Rose Hits Game Winner in Halloween Night (Sort of) Thriller

By Sean Mackey

The Bulls edged out the New York Knicks on Halloween Night winning 82-81. Derrick Rose lead the way with 18 points including the game winning floater over former Bull, Tyson Chandler. Luol Deng had a solid game with 17 points and 6 assists. Joakim Noah also tallied 6 points and 15 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony lead the Knicks with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists.

I caught this game the beginning of the 2nd half and man, it was super sloppy. So many turnovers and missed shots. The Bulls were 2-15 in the 4th quarter with Rose sinking the only field goals. It looked pretty evident that the Bulls were going to blow this one but Rose redeemed himself with the game winner after missing 5 or so shots in a row.

It was nice to see not quite as many fouls called and the Bulls actually holding a lead for most of the game but they looked really bad in the 4th quarter. Overall, a pretty unmemorable game with a great ending.

The Bulls get their first look at rookie Michael Carter Williams when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers tomorrow night. The game is nationally broadcasted on NBA-TV at 7:30 p.m.

Heat Blow Out Bulls in Season Opener 107-95

By Sean Mackey

Chicago fell to the Miami Heat on ring night 107-95 after a complete first half collapse. Early foul trouble for Jimmy Butler and Luol Deng left the Bulls without any primary defenders for nearly the entire 2nd quarter. This lead to a complete onslaught of turnovers, bad shots and three pointers from the likes of Ray Allen, Norris Cole and Shane Battier. The Heat went on a 31-5 run before ending the half with a 21 point lead. The Bulls eventually came back in the 4th quarter to cut the lead to 8, however a three pointer from Miami put them back up by double digits permanently.

Derrick Rose looked decent but rusty throughout the whole contest. After the Bulls won the opening tip, Rose had the ball stolen by Mario Chalmers almost immediately which lead to an Udonis Haslem dunk. The Heat then proceeded to trap Rose near the sideline during the Bulls second possession. Rose shot a dismal 1-7 from the three point stripe and 4-15 overall finishing with 12 points, 4 assists and 5 turnovers.

The only bright spot for Chicago was the play of Carlos Boozer and Jimmy Butler. Boozer finished with 31 points on 13-18 shooting, 5-5 on free throws and 7 rebounds. While Butler got in early foul trouble, he picked things up in the 2nd half finishing with 20 points and 5 steals. Butler's defensive intensity was the only thing keeping the Bulls in the game towards the end.

Newcomer Mike Dunleavy looked awful and finished shooting 3-9 after getting some really good and not so good looks.  Dunleavy fumbled the ball on several passes which lead to Miami closing him out on the perimeter before he could shoot. Joakim Noah came back from a groin injury and finished with 2 points and 11 rebounds, being an almost non-factor on the defensive end. Noah seemed out of rhythm the entire game and his lack of playing time during the pre-season really showed. Kirk Hinrich fouled out during the 4th quarter finishing  with 6 points and 6 assists. Luol Deng was also a non-factor scoring 4 points in 29 minutes.  During the 2nd quarter scoring draught, Tom Thibodeau was so desperate for a spark that he put rookie, Tony Snell in the game. LeBron James then proceeded to run right around Snell for an easy lay up.

Overall this was just a bad game for the Bulls. 48 fouls were called throughout the contest and threw the whole game out of sync. Some of the fouls were just, some were questionable. During the 3rd quarter there was a sequence of 3 or 4 fouls in a row that all lead to free throws slowing the game down to an almost complete stop. The Bulls late run in 4th kept dragging my attention back to the game but every time a glimmer of hope happened, another 3 pointer at the other end did as well.  Jimmy Butler is going to be a great addition to this starting lineup however, the Bulls need to figure out a way for him and Deng to play together effectively. Butler will likely have several fouls every game due to his defensive steals but Deng is going to need to play more solid.  Deng's play this season is detrimental to him getting a $14 million per year salary like he wants. I doubt the Bulls will trade him but letting him go for nothing would be terrible.

The Bulls home opener is Thursday night when they host the New York Knicks at 8:00 p.m. on TNT.

Bulls Go 8-0 in the Preseason + 2013-14 Season Predictions

 

By Sean Mackey

The one month drudgery of the pre season is finally complete. While the 8 games meant absolutely nothing, the Bulls looked focused on all levels and came out undefeated for only the 3rd time in franchise history. Derrick Rose is alive, well and looks hungrier than ever along with a Bulls team that has been marred by injuries over the past 3 years. In a season that will likely be the last together for the core roster, Chicago will look to make the most of every opportunity.

While Derrick Rose played in all but one pre season contest, Joakim Noah, Jimmy Butler and Kirk Hinrich missed several games. While it's nice to build some chemistry during the pre-season, it was also important not to rush any of these guys back (which thankfully they didn't). Here's some minor observations from the Bulls 8 game pre season.

5 Observations From the Bulls Pre Season

1. D-Rose is back, and possibly better than ever!

For a player being away from game for 18 months, Derrick Rose sure looked great. D-Rose shot a remarkable .444 from the 3-point stripe and was driving into traffic regularly on every play. I was a little concerned that he may have lost some of his speed but that surely wasn't the case. D-Rose drove at will into the much larger defenders, was occasionally fouled hard and got right back up to do it again. He's back to his all-star form and is ready to prove all doubters wrong.

2. Taj Gibson!

While it sucked to see Noah sit all but one game, the pre season gave Taj Gibson a chance to get his grove back after a lackluster 2012-13 campaign. Gibson led the team in rebounds and generally looked fantastic on both ends of the court. With injuries seemingly always lingering with Noah, I anticipate Gibson will play big minutes this season. If he comes out with the same energy we saw over the last month, watch for Thibs to rely on him a little more than in the past. Considering Nazr Mohammed's age, he'll likely be playing center in smaller lineups quite often.

3. Jimmy Butler is going to have another breakout season.

The weakest link from the Bulls playoff battles over the last few years has always been the shooting guard position. From Keith Bogans to the ghost of Richard Hamilton, as of late the Bulls haven't really had a shooting guard who can both shoot the ball and play defense. Jimmy Butler worked his way off the bench last season into some ridiculous playoff performances last season. Now with Jimmy Butler as a starter, the Bulls have a very talented back court that rivals the likes of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

4. Mike Dunleavy is looking like a free agency steal.

I've never been much of a Dunleavy fan over the years. I know during a few dark seasons, he was the best player on Indiana's roster. After several injuries and a contract with the Bucks, Dunleavy turned down big money to come play in Chicago. He looked REALLY good in the pre season. The guy can shoot the lights out from the corners and is an underrated passer. He's going to fit this roster like a glove.

5. Kirk Hinrich is injured about every other game.

I love Kirk Hinrich. The year he was drafted was the year I started watching Bulls basketball again regularly after a 5 year hiatus. However, Hinrich seems to get injured at the wrong time on a regular basis. When he plays, he's great. He still shoots the three ball well and is ridiculously intense on defense (COUGH! LEBRON TACKLE) but this dude needs to be healthy for the playoffs. Hinrich bumped his head on Erik Murphy's knee in the pre season and was out the next few games with a concussion. It's always something! Look for rookie, Tony Snell to play his way into the rotation and take over some of Captain Kirk's minutes injuries continue (and they will).

2013-14 NBA Season Predictions

If Chicago is going to win a title, this is the year. They're really the only team that's equipped to take down the Heat. If they fall short again, Deng will likely be lost in free agency, Boozer will be amnestied and Euro stud Nikola Mirotic will finally be brought over. Honestly, that all may happen regardless of the team winning a title however, I'm confident barring another injury to a starting five player, this is the Bulls year.

Eastern Conference Standings

1. Chicago Bulls
2. Miami Heat
3. Brooklyn Nets
4. Indiana Pacers
5. New York Knicks
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Detroit Pistons
8. Washington Wizards
----------------------------------
9. Cleveland Cavaliers
10. Boston Celtics
11. Milwaukee Bucks
12. Toronto Raptors
13. Charlotte Bobcats
14. Orlando Magic
15. Philadelphia 76ers

Western Conference Standings

1. Los Angeles Clippers
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Golden State Warriors
4. Houston Rockets
5. Oklahoma City Thunder
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Memphis Grizzlies
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
------------------------------------
9. Portland Trail Blazers
10. Denver Nuggets
11. Dallas Mavericks
12. Sacramento Kings
13. New Orleans Pelicans
14. Utah Jazz
15. Phoenix Suns

Eastern Conference Finals
Bulls over Heat in 7 games

Western Conference Finals
LA Clippers over Houston Rockets in 6 games

NBA Finals
Bulls over LA Clippers in 6 games

Most Valuable Player
Derrick Rose

Defensive Player of the Year
Dwight Howard

6th Man of the Year
Andrei Kirilenko

Most Improved Player
Andre Drummond

Rookie of the Year
Victor Oladipo

Coach of the Year
Doc Rivers

Analyzing the Bulls 2013-14 NBA Schedule (Top 10 games to watch)

That's right, stay down...bitch.

So...it's been a while.

Dabullz.com is no more so I've migrated back to the old blog for now. Between a Derrick Rose-less season and a larger work load at my job I was unable to muster up enough energy to care about the last 94 games of Bulls basketball. The playoffs were fun but excruciating to watch. Part of me wanted them to miss the playoffs completely, part of me wanted the miracle death march to continue into the Conference Finals. It was very conflicting.

Nonetheless, the Bulls continue forward with a supposedly healthy Derrick Rose (and Joakim Noah). It can be said that a lot is riding on this season in a Central Division that just got a whole lot better. In the past 6 months, the Pacers have somewhat became America's chosen team to dethrone the Miami Heat. Former ESPN NBA analyst, Chris Sheridan went as far as to rank them #2 in his power rankings (NUMBER FREAKING 2!). It seems everyone has forgotten how good the Bulls really are. With the addition of a healthy Derrick Rose, an improved Jimmy Butler along with free agent acquisition Mike Dunleavy Jr. and rookie Tony Snell, the Bulls are immediately better than last season. Not to mention the stunning summer league play of Marquis Teague (OMG he might not be a bust!) and a new pair of plantar fasciitis supporting kicks for Joakim Noah!

With Deng in a contract year, the possible future amnesty of Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah proving he can stay healthy for a whole season, I imagine this is likely the last hurrah for this team if they fail to get past the Miami Heat in the playoffs. With that being said I'm looking forward to the Bulls proving doubters wrong and getting back in the saddle to finish what they started 3 years ago.

For once, the Bulls look as if they have a pretty decent schedule this year with about 4 less back to backs as usual and a pretty winnable circus trip in November (I'm guessing they'll win 4 out of 6). Once again, the Bulls are in the spotlight starting on day one with the first game of the NBA season taking place in Miami against the defending champs. They've also been "awarded" another Christmas Day game, this year against the new look Brooklyn Nets. Chicago has a lot of games towards the end of the season however, with the exception of 1 Miami Heat game and a couple against the Pacers, they have a pretty easy last four weeks of the season. The last 8 games in April are particularly winnable.

Chicago has a league tied (with New York) 33 nationally televised games along with 20 additional games (if your cable operator carries WGN America). Give or take a few overlapping WGN/NBA-TV games along with some fan voted Tuesday games, we're likely looking at over 50 broadcasted games, which is awesome (especially if you refuse to pay an outrageous $120.00 for League Pass Broadband).

Chicago Bulls KY's Top 10 Must Watch Nationally Televised Games:

#1. 10/28/13 vs. the Miami Heat (TNT, 8:00 p.m.) - First NBA game of the season! This is also Heat ring night! Boooo...but way back in 2006, the Bulls famously destroyed the Heat by 42 points on ring night. It actually set an NBA record for largest margin of defeat by a title defending team on opening night. Kirk Hinrich had 26 points and the NBA was introduced to Tyrus Thomas who received a nice "welcome to the NBA" broken nose. I hope this game can be as special however, I doubt it.

#2. 11/6/13 vs. the Indiana Pacers (TNT, 7:00 p.m.) - The Pacers made huge strides last season taking the Miami Heat to 7 games even without their aging former star player, Danny Granger. It was a breakout year for Paul George and he's looking to take his team to the next level. With the additions of Luis Scula and a healthy Danny Granger, this team is going to make the Central Division and the Eastern Conference very tough. Not to mention, there's been bad blood with these guys and the Bulls since that infamous 5 game series back in 2011. This will really be a good measuring stick to see if the Bulls still got it.

#3. 11/21/13 vs. the Denver Nuggets (TNT, 10:30 p.m.) - First game of the circus trip! Also, Nate Robinson returns! I'm usually on vacation during this point in November, so these games are extra fun since I can actually afford to stay up late and watch the whole game. Denver had a great run last season. They reminded me a lot of that overachieving 2007 Bulls squad who lost to Detroit in the Eastern Conference Semi Finals. Last season Denver was a fun to watch, young team who were about 2 pieces away from being great. It's crazy to see a guy like George Karl win Coach of the Year and get canned at the end of the season. After winning a franchise best 57 games last season, Denver flamed out in the playoffs due to injuries. With Brian Shaw taking over for George Karl and the loss of Andre Iguodala (who I've always thought was a little overrated), it'll be interesting to see where this team goes.

#4. 12/5/13 vs. the Miami Heat (TNT, 9:30 p.m.) - Miami's first visit to the United Center this season. Don't act like you won't be watching.

#5. 12/18/13 vs. the Houston Rockets (ESPN, 9:30 p.m.) - The Bulls visit the new look Houston Rockets. I'm actually very excited to watch this team play. I hate all of the bullshit Dwight Howard put the fans of Orlando and Los Angeles through over the past 3 seasons but I always thought the Rockets would be a great destination for him to rebuild his career. Loaded with arguably the best shooting guard in the game today, James Harden, a competent point guard, Jeremy Lin and an improved Chandler Parsons, this team reminds me A LOT of the 1994-95 Orlando Magic. It's also nice having Omer Asik as a freakin' back up center. This team could be scary good if they don't goof off.

#6. 12/21/13 vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA-TV, 8:00 p.m.) - Wow, there are a lot of good/tough games the first 2 months of play and the Cavs are definitely on the Bulls radar.  Cleveland was able to land the #1 pick in the 2013 draft and chose forward Anthony Bennett (who?). Along with the uncertain addition of former all-star Andrew Bynum, a returning Anderson Varejao and an improved Dion Waiters this team could be very good. They could also land in the lottery next season, not quite sure yet.

#7. 12/25/13 vs. the Brooklyn Nets (ESPN, 12:00 p.m.) - Christmas games are always fun however, the Bulls have been known to suck during matinee contests. I don't know what it is but they always look tired and uninterested. Regardless, the Brooklyn Nets will be out for blood after the Bulls knocked them out of the playoffs last season. Locked and loaded with a league high $80 million payroll, the Nets are ready to make a title push. Will it work? I doubt it. Garnett, Pierce and J. Johnson will all be injured at some point during the season and will miss several games. Plus, Jason Kidd weaseled his way into a coaching position he had no business taking over. Good thing they have Lawrence Frank backing him up after he gets fired mid-season.


#8. 1/20/14 vs. the L.A. Lakers (TNT, 8:00 p.m.) - Kobe should be back by this time from his gruesome Achilles heel injury last season. The Lakers are such a cluster f*ck right now. I don't know where they go from here. I'm willing to bet that Mike D'antoni will be gone by the time they meet the Bulls the first time this season.

#9. 3/9/14 vs. the Miami Heat (ABC, 1:00 p.m.) - I love Sunday games after football season ends. So much sports talk is dedicated to the NFL during their 7 month season and by this time, the only sport that is on is the NBA. This is the last meeting the Bulls have with Miami until (possibly) the playoffs. It'll be interesting to see who takes this one. Around this time last season, the Bulls beat the Heat and broke a very large win streak....seriously, you would have thought we won a title or something. It was THAT big of a deal.

#10. 3/24/14 vs. the Indiana Pacers (NBA-TV, 8:00 p.m.) - The Bulls and Pacers final meeting of the season. This game will likely have huge playoff seeding implications if things get tight (they will) in the Central Division.

2012-13 NBA Season Predictions

The 2012-13 NBA season officially kicks off tonight. Unfortunately, LeBron James is getting his first ring and Derrick Rose has to watch it on TV like the rest of us. Hopefully that image is burned into his brain forever and can use it to re-fuel his fire during rehab and toward the end of the season.

The Bulls open their season tomorrow night at home against the Sacramento Kings. With so much uncertainty ahead, it's questionable how the Bulls will respond without their star player for most of the year ahead. Thankfully, Chicago has been granted one of the easier schedules this season. The circus trip alone looks far less daunting than in years past. Regardless, it's going to be an upward climb if the Bulls want to win the Central Division or let alone make the playoffs.

Usually when I do my yearly predictions I include the playoffs as well. However, I'm not even going to attempt that until the end of the regular season. Too much stuff can happen in 82 games to even start breaking down playoff match ups. Below are my predictions for the 2012-13 season....and yes, I believe Chicago will still be semi-decent and make the playoffs.

Eastern Conference Final Standings

1. Miami Heat
2. Boston Celtics
3. New York Knicks
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Indiana Pacers
6. Brooklyn Nets
7. Philadelphia 76er's
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
___________________
9. Washington Wizards
10. Milwaukee Bucks
11. Atlanta Hawks
12. Detroit Pistons
13. Toronto Raptors
14. Charlotte Bobcats
15. Orlando Magic

Western Conference Final Standings

1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Los Angeles Clippers
5. Memphis Grizzlies
6. Dallas Mavericks
7. Utah Jazz
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
______________________
9. Denver Nuggets
10. Sacramento Kings
11. New Orleans Hornets
12. Golden State Warriors
13. Houston Rockets
14. Portland Trail Blazers
15. Phoenix Suns

Award Predictions

MVP: LeBron James (Miami Heat)
Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard (Los Angeles Lakers)
6th Man of the Year: J.R. Smith (New York Knicks)
Rookie of the Year: Anthony Davis (New Orleans Hornets)
Most Improved Player: Enes Kanter (Utah Jazz)

The NBA season opens tonight on TNT at 8:00 p.m. EST with a rematch of last season's conference finals between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics. This game is followed by the Mavericks/Lakers game. If you're super hardcore and have DirectTV, NBA League Pass is free until 11/7 and you can watch the Washington Wizards/Cleveland Cavaliers game at 7:00 p.m.

Bulls Hold On to Defeat Grizzlies 92-88 in Preseason Opener

By Sean Mackey

The shooting was poor and the passing was sloppy, but the Bulls were able to overcome a late game scoring drought to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 92-88 in their preseason opener Tuesday night. Luol Deng looked great, leading both teams in scoring with 18 points and 4 rebounds. New (old) back up center, Nazr Mohammed came away with a double-double off the bench with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Joakim Noah looked like he was back to his old self tallying 10 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Jerome Jordan came off the bench to lead the way for the Grizzlies with 13 points. Former Bulls scrub, Flip Murray chipped in 11 points off the bench as well.

I fortunately walked in during the huge 32-13 3rd quarter run which inevitably won the game for Chicago. It was nice to see how well Kirk Hinrich was running the floor with Noah, Deng and Rip. However, every time I see Noah run the floor now I get really nervous and think about that gruesome 90 degree ankle twist he had during the 1st round 76er’s game last season. Noah has to stay healthy if the Bulls want any sort of chance at the playoffs this season. I thought Nazr Mohammed played decently from what I could see (Stacey King already has nicknamed him “Nasty Nazr”). He seemed like he was in great shape and was getting back on defense as fast as he could during any sort of turnover situation (and there were a lot of those).

The Bulls shot a ridiculously terrible 1-21 in the final 12 minutes of the game. While Taj Gibson looked great defensively, he was just 1-7 from the field. He had a few hiccups including trying to save a ball that went right back to Memphis. Thibodeau let him have it during the time out for that mess up. Jimmy Butler played almost 25 minutes and went a disgusting 1-12 from the field. The rookie from Kentucky, Marquis Teague played just 3 minutes and had 2 turnovers and a foul. I know he came from a great program and looked decent in the tournament last year but I’m pretty sure he’s going to be buried on the bench this season. Nate Robinson will almost certainly be the second string point guard until Rose’s return. He showed moments of promise and hit all 6 of his free throws.

The Bulls were only able to stay in this game by their defense and by going 30-39 on free throws. The 4th quarter was one of the most dismal efforts I’ve ever seen in a game. Memphis trimmed the lead to 3 before hucking up a terrible shot for which Gibson thankfully grabbed the rebound and the game was over. I know it was just the first preseason game of the year but it looks like the new bench is going to need a lot of work.

The Bulls play again Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Hopefully they can tweak some of their issues and forget this game ever happened.

Bulls Open Preseason Against Grizzlies Tonight; Mirotic Impresses in NBA Debut

The Chicago Bulls open their preseason tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. This game will mark the return of longtime Bulls fan favorite, Kirk Hinrich along with what the media is already dubbing "Bench Mob 2.0". It also marks the beginning of what will likely be a long season without Bullsformer MVP and star player, Derrick Rose. Here's a look at the probable starters for tonight's game:

Chicago
PG: Kirk Hinrich
SG: Richard Hamilton
SF: Luol Deng
PF: Carlos Boozer
C: Joakim Noah

Memphis
PG: Mike Conley
SG: Tony Allen
SF: Rudy Gay
PF: Zach Randolph
C: Marc Gasol

Note: Joakim Noah has been MIA the last few days days of training camp due to the death of his grandmother. He'll most likely be a game time decision, but I have a feeling he'll still start.

It'll be interesting to see how well players such as Nate Robinson, Marco Bellinelli and Vladimir Radmonovic play under Tom Thibodeau's defensive schemes. Kyle Korver wasn't much of a defender until playing under Thibodeau. I'd like to think he's a much more servicable player after his two years with the Bulls. It'll also be interesting to see how well Bulls rookie, Marquis Teague plays after his terrible showing during the NBA Summer League.

The Grizzlies won their first preseason game against Real Madrid last Saturday night. Rudy Gay put up a dominating 27 points. Mike Conley looked excellent as well with 18 points and 8 assists. To most NBA fans, this game was just a preseason scrimmage against some lame international competition. However, this game was also the first look at future Bulls draftee Nikola Mirotic. The future 21 year old prospect put up 14 points and grabbed 7 boards. Mirotic was good enough for Zach Randolph to acknowledge his game and earned him some praise from the 11 year vet.

“I like him,” Randolph said. “I told Marc (Gasol) he can shoot the ball. I was asking how old he was. He’s just 21. The kid’s got a real upside. He can play in the NBA.”

Mirotic followed up his performance last night with a 17 point, 12 rebound game in another losing effort, this time against the Toronto Raptors. Former Bull John Lucas III lit up Real Madrid scoring 16 points off the bench going 7-10 from the field. The Bulls are expected to bring over Mirotic at the beginning of the 2014-15 season.

The Bulls preseason debut against the Memphis Grizzlies will be nationally televised on NBA-TV tonight at 8:00 p.m.

Sean's 2012 NBA Playoff Predictions

For the 2nd season in a row, the Chicago Bulls posted the best record in the NBA, earning home court advantage for their playoff run. Going 50-16 in a lockout shortened season that included a slew of back to back and back to back to back games riddled with a series of injuries is quite an impressive feat in it's own. A lot of people like to discredit the Spurs when they won in 99 saying "it didn't count" or whatever, and yeah that was a very lame season but this has been a marathon sprint to the playoffs since Christmas. 2011-12 was not like 1998-99 season where there were less games and no all-star weekend. Whoever wins the title this year is truly the last team standing and shouldn't be tagged with an asterisk. With that all being said, the Bulls are hobbling into the playoffs this year with last year's MVP coming off several recent injuries, a veteran shooting guard made out of glass, an all-star forward with a torn ligament in his non-shooting hand and a power forward with a sweet jump shot who doesn't play defense. While all of these attributes are bad, it's safe to say the Bulls are the deepest team in the NBA. Having someone like Taj Gibson and Omer Asik come off the bench is a real luxury and could be the deciding factor in coming up with series wins against the Celtics and Heat. I just hope the roster stays healthy throughout the whole run and that the Heat never a win a title under Lebron's reign. Here are my 2011-12 playoff predictions:

Eastern Conference
1st Round

Chicago Bulls vs. Philadelphia 76er's
Winner: Bulls (4-1)

Bulls might start off slow like they did in 1st round last season, but they'll kick it into full gear and make Evan Turner wish he never played them.

Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks
Winner: Boston Celtics (4-2)

Boston is a veteran team, they've been together 4 years now and they're well coached. The Atlanta Hawks are without their star Al Horford and did nothing in the offseason to get better.

Indiana Pacers vs. Orlando Magic
Winner: Indiana Pacers (4-0)

The Orlando Magic's title run is over. The team has gave up on Stan Van Gundy and the Pacers are a young, hungry squad dying to make it to 2nd round for the first time since 2005.

Western Conference
1st Round
Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks
Winner: Miami Heat (4-2)

The New York Knicks look great on paper. They have the most talented roster in the NBA however, when they're all healthy and playing together, they have no idea what they're doing. Miami will have a field day with this guys but New York will likely win a few home games.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz
Winner: San Antonio Spurs (4-0)

No contest. This is not San Antonio's first rodeo.

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Winner: Memphis Grizzlies (4-2)

Memphis was great in the playoffs last season without Rudy Gay. Gay has since returned and the Grizzlies are pretty deep. Vinny Del Negro has never won a playoff series...nuff said.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets
Winner: Los Angeles Lakers (4-1)

The Lakers are still awesome, don't let anyone tell you differently. Andrew Bynum has been on a tear and the Nuggets just have a team of role players. They are however, well coached. They'll win one game.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks
Winner: OKC Thunder (4-2)

Dallas are the defending champs, however, Tyson Chandler left for NY and Lamar Odom got an early paid vacation. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are awesome but the team itself is inconsistent. This is going to be a good one.

Eastern Conference
2nd Round

Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics
Winner: Chicago Bulls (4-2)

These teams hate each other however, Boston is less relevant now. MJ had trouble with the Celtics his first few seasons and eventually got over the hump. This is Derick Rose's time.

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers
Winner: Miami Heat (4-1)

Indiana wants revenge on Chicago so bad, however, they'll have to play the Heat to get there. While Indiana has a 6'10 shooting guard in Paul George and a budding all-star center in Roy Hibbert, the Miami Heat have the two best players in the league.

Western Conference
2nd Round

San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Winner: San Antonio Spurs (4-2)

I'm done underestimating San Antonio. They're the grittiest team in the league and Manu isn't injured. They're going to the conference finals.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Winner: OKC Thunder (4-3)

This one's a toss up. The Lakers have the greatest player of the last 10 years and the best center currently playing in the playoffs. I just think the OKC Thunder are young and athletic enough to get over the hump.

Eastern Conference Finals

Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat
Winner: Chicago Bulls (4-3)

This is going to be the marquee match up of the NBA playoffs. These are the two best teams going at it and boy, do they hate each other. Derrick Rose may have been injured a lot this year but he's still hungry and I have a feeling will play possum until this series where he unleases on the Heat. I'm tired of selling my team short, they're fantastic.

Western Conference Finals

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder

They split the season series 1-1. This is anyone's series but I think San Antonio's run stops here. Durant seems hungier than he's ever been.

NBA Finals

Chicago Bulls vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Winner: Chicago Bulls (4-3)

The Bulls are built a lot like the San Antonio Spurs, however they have last year's MVP. This one's going to be tough but I really think this is the Bulls' year. This series would be great.

Boozer Takes Over, Bulls Blow Out Magic 85-59

By Sean Mackey

The Chicago Bulls continued their winning ways Monday night with a huge victory over the Orlando Magic, winning 85-59. The Bulls were once again without their MVP Derrick Rose or Richard Hamilton. Carlos Boozer lead the way for Chicago with 24 points, 14 rebounds and 4 steals. John Lucas III came off the bench to score 20 points on 8-13 shooting. Dwight Howard lead the Magic with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

This game was some serious payback for the loss the Magic handed Chicago a few weeks ago. The Bulls defense was completely suffocating. The game also set two NBA records as well. Tom Thibodeau became the fastest coach in NBA history to win 100 games and Chicago holding the Magic to 59 points was a franchise record for fewest points allowed in a regular season game (this includes the entire Jordan era...WOW).

Carlos Boozer was able to manhandle Ryan Anderson (who really isn't a PF). These are the kind of games Booz relishes because of the advantage he has in the post and makes it look easy. Boozer is averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds a game this year which in opinion is pretty damn good compared to the last few guys who held down the PF spot for the Bulls.

The guy who I've been most impressed with lately is John Lucas III. Lucas came out and hit 3 straight 3 pointers to begin this game. This guy thrives on confidence and if he hits his first few shots, he can go the entire game. It's simply amazing to see a 3rd string point guard come out and give the performances he's giving. He's making us all forget about Linsanity.

The Bulls play the next two games against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday and Saturday. Hopefully, they can take advantage of such a lackluster team and not have a repeat of that bizarre loss to a very depleted Portland Trail Blazers team this last week.

John Lucas III goes off, Bulls Beat the Heat 106-102

By Sean Mackey

With half the NBA world watching the Dwight Howard saga unfold last night, the Bulls were able to come off with a stunning Derrick Rose-less win over the Miami Heat at home last night, winning 106-102. Third string point guard, John Lucas III came off the bench to lead the Bulls with 24 points on 9-12 shooting. Joakim Noah continued his string of great games, chipping in 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks. Taj Gibson also came off with an impressive 8 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade combined for 71 of the Miami Heat's 102 points.

This was easily the best game I've watched this season. After it was announced that Derrick Rose would not be playing due to a strained groin injury, I'll admit, I wasn't expecting much. Derrick Rose accounts for the Bulls entire offense so coming off with a convincing win against the world's most talented basketball team is a big deal.

John Lucas III was obviously the man of the night. After getting dunked on by LeBron James the last time these two teams met, Lucas came out with fierce intensity. For a guy who's generously listed at 5'11, to be able to come out and shoot 9-12 from the field is amazing. JL3 hit some of the biggest shots of the night including an array of 3 pointers, floaters and the shot every guy fantasises about taking; a fade away jumper right in the face of LeBron James.

The defense really kept the Bulls in this game the entire 48 minutes. Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson are getting to be so meticulous about how they block shots, that it's almost an art. The timing they have is just fantastic. Add that, along with a bunch of ridiculously good passers and back door cuts and you have the NBA's most team oriented basketball club.

The sad part about all this is that the Bulls were only able to win by 4. The Miami Heat effortlessly came back from a 15 point deficit in just a few minutes of play. Chicago has to play perfectly to just get a win against these guys. Could you imagine how good the Heat would be if the entire team put in the same kind of effort the Bulls do? They'd be unstoppable.

Nevertheless, the Bulls were able to get a quality win without their star player. The Bulls host the Portland Trail Blazers Friday night. Portland has just acquired Mehmet Okur & Shawne Williams from the New Jersey Nets for Gerald Wallace. They've also traded away Marcus Camby for a yet to be named expiring contract and draft picks. It'll be interesting to see who suits for the game. I have a feeling that Rose and Deng will probably both sit this one out.

Bulls Beat Timberwolves, Move Into 1st Place in the East

By Sean Mackey

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday night, 111-100. Derrick Rose exploded for 31 points, 11 assists and 2 blocks. Luol Deng had a great game as well, posting 21 points and 11 rebounds. Ronnie Brewer did a fantastic job filling in for Rip Hamilton scoring 17 points. Luke Ridnour lead the Timberwolves in scoring with 22 points including 3-3 from three point range. Ricky Rubio looked awesome coming off the bench for Minnesota, ending the game with 13 points and 12 assists.

This game looked like a blowout early in the first half. At one point in the 2nd quarter, the Bulls were up 24 points. This wasn't even because they were playing great defense or anything either, they were shooting 74%! Had the Timberwolves shown any defensive resistance, they probably wouldn't have dug themselves in such a hole. Derrick Rose had to leave the game at one point re-aggravating his turf toe injury. John Lucas filled in decently for about 5 minutes. However, at the end of the 2nd quarter, the Bulls shooting went cold and Timberwolves went on a nice run, cutting the lead to 6 to end the half.

The Timberwolves tied the game in the 3rd and D-Rose went to work like always, shouldering the load the rest of the game. While the Bulls were able to hold off the Timberwolves at the end, this looked like a team that could be very good in the near future...that is if Love and Rubio decide to stay.

Kevin Love is one of the best power forwards in the game. He's arguably already the best rebounder. However, he proved last night that his post game and defensive game need a little work. It's great to have a PF who can shoot the three but when he can't post up against guys like Boozer, he could probably stand to add that to his game over next summer. Ricky Rubio looks like the real deal. He dazzles in a way that's not flashy but effective. He has a great shot at winning rookie of the year and could definitely develop into the next Steve Nash.

With the Miami Heat blowing a big lead last night and losing to the Golden State Warriors, the Bulls move into 1st place with this win. Chicago plays the 1-8 Washington Wizards tonight at 8:00 p.m. EST on Comcast Sportsnet.

Bulls Outrun the Kings, 108-98

By Sean Mackey


After the lackluster performance Monday night against the Golden State Warriors, the Chicago Bulls revved it up to 11 for a win against the Sacramento Kings, 108-98. Carlos Boozer lead the way for Chicago with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Derrick Rose wasn't a slouch either, scoring 19 points and dishing out 8 assists. However, the real hero of the game was CJ Watson who came up big when Rose was in foul trouble. Watson tallied 8 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds. Demarcus Cousins lead the way for the Kings with an impressive 15 points and 12 rebounds. Rookie Jimmer Freddette chipped in 14 points. Marcus Thornton had 20 points and 5 boards. The Bulls improved their record to 2-1.

This was a refreshing win for Chicago. After the miraculous Christmas victory over the L.A. Lakers, the Bulls struggled against Golden State on Monday night. It was one of those losses that just took the wind out of your sails. Rose was too focused on getting his teammates involved, shots weren't falling and the Warriors backcourt of Monte Ellis and Stephen Curry totally ran over Chicago.

Last night's game against Sacramento was a game the Bulls needed to win to get back into their groove. On paper the Kings look great, they have Tyreke Evans, Demarcus Cousins, Marcus Thornton and rookie PG Jimmer Freddette. If the Kings choose to keep their young studs, they might have a decent playoff team in a few years. However, the Kings couldn't catch up with the Bulls who ran almost the entire game and played some fantastic defense in stretches when they weren't fouling. Unfortunately, I doubt the Bulls will be able to repeat the running they did last night for the remaining 63 games. I was pretty surprised to see how well Rip Hamilton was running the floor last night. He had an ideal game for his role on the team with 16 points and 4 rebounds. Rose was back into his MVP mode, just slicing and maneuvering around whatever the defense threw at him. I think Rose knows that he's going to have to continue to shoulder the load on this team and it's not going to be as easy as last season was.

The Bulls kind of snuck up on everyone as a sleeper in the east and ended up with the leagues best record. Every team now knows that Chicago means business but they still have many holes in their game. It's easy to say that the lock down defense and Derrick Rose were enough last year but one forgotten factor is missing and that's the outstanding play of Kurt Thomas. Thomas was the enforcer on the Bulls last year and was able to step into either the PF or C position at any time and played solidly the entire season. Osik and Taj both foul way too much and are still pretty soft. Hopefully the Bulls front court will start playing a little smarter or maybe they could find a free agent who could slide in and take the Kurt Thomas role.

The Bulls play again tonight against the Los Angeles (Lob City) Clippers to a national television audience at 10:30 p.m. on NBATV. The Bulls need to replicate their performance last night in tonight's game against this fast paced Clipper offense.

Bulls Sign Richard Hamilton

By Sean Mackey

The Chicago Bulls officially signed former Detroit Piston's all-star, Richard Hamilton Wednesday afternoon. The 33 year old shooting guard signed a 2 year, $10 million contract with a 3rd year team option. This signing puts the Bulls roster at 14.

While this signing was a no brainer, I can't help but feel like the Bulls may have missed out on possibly a younger back court running mate for Derrick Rose. Unfortunately, J.R. Smith is stuck playing in China and Arron Affalo and Nick Young were both restricted free agents so Rip was the only real option besides Jamal Crawford and Jason Richardson.

The good thing about this signing is that Rip brings a ridiculous amount of veteran championship experience to the Bulls. On paper it looks like the right fit, however Rip is 33 years old and coming off his worst NBA season since his rookie year. Does Rip still have something in the tank to guard the likes of Dwayne Wade in the playoffs? Who knows. I sort of look at this signing as a temporary fix to the Bulls shooting guard problems. I have strong doubts that the Bulls will keep Rip the entire 3 years if they haven't made it to the NBA Finals by 2013.

I've always felt that J.R. Smith would be the perfect backcourt partner for Rose and it's definitely a possibility in the near future. I also think they should may a strong push to sign someone like Eric Gordon after Carlos Boozer is off the books. However, for some reason stars don't seem to really want to come to Chicago. I don't know if they're bitter about the 6 championships in the 90's or that Derrick Rose doesn't wanna be buddy-buddy with any of them. Regardless, the Bulls championship dreams should look brighter with Rip coming on as an obvious upgrade over Keith Bogans.

The Bulls 2 game preseason starts tonight against the Indiana Pacers. The Bulls will also play Indiana on Tuesday (12/20). The Pacers have added some decent players this offseason including David West and George Hill. Their playoff shooting guard, rookie, Paul George also grew 2 inches in the offeseason putting him at 6'10. I imagine Frank Vogel will likely start running him at the 3 this season with George Hill as the starting SG. The Pacers are going to be incredably deep this year and will contend for the Central Division title with the Bulls. After a heated first round exit, I'm sure Indiana is going to come out strong against Chicago tonight. Should be an interesting/sloppy game. Tipoff is 7:00 p.m. and the game will be televised on WGN Chicago. NBA basketball is finally back. Go Bulls!

The NBA is back!

It seems like the 2011 Conference Finals was like 5 years ago doesn't it? Watching the Bulls go down in 4 straight games was a little too hard for me to swallow so excuse me for not writing about it. You throw a really nasty 5 month lockout on top it and your motivation to be an NBA fan just goes down the crapper. Anyways, here we are 4 weeks before the NBA season starts and I'm just starting to come out of my no-NBA coma.

Like last season's Carmelo Anthony debacle that swallowed every bit of media coverage for 4 straight months, 2 free agents will swallow this year's. Dwight Howard and Chris Paul are this year's Carmelo story all over again. It's no secret that both players want out of the teams they're currently on. However, since both Howard and Paul are arguably the best players at their position, getting a fair deal is going to be hard for the Magic and Hornets.

Over the summer, in an interview for GQ, Howard was quoted saying:

"There's more you can do in a bigger place. I'm stuck in a tough position because I feel like right now, where I'm at, I've done so much. And I just don't know what else I can do. I can't live for everybody else."

That quote was the nail in the coffin for Orlando fans. While the Magic front office has tried their best to build a great team around their center, Howard obviously wants to move on. Howard can sign anywhere next season, and you can bet Orlando will try to trade him this season if they're positive he won't return. The problem Orlando is going to run into is somehow getting fair value from any sort of trade. The Nets are said to be offering Brook Lopez (who last season had a very lackluster year) along with multiple first round draft picks and other filler. The only other 2 teams that could top that offer are the Lakers (Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and filler) and possibly the Bulls if they were willing to part with Joakim Noah. The problem with any trade is that the team vying for Howard is going to need assurances that he'll sign a contract extension and it's obvious Howard wants to play in a bigger market. L.A., Brooklyn and New York are said to be the options Howard prefers however, New York has absolutely no assets they can part with at this time that would be worth it to Orlando.

I'm not too sure the Bulls wanna stir the trade rumor pot by putting Noah on the block especially with how much this squad feeds off his energy. Yeah, D-Rose and Howard wear the same shoes but that doesn't mean anything. Chicago rarely takes chances like that so I wouldn't be getting my hopes up for a Noah for Howard trade. My guess is that Howard will be a Net, Laker or just stay put in Orlando by the end of the season.

Chris Paul will not be a Hornet by the end of the season, absolutely no way he's going to stay in New Orleans. Paul not so quietly prophesied at Melo's wedding last year that they were going to start their own big 3 with Amare' in New York. With Melo already on the roster, and Chauncey Billups as the odd man out, it's safe to say that New Orleans is going to get screwed in the end. The Boston Celtics are said to have already offered the Hornets Rajon Rondo for Chris Paul, however, Paul has no interest in signing an extension in Boston. Why would he? The Celtics are going to start to look like that 1993, old musty Boston team that were too loyal to trade away their old talent. The Lakers would be an interesting destination for Chris Paul. Due to the depth in L.A.'s front court, I could definitely see the same sort of trade scenario that's going to be offered for Dwight Howard as I could with CP3. Regardless, by the end of the season, Chris Paul will not be a Hornet.

Putting all Dwight Howard fantasies aside, the Bulls' real need is a quality shooting guard to pair with Derrick Rose. Because of the new "Derrick Rose rule" in the CBA agreement, Rose will be making more $ because of his recent MVP season and All-Star appearances. While Rose is now a superstar and deserves a bonus for his outstanding year, this alters the salary cap and leaves little room to sign a quality free agent. I've read the Bulls *could* use the the mid-level but Reinsdorf still has probably no interest in going over the cap to sign someone like Jason Richardson or Caron Butler when the Bulls were so close to the NBA Finals last season with their current roster. It's being said that the Bulls will keep their eye out for any amnesty drop offs from other teams but it's looking more and more like franchises aren't going to go for that option this early in the game. Should Rip Hamilton or Brandon Roy pop up on the free agent market, you can bet the Bulls will be very aggressive trying to woo those guys to Chicago but this is once again, probably another fantasy. There's also talk about possibly moving CJ Watson to SG and picking up a cheaper back up point guard like T.J. Ford. I think this would be a rather risky option but CJ has proven in times that he can score pretty well so it could work.

With all that being said, the questions to be answered of the 11-12 NBA season are: Will Derrick Rose come out of the gates like the MVP he was last season, or was it fluke? Who will be the Bulls starting SG? Will Dwight Howard and Chris Paul be dealt by the end of the season and does everyone STILL hate the effing Miami Heat?

This is definitely going to be a very interesting season.

Bulls Beat Hawks 86-73, Tie Up Series at 1-1

By Sean Mackey

The Bulls were able to grind out a rather uneventful victory against the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday night, winning 86-73. After being presented the 2010-11 MVP trophy, Derrick Rose went to work by posting 25 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. Joakim Noah was the real hero of the game with 19 points and 14 rebounds (7 of which were offensive). Luol Deng finished with a ho-hum 14 points and 12 rebounds. Jeff Teague lead the Atlanta Hawks with 21 points.

While it's nice to see 3 players on Chicago with double-double's, don't be fooled, this was a terrible game for both teams. Derrick Rose was able to muster up 25 points but only after taking 27 shots. Carlos Boozer was a complete non-factor with 8 points and 11 rebounds. Boozer's tendency to leave the man he's defending and hope he misses is going to start backfiring real soon if Marvin Williams ever gets going. I know the point of signing Boozer wasn't for his defense but he's not providing offense either. The whole season I've kind of looked at him as a temporary solution for the Bulls and I have a feeling next season he may be on the trading block if he's still performing like this. Maybe Gar Foreman could snatch up K-Love before he bolts for Oklahoma City in 2012.

The Hawks shot selection last night was absolutely TERRIBLE. That combined with the energized play of Joakim Noah and the constant double teams of Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford contributed to this win. Will it work for another 3 games? It's possible but regardless, the Bulls rhythm is off and Derrick Rose looks tentative to drive the ball into traffic with that sore ankle. While he played the ankle injury off like it was fine in the post game interview, there's something definitely wrong with his game. Rose has never been known to be a great defender but Jeff Teague scored 21 points which is someone who has no business scoring on the MVP.

Kyle Korver had an off night as well shooting just 1-9. I have no worries about Korver finding his shot because once he does, he rarely misses. Korver is really our x-factor clutch guy and I have faith he can knock down anything in a clutch situation. The rest of the bench is a totally different story though. With the exception of Kyle Korvers measily 5 points, the rest of the bench scored just 9. Lucky for the Bulls, the Hawks bench was even worse scoring a combined 13 points (11 were from Jamal Crawford).

I should probably stop griping because it's going to be a long, boring series full of sloppy playing and gritty defense. The Bulls travel to Atlanta for the next 2 games in the series. Game 3 is on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. Hopefully the Bulls can close out this series in 5 so they can prepare for a probable matchup against the Miami Heat.

Bulls Destroy the Pacers, Win Series 4-1!

By Sean Mackey

The Bulls were able to win their first playoff series since 2007 on Tuesday night, defeating the Indiana Pacers 116-89. Derrick Rose shook off a sprained ankle to score 25 points. Luol Deng had a fantastic game with 24 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 1 block. Danny Granger lead the Pacers with 20 points. With this win, the Bulls win the series 4-1 and advance to the 2nd round to take on the winner of the Atlanta Hawks/Orlando Magic series.

First of all, it was great to see the Bulls shake off the funk they were in and dominate an average NBA squad like they've done all season. The Pacers definitely turned it up and were just a few points away from having a 3-0 advantage but the Bulls have the NBA's best closer in Derrick Rose right now. I definitely think the Pacers are back but I don't think they have a shot of luring any big time free agents anytime soon. The only way they're going to improve that team is by the draft or some savvy trades. Frank Vogel was caught boasting that they're an "attractive" franchise but they're not.

Anyways, last night's game was pretty awesome. The Bulls lead the entire game and started the game off with a 10-2 lead. The Pacers tried to get back in the game several times during the 2nd and 3rd quarters cutting it to a 5 point lead. By the time the Bulls came out of halftime they pretty much decided they needed this series to be over so they could get some rest.

With the exception of Carlos Boozer, the Bulls frontline was absolutely abusing the Pacers. Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson did a great job of contesting almost everything. It should be noted that this was the first game of the series in which Kurt Thomas didn't play. In return, the Bulls put Omer Asik in the rotation with great success. The real story of the game was the defense of Joakim Noah. Noah was simply outgritting the Pacers on rebounds and getting into their heads. After a swift elbow (behind the ref's back) to Josh McRoberts throat, McRoberts retaliated and got caught. The act was considered a flagrant 2 and McRoberts was thrown out of the game. On a play several minutes later, Derrick Rose flew through the air to block a Roy Hibbert dunk and that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the game. After a few three pointers made by Rose, the lead was pushing 20.

By the beginning of the 4th quarter, Rose was hit with his 5th foul and he was removed from the game. The bench mob picked up the slack and CJ Watson & Kyle Korver continued to bury the Pacers with 3 pointers the rest of the evening. After the game, Danny Granger complained that Noah was a dirty player but don't try to tell me that Jeff Foster wasn't playing the role of the dirty enforcer on his team. Suck it up man! With the exception of the Cavs, Granger would be a 2nd scoring option on any other NBA team. Danny Granger is a second rate star, he's essentially a Mo Williams who plays SF.

While getting the win was awesome and completely satisfying for those Bulls fans who made the long drive last Saturday only to see the Bulls lose (I was one of them), you have to be worried about Carlos Boozer. His game was completely off the entire series and for a guy who's ALWAYS performed at a super high level during the playoffs, he was less than impressive against the Pacers. Hopefully with 6 days of rest, the Bulls can turn their attention to resting and practicing, while thinking of a way to get Boozer more involved.

Game 1 of the Bulls second round series against the Atlanta Hawks or the Orlando Magic tips off at 8:00 p.m. Monday night. Go Bulls!

Bulls Post 61st Win of the Season, Defeat the Knicks 103-90!

By Sean Mackey

The Bulls posted their 61st win of the season Tuesday night in front of a nationally televised audience, defeating the New York Knicks 103-90. The Knicks were previously the only team the Bulls hadn't defeated at least once in the regular season.

Derrick Rose lead the way, solidifying his MVP campaign by scoring 26 points including a reverse slam and a breathtaking alley oop off a lob from Ronnie Brewer. Carlos Boozer had a monster double-double with 10 points and 22 rebounds with Amar'e Stoudemire sitting this game out. Luol Deng was also solid in posting his own double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Carmelo Anthony led the way for the Knicks with 21 points. Bill Walker came of the bench to add 18 as well.

This was a great win for the Bulls against a team they couldn't seem to get a victory against earlier in the year. Of course, half of the Knicks roster from the first two meetings of these teams are now playing for the Denver Nuggets. It's amazing how much the Knicks organization had to give up for Carmelo Anthony who just seems disinterested in any game he plays. Don't get me wrong, he's a great clutch scorer (or scorer in general) but they gave up a lot of solid players to get him and he hasn't won a damn thing since college.

Not to get overly worried or anything but Joakim Noah and Ronnie Brewer left last night's game with injuries. Brewer injured his thumb while scrambling for a ball. I imagine he'll be okay but Noah's a different story. Joakim re-tweaked his ankle going for a rebound and came out of the game late in the 4th quarter. There was no medical attention given to Noah so hopefully he won't have any swelling today. I think it's likely he'll miss tonight's final game of the season against the New Jersey Nets. The Bulls don't need to chance his health going into what will probably be a scrappy playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.

With the win against the Knicks last night, the Bulls are now tied for the best record in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs (who lost to the Lakers last night by resting their starters). If the Spurs and Bulls win tonight and they happen to meet in the NBA Finals, home court advantage will be determined by a random draw. However, I don't think the Spurs will make it to the Finals this year and for television ratings sake, I doubt the NBA wants them there. With a win tonight against the New Jersey Nets, the Bulls will match the 97-98 record when they won their last title. This is truly been a fantastic season for the Bulls organization. It's been great for the league as well.

The playoffs start on Saturday against the Indiana Pacers, get excited!

Bulls Win 2nd Laugher in a Row, Beat Hawks 114-81!

By Sean Mackey

The Bulls are ridiculously locked in right now. They very well might be the hungriest team in the NBA after winning their second 30+ point win in a row last night, beating the Atlanta Hawks 114-81.

Derrick Rose proved once again why he's the #1 MVP candidate, scoring 30 points including 6-8 from downtown, also dishing out 10 assists. Luol Deng scored 27 points on 10-15 shooting. Taj Gibson had a solid night as well , coming off the bench to tally 9 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. Jeff Teague led Atlanta with 20 points, however 17 were in the 4th quarter during garbage time.

The Bulls went on an 11-2 run in the 1st quarter and never seemed to let off the gas. By half time, Chicago had shot 73.8% from the field. You can just tell, D-Rose wanted to make his old teammate, Kirk Hinrich look bad. I think everyone in the arena knew the game was already over at the half after Rose hit a buzzer beating 3 right in Hinrich's face. The Atlanta Hawks are a solid team too, they're not like the Kings who the Bulls beat by 40 the night before. Atlanta was able to come back from a 19 point deficit and win the game the last time these teams met. Derrick Rose remembers stuff like this and wanted a little revenge.

If these last two games are any indication of what's to come, the Bulls have a great shot at winning an NBA championship this year. I think everyone (including myself) kind of thought they might be a year off from being a real contender but with hard work and the whole roster buying into a defense first system, they're ready now. None of these guys are putting up stat stuffers every night other than Derrick Rose and Luol Deng but these guys don't care, they want a ring. The selfless play of Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah has been fantastic. Omer Asik could very well be good enough to be a starting center on another NBA club. CJ Watson could very well be a starter as well.

The Bulls next game is against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. Go Bulls!

Bulls Stand Pat At Trade Deadline, Beat the Heat (Again) 93-89!

By Sean Mackey

The Chicago Bulls organization did everything in their power Thursday afternoon to trade for a SG without giving up any of their bigs. Chicago pulled off a trade on Tuesday night when they shipped James Johnson off to the Toronto Raptors for Miami's 2011 1st round pick. There was a lot of speculation that Chicago would use that pick in a trade. While there were rumors of possibly snatching up Courtney Lee, Anthony Parker or OJ Mayo, the first time in years, the Bulls didn't do a thing on the day of the trade deadline. Every team wanted either Omer Asik or Taj Gibson in return for a shooting guard but in the end, it was decided that they were both too valuable to the Bulls playoff roster to give up. The Bulls bench proved last night that Gar Forman was right about not giving up the depth at the four and five.

The Bulls were able to pull off a stunning victory over the Miami Heat last night, winning 93-89. Derrick Rose proved he was the MVP by tallying 26 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Luol Deng had a spectacular game challenging LeBron James and eventually hitting what would be the game winning shot. Deng finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Carlos Boozer had a decent game with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Dwayne Wade lead the Heat with 34 points and 8 assists. LeBron James ended the game with 29 points and 10 rebounds.

This was a must win game coming off of a tough loss to Toronto the night before. Chicago's defense was almost flawless in the 2nd half. There was no possible way to play better than they did other than cut back on the fouls. The Bulls are a second half team and whatever pep talk Thibs gives those guys must work. They're so motivated to win at any cost.

The Bulls second unit was what really helped win the game for them and exposed just how bad Miami's bench was. Chicago's bench outscored Miami's 22-2 and out rebounded them 20-2. It's nice to have players like Eddie House and James Jones come off the bench and hit an occasional three but when it comes to big man depth, Joel Anthony and Big Z's ghost aren't going to cut it.

Gar Forman was correct to keep Asik. He's a guy who plays with as much intensity and hustle as Noah and is so big that he disrupts other team's offense on a consistent basis. Deng, Boozer and Asik kept Bosh from scoring almost anything going 1-18 from the field. Bosh didn't just have a bad shooting night either, he had a hand in his face the entire game.

The Bulls do still have a hole at the two guard spot but if they can make up for it with their defense like they did last night, they might be okay in the playoffs. It's also possible the Bulls will play the buy out market and pick someone up like Michael Redd or Tashaun Prince if they become available. The D-League is also a possibility.

The Bulls take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night in Milwaukee. Hopefully the Bulls can continue their winning ways. Go Bulls!

Bulls Head Into All-Star Weekend With a Win Over the Spurs, 109-99!

By Sean Mackey

The Bulls were able to pull off another upset Thursday night when they defeated the San Antonio Spurs 109-99. Derrick Rose went off, scoring a career high 42 points while tallying 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 1 block. Luol Deng had another solid outing with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Carlos Boozer racked up 15 points and 6 boards. Tony Parker lead the way for San Antonio with 26 points and 4 assists.

This was certainly a great game. I think a lot of people expected both teams to come in and play some loose, sloppy ball the day before the All-Star break but they didn't. The Spurs have the best record in the NBA and had only lost 9 games before last night. You can see why they have the best record too because their defense is outstanding and they have plenty of decent bench players to help them chug along. Rookie, Gary Neal lit the Bulls up for 16 points including 4-5 from behind the 3 point line. Last night, Sam Smith tweeted something among the lines of how well the Spurs find these great players late in the draft. Last year it was DeJuan Blair, this year it was Neal. You add those kind of players around Parker, Ginobili & Duncan and you have a decent team. Tim Duncan is still awesome. He started 5-5 in the 3rd quarter and 2 of those field goals were closely guarded. He's just so fundamentally solid.

While I sort of think Derrick Rose was intentionally going for a career high towards the end of the game, he played great. He wants to win games and the MVP trophy really bad. He's taken it upon himself to show up every point guard he's played this season. In a league where about every team has a solid point guard these days, this is quite the accomplishment. It's hard to believe this guy is only 22 years old.

The Bulls defense was absolutely stifling last night. When Taj Gibson and Omer Asik are on the floor, no one's getting to the hoop. Asik's work never really shows up on the box score but he's definitely not worth giving up for someone like Cavs guard, Anthony Parker. As much as I love Brad Miller's work, I'm glad we chose Asik over re-signing B-Mill. When Noah comes back next week, the Bulls front line will be the most solid in the NBA. I have serious doubts at this point that the Bulls are going to make a trade before the deadline unless they're willing to give up draft picks and/or James Johnson. If the Bulls can get someone like Anthony Parker or Courtney Lee for JJ, go for it. If they're asking for Gibson or Asik, I'd definitely say no way. This team is built with certain pieces that keep everything going in the right direction. There is no need to fix something that isn't broken. The Bulls head into NBA All-Star Weekend with the 3rd best record in the East at 38-16.

NBA All-Star weekend starts tonight and the Bulls organization have a lot to be excited about. Derrick Rose will be participating in both the All-Star game on Sunday (as a starter) and in the Skills Challenge on Saturday night. D-Rose won the Skill Challenge in his rookie season but couldn't participate last season due to injury. Taj Gibson will be participating in the Rookie/Sophmore game this evening and is also oddly part of the NBA Shooting Stars competition. Gibson will be joined by former Bull (and 3 point shootout winner) Steve Kerr and Cathrine Kraayveld of the Chicago Sky. The Shooting Stars contest looks like a one sided battle with team Texas set up for a win with Dirk Nowitzki leading his squad. Taj Gibson, Pau Gasol and Al Horford are not really big shooters so I'll be surprised if anyone other than Texas wins that contest.

The Bulls next regular season game is next Thursday (2/24) against the Miami Heat. Bulls center, Joakim Noah is set to return. It's going to be a great game.

Go Bulls!