Gibson Helps Bulls Defeat Pacers 104-95

Bulls Rookie Taj Gibson scored a team-high 19 points (6-for-12 shooting) and grabbed nine rebounds in just under 30 minutes against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. The 6-foot-9 power forward showed he’s capable of breaking into the team’s front court rotation. Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro summed up Taj’s performance when he said, ”Taj is like the Energizer Bunny: He just keeps on coming at you,” Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. “He shoots it better than you think, and he’s pickin’ and poppin’. He’s long, he had some nice box-outs and good rotations defensively, so just a great effort for a rookie in his first exhibition game. That’s a good sign for us.” After trailing 43-41 at halftime, the Bulls outscored the Pacers 34-19 in the third quarter for a 75-62 lead heading into the fourth. After the 2009 NBA draft, Gibson was described as an energy player who can provide spark on defense and on the boards. But nobody mentioned the rookies’ lethal jump shots. He exhibited a solid medium-range jumper (15 to 18 feet) throughout the game. In the third quarter, Tyrus Thomas suffered a concussion after taking a charge. He took a hard hit to the midsection and did not return to the game.

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