.
The Bulls lost at home to another good Western Conference team, and the loss was a bad one. They never really got the hang of the Spurs, who basically could do whatever they tried to against a Bulls defense that just wasn’t firing on all cylinders. Lets hope the Bulls can get things done over the weekend. They play the Indiana Pacers tomorrow night.
To get Chicago Bulls tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Bulls versus Spurs Tonight
The San Antonio Spurs will be in town tonight, so let’s hope the Bulls don’t need another kick in the ribs to get motivated at the United Center late in the game. As you are probably well aware, the Spurs are a good team- motivated, feisty, balanced, fast and tough. They play excellent defense and half-court offense, and if you get them in a running game, well, they have the speed to run with you too. This is going to be no easy task, but all the same, it’s a huge opportunity for the Bulls to show the rest of the league that they can be taken seriously in the playoff race.
So what do the Bulls have going for them against the Spurs? Well, lately the Bulls have been playing well against good teams. They took the Hornets to the breaking point until a collapse in the fourth quarter, and then they beat the Nets, a team they have to overcome to get to the playoffs. Most of the Bulls are back from injury, so the team is at full strength. The new guys are starting to find their roles. All that, plus the Spurs are on a rare cold streak. They have lost four in a row. Let’s make it five tonight, Bulls.
To get Chicago Bulls tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Bulls Don’t Fade, Beat New Jersey
The Bulls were about to walk away from another game losers, having blown another fourth quarter lead. The Nets had cut the Chicago lead to just nine points, before the Bulls responded, kept New Jersey at bay and won the game 112 to 96. It was a little frightening for Chicago fans who did not want to see a repeat performance of the fourth quarter collapses that doomed the Bulls in their last two games versus the Hornets and 76ers. Still wearing the green jerseys, the Bulls got a big W versus one of the teams they must beat out to get the last spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Good job, Bulls. Let’s see more of it.
On to another topic. As you know, it’s the beginning of March Madness, so everybody has college hoops on the brain. Even NBA fans can take a gander at the best players in college basketball- even if it is to do some scouting for the Bulls’ next drat pick. So when you’re watching the tourney this year, keep an eye out for some players you’d like to see wearing Bulls’ red, wite and black—or green.
To get Chicago Bulls tickets, go to StubHub.com.
Chicago Doesn’t Look Good in Green
The Bulls wore some green for St. Patrick’s Day last night, but the luck of the Irish could not help them win. They fell to the New Orleans Hornets 108-97. This was actually the second straight game where the Bulls fell apart in the fourth quarter. The Bulls actually had a nine point lead heading into the final 12 minutes of play, but the Hornets, specifically Chris Paul, took control of the game. While the Bulls only managed to put in an unlucky 13 points in the fourth, the Hornets lit up the visiting Bulls for 33. Chris Paul wound up with 37 points and 13 assists, and Ben Gordon had 31 points off the bench. The Bulls have now dropped to 26-40 overall. The Hornets are 45-21.
So where does this put the Bulls? Well, they are not out of the playoff race yet, and with some easier games ahead, they will certainly have an opportunity to come back and get some wins. The Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot could be reserved for the Bulls if they could close out a game. Against Philly at home and against the good Charlotte Hornets on the road, the Bulls ran out of gas. Let’s hope this is not the start of a trend.
To get Chicago Bulls tickets, go to StubHub.com.