Bulls 18th in Power Rankings

The Bulls came in at number 18 in ESPN.com writer Marc Stein’s weekly power rankings this week.  “Given how low the bar is - as well as the fact that Chicago appears to have the easiest remaining schedule of any team trying to snag No. 8 in the East - Rose might be docked ROY points if the Bulls don’t make it in,” writes Stein.   It seems like a lot of people outside of Chicago are still focused on Derrick Rose more than they are on the team itself.  The Bulls looks like they could be rounding into form thanks greatly in part to the additions of John Salmons and Brad Miller.

Rose is definitely in the running for the rookie of the year award, but judging by the type of kid he is, I’d say he much more concerned with making the postseason, and not just because it would help his ROY case.  Rose has been constantly praised for his character throughout his basketball life and he’s showing it by deferring to teammates when the time is right.  His lack of a sense of entitlement is striking for such a high profile player and is a breath of fresh air in an NBA landscape that can at times lack that type of selfless attitude.

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Bulls Sting Hornets

The trade that the Bulls pulled off with the Sacramento Kings at the trade deadline seems to look like a better more with every passing day.  John Salmons and Brad Miller both played very well in the team’s 97-79 win over the New Orleans Hornets on Saturday.  Salmons scored 24 points while Miller chipped in 15 of his own, as well as nine boards.  They were two of just three Bulls to score in double figures in the contest, the other being Ben Gordon.  Gordon dropped 27 points to lead the team, shooting 11 for 17 in the contest and adding four assists and five rebounds without committing a single turnover.

This was a big win against a quality team.  The Hornets have more than 40 wins already and have been exceptionally hot as of late.  While the Bulls were not able to stop Chris Paul on Saturday, they limited every other player on the team significantly.  Chicago currently sits tied for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.  Salmons and Miller have made solid contributions since joining the team last month and will be crucial pieces to the puzzle down the stretch.  The team is in a good position to make the postseason as of now.

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A Look at the Rotation

Bulls head coach Vinny Del Negro seems pretty set on the team’s current rotation.  Let’s examine which players get significant minutes and what their roles are for the club are.  Derrick Rose is the starting point guard and face of the franchise.  In reality, he’s the only guy on the team who is untouchable.  He’s looked to for distributing the ball and taking it to the hoop.  Ben Gordon is the team’s best scorer and is the most capable of taking over a game.  John Salmons starts at the three and provides a little bit of everything.  As a do-it-all swingman, he’s got everything you need at the position.

Down low the Bulls have youngsters Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas.  Thomas, who starts at power forward, is extremely athletic  but still developing his skills.  He’s a solid offensive spark, but he lacks a refined post game at this point.  Noah is looked to primarily for rebounding and defense in the middle, which is why sixth man Brad Miller is great coming off the bench.  Miller, while not a defensive standout, is skilled for a big man and can score from inside and out.  Kirk Hinrich is the first guard off the bench and provides the team with steady play at both the one and two positions.  Tim Thomas gets some time as well, and Luol Deng will figure into the rotation upon his return from a leg injury.

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Bulls Trounced By Magic

The Bulls weren’t able to get anything going in their 107-79 loss to the Orlando Magic last night, getting outscored 26-13 in the first quarter and never recovering.  Only two Bulls players, John Salmons and Brad Miller, scored in double figures in the game and the Bulls’ starting five shot a combined 13 of 40 from the field.  Ben Gordon, who has had the hot hand as of late, shot just one of 10 while Derrick Rose connected on just two of his twelve attempts.  Salmons was, by far, the best player on the court for Chicago in this game, leading the team in both scoring and rebounding.

Six Orlando players scored in double figures in the game and the Magic clinched a playoff spot.  The Bulls are going to have to play much better basketball than they did last night to secure a playoff berth of their own.  Chicago is currently tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East with the Milwaukee Bucks.  New Jersey, New York, Charlotte and Indiana are all within striking distance as well.  The Bulls obviously didn’t bring it against the Magic, and they’re going to have to step it up if they’re going to beat out five other teams for one playoff slot.

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Bulls in Orlando Tonight

The Bulls, still in sole possession of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, have a big matchup tonight against the Orlando Magic.  Orlando is one of the best teams in the conference, and a win against them would not only help in the standings, but also with the team’s collective confidence level.  It’s been rumored that first-time head coach Vinny Del Negro has had some trouble instilling confidence in some of the team’s younger players, but a win against Dwight Howard and company would do a lot for this group.

Stopping Howards is the first step to defeating the Magic.  Double teaming the big man opens things up on the perimeter for Orlando’s plethora of shooters, though, so perimeter rotation is going to be very important for the Bulls.  Ben Gordon has had the hot hand the past couple of games and if he can continue his hot shooting from distance, the Bulls can win this game.  Derrick Rose will need to play under control and take what the defense gives him, while Joakim Noah has to do his best to stay out of foul trouble against Howard.  This is a major opportunity for the Bulls, not only to prove to the rest of the league that they can beat quality teams, but to prove it to themselves.

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Wade’s Buzzer Beater Sinks Bulls in 2OT

The Bulls lost to the Miami Heat a in thriller last night but hung tough despite a stellar performance from Miami’s Dwyane Wade.  The Heat bested the Bulls 130-127 in double overtime after Wade made a spectacular play to get off a buzzer beater.  Wade finished with a monster line of 48 points, 12 assists, six rebounds, four steals and three blocks.  On the final play of the game, Wade came up with the steal and dribbled down court before heaving one from just above the top of the key.  The Chicago native has officially played his way into the MVP race, joining LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

The Bulls played very well in last night’s contest despite playing with a seven-man rotation in a double overtime game.  Ben Gordon continued his hot shooting, scoring a team-high 43 points in the contest on 14 of 23 shooting.  Gordon cashed in on eight of his 11 attempts from behind the arc.  John Salmons added 29 points and Derrick Rose chipped in 23.  This game had the feel of a playoff matchup, and both of these teams have a good shot at the postseason.  The Heat currently have the fifth-best record in the conference and the Bulls showed they can hang with such a squad.

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Bulls in Sole Possession of Final Playoff Spot

The Bulls are currently in sole possession of the eighth and final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference after a solid 117-102 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.  Ben Gordon had himself a phenomenal game, scoring 34 points on 10 of 19 shooting from the field, including four of six from three, and 10 of 11 from the free throw line.  Gordon also added seven assists, four rebounds and four steals in the contest.  This was probably Gordon’s best game of the season, and it came at a time that the Bulls really needed the win.  The team entered Friday’s game tied with the Bucks for the final playoff slot.

Gordon showed the game that had scouts drooling when he came into the league.  Gordon’s passing abilities, or lack thereof, have always prevented him from playing point guard, a position that he’d be better suited for physically.  Still, Gordon has shown himself as capable of being a top-level scorer if he could be more consistent.  This was the kind of performance that showed Gordon as a player that can take over games, something that teams need in the playoffs.  If Gordon gets on a hot streak down the stretch, the Bulls could be in good position to stay in the playoff picture and perhaps nab the sixth or seventh seed.

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Bulls Questioning Deng?

Could the relationship between the Bulls and forward Luol Deng be souring less than one year after the team awarded the former lottery pick with a massive, $71 million contract?  Some reports are saying that the Bulls may be displeased with Deng’s treatment of his recent injury.  Deng left the Bulls’ game on Saturday with an injury that was originally feared to be a stress fracture of his right tibia.  After tests revealed no stress fracture or a break of any kind, Deng was set to suit up for the Bulls’ matchup with Charlotte on Tuesday.  Deng experienced pain during the team’s pregame shootaround, though, and sought a second opinion that apparently again raised the issue of a stress fracture in his leg.

It appears that the team is sticking to the original diagnosis.  “All of the information to date points to some mild inflammation along [Deng’s] tibia, with a small irregularity within the cortical bone, with no obvious break in the inner or outer layer of bone,” said a press release issued by the Bulls this week. “He has been restricted from high-level activity since [Saturday].  At this point, he will undergo ‘active rest,’ meaning that he will be encouraged to challenge himself physically, and if symptoms remain minimal, he will be allowed an expeditious return to play.”  There is talk of Deng undergoing an MRI on his spine next.

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Bulls Crush Warriors, Now Tied For 8th Seed

The Bulls continue to get the job done at home, exemplified by their 110-88 win over the Golden State Warriors last night that placed them in a tie for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.  Six Bulls players scored in double figures in the contest, with John Salmons dropping a team-high 23 points.  Salmons also added nine rebounds while fellow former Sacramento King Brad Miller chipped in 19 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench.  It’s becoming more and more apparent that the midseason trade that brought in these two players is going to play a vital role in the team’s playoff push down the stretch.

Joakim Noah had a solid game in the middle as well.  Though he only hit three of his 11 shot attempts, the two-time NCAA champion scored 14 points and collected 17 rebounds, eight of which were on the offensive glass.  Noah also added four blocks in the game, showing himself as a budding defensive presence.  Kirk Hinrich was his reliable self, scoring 13 points and adding four rebounds and six assists off the bench.  With Miller and Hinrich coming off the bench, Vinny Del Negro is able to rest his starters without sacrificing much from a production standpoint.  This will prove crucial in the team’s playoff push and in the postseason, should the team make the playoffs.

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Bulls Lose to Bobcats, Deng Gets Second Opinion

The Bulls struggled offensively in their loss to the Charlotte Bobcats last night, shooting less than 40 percent from the field as a team.  No Bulls player eclipsed 14 points in the contest, the entire squad managing a mere 80 points.  Tyrus Thomas and Brad Miller were the only players to shoot 50 percent or better from the field, while Ben Gordon was just six of 15 and Derrick Rose managed to hit only three of his 11 attempts.  All five Bobcats starters scored in double figures, with Raymond Felton contributing 18 points, four rebounds and nine assists.

The Bulls were without Luol Deng, who, after getting a second opinion on his injured leg, may have a stress fracture in his tibia.  Deng had planned to play in the game against Charlotte, but pregame discomfort caused him to sit out.  After initial tests revealed no stress fracture, a second set of tests opened the door for the possibility.  Head coach Vinny Del Negro said he planned to start John Salmons in place of Deng even if the forward were able to go.  Deng has been up and down this season and has had trouble consistently performing on the court.  One has to wonder if the Bulls regret awarding Deng with that huge contract this past summer.

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