NBA: Chicago Bulls Blog

$100 ticket giveaway from CTC Tickets

2009-04-24T15:00:00.001-05:00

So ticket broker Coast to Coast Tickets has a Facebook page now, and they're looking to show it off, so they're giving away a $100 gift card good towards anything on their site in a random drawing from their Facebook fans on May 4th. Should be enough for two Bulls tickets, at least!

Right now, looks like only 81 fans total, making that a 1 in 81 shot if the drawing happened today (sure there will be more when the drawing happens on May 4, but still pretty decent odds)!

The Coast to Coast Facebook page is here:

Coast to Coast Tickets on Facebook

and there are bonus entry codes on their Twitter account here:

Coast to Coast Tickets on Twitter

2008-11-25T13:34:00.001-06:00

Wow! 4 Bulls made it on the All-Star ballot! Vote here! Hah, you thought elections were over, didn't you?

2008-10-30T13:35:00.001-05:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, Bulls fans!

2008-10-20T11:33:00.002-05:00

Just in case my blog doesn't fulfill your every Bull's info need, check this out! It's a new season of the Bulls Radio Network, with Chuck Swirsky!

Time is Money

2008-09-23T13:38:00.004-05:00

My friend's Facebook status is currently "annoyed with rules for purchasing Cubs MLB tickets to playoffs." I'm with him. Every year I find myself thinking time is money a little bit more. Call me lazy if you want, but I'd rather pay extra to Chicago ticket brokers and just get the tickets in my hand without standing in line, waiting on the phone, or fighting with the internet. It's worth every penny to me.

Unflushable

2008-07-07T20:28:00.000-05:00

I'm watching this show called Coupling, which was like the British version of Friends but with more sex. It's pretty funny. In the very first episode they come up with a term for girls and guys you can't seem to dump – unflushable. It's hilarious. Hasn't everyone had one of those?

A Valentine's wish from a Chicago Bulls fan

2008-02-14T11:02:00.004-06:00

I totally want this for my birthday. It's only $1400... so I'm not asking much, right? What's a month's salary for the man you love on Valentine's Day?

...honey?

Bulls Draft Picks

2007-07-11T15:57:00.000-05:00

The Chicago Bulls used their 2007 draft picks for power forward Joakim Noah (#9 pick overall), center Aaron Gray (#49 overall) and JamesOn Curry (#51 overall). Will that be enough to take them to the championships?

Chicago's new strategy?

2007-05-10T11:14:00.000-05:00

It's do or die at this point... no team's ever come back from a 3-0 deficit. The Chicago Bulls need to either win the game tonight, or we can kiss the season goodbye. The strategy? According to coach Scott Skiles, "It's just a matter of playing better."

Well, it may not be earth-shattering, but at least it's honest. Now if only they can pull through and execute...

Red Bull

2007-03-09T09:57:00.000-06:00

Performance, concentration, reaction speed, endurance ... if you think I am talking about the energy drink, think again. I am reminiscing about the only team in NBA history that can boast 70 wins in a season. You stared with mouth open too when Jordan became airborn. Watching Bulls basketball was infectious. It was a national epidemic. The NBA will not forget 1995-96 season, nor will I.

2007-01-17T14:49:00.000-06:00

The Chicago Bulls should know today whether or not center Ben Wallace is well enough to play against the Bucks, who are down four starters of their own due to injury.

Free throw gold

2006-12-17T01:06:00.000-06:00

Banded or not, Wallace and the Chicago Bulls really shone against the Atlanta on Saturday night. You see, apparently there are times when free throws are unimportant, which is when he misses them, and times when they're important, such as the last two of the final period, where he hit them dead-on to tie the score at 93. I suppose if he makes them when it counts, that's good enough, right?

Headband on, headband off

2006-12-09T15:11:00.000-06:00

Lol - the news on the Chicago Bulls side gets even weirder.

"So who'd have thought a headband (or lack thereof) could wield such power for the Chicago Bulls?

The Bulls have played five games since rule-breaking Ben Wallace donned - and subsequently un-donned, re-donned and re-un-donned - the Headband Discussed 'Round the World.

They've won all five."

Wallace is even saying now that it's because of the headband ordeal that they're playing better. Something about the publicity storm surrounding it causing the team to draw together and unify. Sounds a little iffy to me, but given the record, I'll send him a headband myself if it helps. :)

But I like headbands!

2006-12-02T13:59:00.000-06:00

Oh good grief. In the news:

"According to the Chicago Tribune, Skiles doesn't like his players to play music in the locker room and wants them to tape their ankles. GM John Paxson doesn't like players to wear headbands.

At issue currently is the headband.

On Saturday, Wallace slipped on his headband just before tip-off and was pulled two minutes after the start. Skiles didn't put Wallace back in until he finally consented to the team rule. Skiles pulled him again to start the second half for the same thing, and Wallace again wasn't re-inserted until complying.

Wallace, renown for his headbands, said at the very least, the Bulls knew he wore headbands before signing him to a four-year, $60-million free-agent contract this summer."

Why do I feel like I just read the incident report from a high school counselor's office just after the homecoming game?

Great Day for K-Mart and Kings

2006-11-04T18:44:00.000-06:00

But it wasn't a great day for the Bulls. K-Mart, aka Kevin Martin of the Sacramento Kings, scored 30 points to establish a new high for his young NBA career. The most painful part for Chicago fans was Martin's jumpshot with under 7 seconds on the clock. It put Sacramento ahead at 89-88, and that's where the game ended.

Not the sort of thing we Bulls fans would have predicted, especially the way we started the season. Or even at the end of the first half, when the Kings had managed only 34 points. There must be some kind of a lesson here.

Burning the Heat!

2006-11-01T10:36:00.000-06:00

Wow! Beyond my wildest expectations! 108-66! It would have been painful to watch...if it hadn't been so much fun. Besides, maybe the Heat had a meltdown, but it took some fine playing by our Bulls to fan the flames.

I'm sure the one thing Shaq, Dwyane, Alonzo, Pat Riley and the rest of the Miami crowd had to be happy about was that their NBA Championship ring ceremony was held before the game.

Trick or Treat for the Heat

2006-10-27T13:24:00.000-05:00

Somebody has to take on the reigning champs, the Miami Heat, to open the season. Tag, we're it. At Miami. And right after the NBA ring ceremony as a warm-up.

Nobody's expecting it, but we need to go in there and give 'em a Halloween surprise! Wouldn't that be a great way to launch our road trip and our regular season?

Former Jayhawks, Now NBA Pros, Reunite

2006-10-15T22:28:00.000-05:00

The occasion was a preseason game between the Seattle Supersonics and the Chicago Bulls, but it happened at Kansas University, where key players from each team were once teammates. In fact, the Bulls' Kirk Hinrich and the Sonics' Nick Collison not only played together back in the years 1999 thru 2003, they led the Jayhawks to the national championship game their senior year. And you can see what they've been up to since then.

Hinrich ended up with 11 points to Collison's 12, but the Bulls pulled the game out in OT, 110-105. Pretty darn close, and that's how most fans in Allen Fieldhouse wanted it.

Chicago Bulls new additions to be proud of.

2006-10-05T15:14:00.000-05:00

As of Monday the Bulls announced the addition of Andre Barrett, Eric Chenowith, Jeff Varem, Luke Schensher and Scott Merritt to complete it's '06-'07 training camp roster. Also, the staff comments that they are more than happy with Tyrus Thomas's abilities so far, in fact they are quite impressed. This is going to be an exciting season. I'm becoming more and more convinced that i should buy season tickets.

Big Ben joins up

2006-10-02T18:35:00.000-05:00

The Bulls welcomed four-time Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace to their practice facility last week, joining them on the court Wednesday. Wallace is positive about the move, and has spent most of his summer working on physical conditioning. His signing conflicted with a free basketball camp he held this summer for underprivileged children, so he gathered the campers for a bowling tournament after the camp and got a chance to interact with the kids. I’ll be looking forward to seeing Big Ben in action with the Bulls soon, and I definitely anticipate a playoff run.

Big and tall shop

2006-07-10T13:02:00.000-05:00

Is anybody else excited by the draft prospects for 2007? I think we need to have an eye on players like Greg Oden and Kevin Durant; the NBA seems to be all about having a very tall and strong player and making plays based on whether this guy is in position to put it up from right under the hoop. If such a player is lacking, I guess we’ll have to try and play basketball.

Bulls need to do some shopping.

2006-05-28T15:39:00.000-05:00

The Chicago Bulls made out like bandits in the NBA Draft Lottery, landing the number two pick overall. We also dealt Eddie Curry and Antonio Davis to the New York Knicks for Jermaine Jackson, Tim Thomas and Michael Sweetney. This frees up some salary cap room and I think it was a good trade for us. Maybe we can get farther than the first round next year if we shop the free-agent market for some hot young talent.

Bulls shake the blues and beat the Heat.

2006-04-30T14:16:00.000-05:00

The Chicago Bulls are going up against the Miami Heat in game 4 tomorrow. The Heat are up 2-1 but the Bulls have got their confidence back and I see a win in their very near future. It was nice to see Ben Gordon in true form in our 109-90 victory over the Heat on Wednesday.

Can you see the future? I can’t.

2006-04-04T23:52:00.000-05:00

The Chicago Bulls schedule is only going to get more difficult from here on and I haven’t been impressed by their efforts to win in the last month. We need to work harder and be more aggressive on offense. Tonight’s game was a good start. The Bulls beat the Indiana Pacers 102-96. How do you feel about where this season is going?

Bulls pick March Madness winners

2006-03-19T13:09:00.000-06:00

If I was an NBA player, I would have a lot of trouble concentrating on my game this month with March Madness in full swing. Some of the Chicago Bulls filled out brackets on the Bulls official web site. You should check that out because some of them are pretty funny.

Chicago Bulls getting back on track?

2006-02-03T22:34:00.000-06:00

The Chicago Bulls are struggling with a losing record but have had some impressive winning streaks recently that have given this fan a glimmer of hope. Some of the key performances have come from Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon.

Think About it

2005-06-07T19:32:00.000-05:00

A new debate has aroused my thoughts, a debate that will probably continue for ages to come. The question being; who is better Shaquille O’Neal or Wilt Chamberlin? Now before anyone decides to answer this question, one should take time to think about it. To think about all the factors that comes into play.

For one I am not a big fan of Shaq but the man is very good at what he does and will some day join Wilt in the Basketball Hall of Fame. But consider it was two different eras and two different styles. It is almost like comparing Joe Montana to Brett Favre, both great players but two different eras. So what do you all think?

Hinrich and Duhon to Lead Reading Time Out

2005-05-31T17:03:00.000-05:00

- from the official site of the Chicago Bulls

Wednesday: Kirk Hinrich and Chris Duhon will join fifth grade students from a local school on a tour through the popular BODY WORLDS exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. The tour will be part of a Reading Time Out, hosted by the Bulls and Rush University Medical Center.

6 Game Series Recap

2005-05-29T13:58:00.000-05:00

Game 1: 103-94 Bulls. Ben Gordon was the highlight of this game; posting 30 points. Gordon, throughout this series, has had a knack for having fourth quarter bursts. 12 of the 30 were posted in the fourth. Thank God for rookies!

Game 2: 113-103 Bulls: the last win for the Bulls. Kirk Hinrich showed why he is such an important asset to the Bulls. He led the team with a career-high game of 34 points; 21 of these points were made in the fourth quarter.

Game 3: 117-99 Wizards. This was Washington’s first step in turning the tides on the Bulls. This was the Wizard’s first Playoff win in over 20 years since beating the Pistons back in ’88. Etan Thomas and Michael Ruffin came through for the Wizards in order to post this victory. Thomas scored 20 points in 8 of 9 shooting.

Game 4: 106-99 Wizards. Juan Dixon of the Washington Wizards led the Wizards with a career-high 35 points. Seemingly, Dixon just popped out of the woodwork. In all three previous Playoff games combined he only scored 25 points.

Game 5: 112-110 Wizards. With 3:26 left, the Chicago Bulls were able to muster themselves back up from a 22 point deficit. Gilbert Arenas sealed the deal with a buzzer shot to bring the score to the advantage of the Wizards.

Game 6: 94-91 Wizards. This closed out a series that at first held strong advantage for the Bulls; leading in both of the first two games.

Eddy Curry: Irregular Heartbeat

2005-05-26T19:14:00.000-05:00

- from ESPN.com

The Bulls offered no news Tuesday on Curry, who spent the previous day visiting a heart specialist at the University of Minnesota, but two team sources said his condition could be a career-long issue, if not career-threatening, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Tyson Chandler

2005-05-24T16:40:00.000-05:00

One of the most pivotal parts of the Bulls this year, Tyson Chandler came to the Chicago Bulls back in 2001. Chandler is one of the leading players in rebounds per 48 minutes. Chandler was originally drafted by the LA Clippers in 2001 from and exchanged with Elton Brand from the Bulls.

Being drafted from high school is starting to become a hot button issue. Chandler, a draft pick from Dominguez High School, quickly assumed a role in the majors without breaking a sweat. Eddy Curry, who was drafted from Thornwood HS, also came to the game right out of High School.

Nowadays, more and more kids right out of high school are registering for the NBA Draft. So, what is better; to wait on a player to develop through college ball or snatch him while he’s still young and fresh?

Frank Williams

2005-05-19T13:34:00.000-05:00

Frank Williams was put on the injured list early in the Bulls’ Playoff run and now he has been taken off; not in time to have participated in the Bulls last few games though. Williams (bench point guard for the team) was taken out due to a sprained groin.

Debuting in the NBA in 2002, Williams originally attended Illinois University. Now a part of the Bulls, Williams jumped in during 9 games this season. He was put in the longest against the Spurs, where he played a total of 23 minutes.

Armstrong to Pursue Other Opportunities

2005-05-15T15:47:00.000-05:00

- excerpt taken from Bulls.com

Special Assistant to the EVP of Basketball Operations, B. J. Armstrong, has decided to pursue other opportunities and will step down from his front office duties. Armstrong, a member of Chicago’s first three World Championship teams, spent five seasons with the Bulls’ front office after an 11-year career in the NBA.

Game 6 Finish

2005-05-10T16:55:00.000-05:00

In an unbelievably close game, the Washington Wizards closed off the series against the Bulls with a 4-2 advantage. The victory came by a crushing dunk by Jared Jeffries to end the tie and turn the tides. The Wizards now go face the Miami Heat.

Chicago was holding the advantage during the last moments of the game. After two free throws from Chris Duhon and a point scored by Tyson Chandler, the Bulls led with a score of 91-87.

This deficit was quickly put down by the Wizards and everyone knows the rest. (94-91)

Good season Bulls!!!

CHICAGO at WASHINGTON

2005-05-06T16:04:00.000-05:00

- from FOXSports.com

After winning the first two games of this series, the Bulls have failed to win or cover in three straight following Wednesday's 112-110 outright home loss to the Wizards.

The Bulls were down 22 points with 3:26 left in the third quarter in Game 5 but rallied furiously to tie the game with 5.2 seconds remaining, only to loss on a 14-foot jumper by Washington's Gilbert Arenas at the buzzer.

In the last 10 quarters of this series, Chicago has trailed all but one minute and two seconds of play.

Chicago is 17-7 straight-up and 16-6-2 against the number in its last 24 games overall despite the last three setbacks. However, it has lost 10 straight on the scoreboard at the MCI Center and has failed to cover in five of its last six in the nation's capitol.

Chicago is 0-4 straight-up and 1-3 versus the spread at Washington this season.

The Bulls are 3-5 straight-up and 4-4 against the number versus the Wizards this year. They have covered 30 of 53 as a dog this season.

None of the five games in this series has stayed under the posted price.

Washington has won and covered three of five games in this series and is one victory away from its first playoff series victory since 1982. It hasn't won a seven-game series since 1979.

Wednesday's triumph marked the Wizards' first on the road in the post-season in more than 19 years.

The Wizards have won straight-up 14 of their last 20 versus the Bulls. They've cashed the Vegas ticket in four of their last five at the MCI Center.

Washington is 8-0-1 over in its last nine outings, but has topped the posted number just once in its last six at home versus the Bulls.

ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE

2-1

2005-05-02T16:19:00.000-05:00

The Chicago Bulls are looking at making it 3-1 with the upcoming game tonight against the Washington Wizards. The Wizards racked up their first win in Game 3. This was their first Playoff win since back in 1988.

The home court advantage must have held some sort of prevailing force because the Wizards rallied to win with a score of 107-99. On the side of Washington, Gilbert Arenas was able to put in 32 points. The Wizards were playing very well, making 21 offensive rebounds.

Tyson Chandler and Antonio Davis both fouled out of the game.

Ben Gordon’s push to Victory

2005-04-26T18:33:00.000-05:00

Chicago entered the third quarter down by five points. This didn’t affect the Bulls’ composure at all. In their first game in the Playoffs since 1998, the Bulls showed the Washington Wizards what they were truly made of: some great rookies.

The Bulls took the win in Game 1 with a score of 103-94.

Ben Gordon scored 30 points, which consisted of 12 from the fourth quarter. This fourth quarter surge rallied the Bulls. Rookie Andres Nocioni had a career high 25 points with 18 rebounds.

On top of all of this, Gilbert Arenas was held to a very poor game. Arenas, typically one of the top producers for the Wizards, was 3 of 19 shooting.

Keep giving it to them Bulls!!!

Game 2 is scheduled for 4/27.

Bulls Vs. Knicks

2005-04-19T16:55:00.000-05:00

- from the official site of the Chicago Bulls

The Bulls have an opportunity to clinch home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs when they host the New York Knicks tonight (7:30 p.m. CT | CSN/ESPN Radio 1000). Chicago, which leads Washington by one game for fourth place in the Eastern Conference, can lock up the spot with a win coupled with a loss by the Wizards to the New Jersey Nets.

Luol Deng

2005-04-14T14:24:00.000-05:00

- from FOXSports.com

Luol Deng will have surgery next week to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist. Deng will be in a cast for six to eight weeks after the surgery. He's not a lock to be ready for the start of next season.

All the way?

2005-04-10T17:35:00.000-05:00

In their last game, the Raptors went head to head against the Chicago Bulls. With a victory of 110-97, the Bulls finally clinched their Playoff berth.

The Chicago Bulls are beginning a clutch story here. Having won the last 9 of their last 10 games, the Bulls are making sure that they are not left out of the running. For a while, Cleveland and Indiana were neck and neck with Chicago. Now, Chicago has pressed up from the fold as a youthful team with vigor. They currently have clinched the number 4 slot in the Eastern Conference.

Bulls Streakin

2005-04-05T19:59:00.000-05:00

The Chicago Bulls are winning almost as much as the Atlanta Hawks are losing. Currently, Chicago is on a nine-game winning streak and are hoping to advance this to ten over the Miami Heat.

The Bulls are currently neck and neck with the Washington Wizards for the fourth spot. But, the Bulls will not give it up so easily. This winning streak has given them a solid foundation of power. No team wants to go against a team that is streaking. The mentality is already shot going into the game, especially for teams who have been streaking losses. Nevertheless, this does not account for Miami. Miami’s record is currently only second to that of Phoenix.

GO BULLS!

Bulls over Bobcats

2005-03-31T16:29:00.000-06:00

The Chicago Bulls are streaking. With racking up the 7th win, the Bulls are steadily advancing in the Playoff run, maybe into the 4th spot.

In their last game, the Bulls put in a victory over the Charlotte Bobcats (102-99). Ben Gordon scored 22 of his season-high 35 points in fourth quarter. This was an amazing run to watch.

"It's real simple. That was about a good a performance as I've ever seen in a critical time in a basketball game, from not only a rookie but from anybody that I've ever been around. It didn't matter. We had a lot of hands on him. He was falling away; he was slipping and getting up. That is what he's been doing all year. He took over the basketball game."
- Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff

Bulls/Celtics Preview

2005-03-24T18:55:00.000-06:00

- from FOXSports.com

STANDINGS (through March 23): Bulls - 3rd place, 6{ GB, Central Division. Celtics - 1st place (tied), Atlantic Division.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Bulls - F Nocioni, F Antonio Davis, C Curry, G Chris Duhon, G Eric Piatkowski. Celtics - F Pierce, F Walker, C Raef LaFrentz, G Tony Allen, G Gary Payton.

TEAM LEADERS: Bulls - Curry, 15.7 ppg; Tyson Chandler, 9.2 rpg; Hinrich, 6.7 apg. Celtics - Pierce, 21.4 ppg; Walker, 9.3 rpg; Payton, 6.0 apg.

SEASON SERIES: Celtics, 2-1.

LAST MEETING: Jan. 29; Celtics, 101-97. At Chicago, Ricky Davis scored eight of his 24 points in the final five minutes.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Bulls - 15-18 on the road; Celtics - 25-10 at home.

INJURIES: Bulls - G Hinrich (hamstring); C Jared Reiner (hip); G Frank Williams (groin). Celtics - None.

Central Standings

2005-03-22T18:39:00.000-06:00

In the closest running division, the Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Indiana Pacers are neck and neck for the 5th, 6th, and 7th spots. As of now, the Bulls are lightly below the Cavaliers. The record is differing by about half a game.

The Bulls have a slightly upper hand by winning the last two games. It always is better to take the next game with the knowledge of having two previous under your belt.

Standings:

5. Cleveland (34-30) 0.531 pct. / Lost 3
6. Chicago (34-31) 0.523 pct. / Won 2
7. Indiana (33-32) 0.508 pct. / Lost 1

Bulls/Hornets Preview

2005-03-17T18:29:00.000-06:00

- from FOXSports.com

GAME: New Orleans Hornets (14-49) at Chicago Bulls (32-30)

STANDINGS (through March 16): Hornets - 5th place, 34{ GB, Southwest Division. Bulls - 3rd place, 7{ GB, Central Division.

PROBABLE STARTERS: Hornets - F Lee Nailon, F Jackson Vroman, C P.J. Brown, G Dickau, G Smith. Bulls - F Nocioni, F Othella Harrington, C Antonio Davis, G Chris Duhon, G Hinrich.

TEAM LEADERS: Hornets - Nailon, 14.9 ppg; Magloire, 9.2 rpg; Speedy Claxton, 6.2 apg. Bulls - Curry, 15.6 ppg; Chandler, 9 rpg; Hinrich, 6.6 apg.

SEASON SERIES: Bulls, 1-0.

LAST MEETING: Jan. 5; Bulls, 95-89. At New Orleans, Hinrich scored 19 points and Curry added 17 as the Bulls blew a 14-point lead before handing the Hornets a ninth straight loss.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Hornets - 3-28 on the road; Bulls - 19-12 at home.

INJURIES: Hornets - F Chris Andersen (elbow). Bulls - C Jared Reiner (quadriceps); F Luol Deng (ankle).

Chicago Starting Streak

2005-03-12T17:16:00.000-06:00

With two previous wins under their belt, the Chicago Bulls added up a third by defeating the Seattle SuperSonics. The Bulls put in a very passionate victory only winning by the small margin of 100-97. Ben Gordon came out burning in the fourth, making 14 of his 22 points.

"I'm just starring in the fourth. I think it's pretty simple. I don't really credit it too much more than my teammates looking for me and me just knocking down shots. If you look at the number of points I am scoring in the fourth you can see that I definitely like (the pressure). I look at it as fun, not pressure."
- Ben Gordon

Festabulls

2005-03-06T18:12:00.000-06:00

With the assistance of Verizon Wireless, the Chicago Bulls held their 16th annual Festabulls. Being held in a facility in Deerfield, the Bulls got together with 600 fans in order to raise a total of $170,000.

What is the purpose of the Festabulls? This festival began to raise money for CharitaBulls: the charity arm of the Chicago Bulls that promotes youth programming. Both silent and live auctions were administered to raise the money.

The whole team joined in during the event to meet with fans, sign autographs, and participate in the auctions.

Bulls lose streak to Cavaliers

2005-02-24T13:03:00.000-06:00

After a four-game winning streak, the Chicago Bulls were taken out by the Cleveland Cavaliers in a score of 100-91. Cleveland’s two All-Stars Zydrunas Ilgauskas and LeBron James played extremely hard and made the advantage.

Ilgauskas scored 27 of his 33 points during the second half of the game. He mainly waited until the later portion to show his true potential.

"We came out a little sluggish and they got some easy hoops on us, which is expected after the (All-Star) break. Then we tightened up, and they were driving to the basket and we were able to contain them."
- Zydrunas Ilgauskas

LeBron James also added in 27 points. The Cavaliers kept a lead for most of the game. The Bulls came close during the fourth quarter with a score of 77-72.

Bulls and Wolves

2005-02-13T12:51:00.000-06:00

The Chicago Bulls take on the Minnesota Timberwolves this Sunday at the Wolves home. Prior to this game, the Bulls took out the Wolves in Chicago 99-88. As of now, the Bulls are 8-13 on the road.

Sam Cassell of the Timberwolves may or may not play. He has been rehabilitating a strained right hamstring. Wally Szczerbiak has been doing a pretty good job filling his void, especially since Latrell Sprewell was out for a little while with the flu. Everyone has been getting the flu recently.

On the Bulls side of the spectrum, Antonio Davis is supposed to start but is suffering with a mid-back strain. Tommy Smith just came off of IL after recovering from a sprained left ankle.

The Bulls will probably take this game. They haven’t been playing ultimate, but they took out the Wolves in the last game with ease. They didn’t do too great against the Rockets (105-92), but what can you do, it’s the Rockets (Houston pride).

Celtics break the streak

2005-01-30T14:47:00.000-06:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

Ricky Davis provided the late spark for the Boston Celtics on a night when Paul Pierce was way off the mark.

Davis scored eight points in the final 5 minutes and Gary Payton hit the go-ahead 3-pointer to help the Celtics end the Chicago Bulls' five-game winning streak with a 101-97 victory Saturday night.

``This may be the best game we've closed so far,'' said Davis, who finished with 24 points. ``We got the stops when we needed it. These guys have been playing good. We knew they were capable of winning.''

The loss gave the surprising Bulls a 13-3 record for January, with two of those losses to the Celtics in what has become a spirited and physical rivalry.

Boston got an emotional lift Saturday night when backup center Kendrick Perkins was ejected after picking up a flagrant foul and two technicals in the third quarter following hard fouls on Chicago's Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. The Celtics trailed by 11 at the time.

``He really put some spark in this team when we down,'' Pierce said. ``I think he really ignited the run. He gave a foul that when he got kicked out, it kind of emotionally gave us an edge.''

Payton finished with 23 points. Pierce had 18 but shot just 2-of-12 from the field and needed a 13-for-17 showing from the free throw line.

Chicago rookie Ben Gordon matched a career high with 31 points, 25 in the second half to supply the Bulls with an offensive punch.

But the Bulls blew a seven-point fourth-quarter lead and struggled running their offense down the stretch after floor leader Kirk Hinrich fouled out with 6:29 left.

``I think it's a case of teams knowing our plays. Halfway through the season everybody knows the same plays and we're still trying to run them like the other team doesn't know them,'' Gordon said.

``We have to be sharper and more creative. You can't do the same thing every time.''

Chicago had 20 turnovers and missed 14 free throws.

``We can't blame the officials because we turned the ball over and missed free throws,'' Hinrich said.

Davis' inside bank shot tied it at 97 with 2:03 to go.

After a Chicago miss, Payton hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to put the Celtics ahead to stay with 1:41 left.

Chicago's Luol Deng couldn't hit a 3-pointer and Chris Duhon missed two free throws with 7.5 seconds to go.

``When we come down to the end of the game, I know that I'm going to do something special to get them out of the game,'' Payton said.

Gordon hit a pair of 3-pointers and two floaters in the lane to spark a 16-3 Chicago run that opened up a 13-point lead late in the third.

During the spurt, Perkins was ejected after receiving a flagrant and then a technical foul when he knocked Chandler down as he drove to the basket.

Moments earlier, Perkins and Curry had to be separated and each were assessed technical fouls following a hard foul by Perkins.

Pierce, who had just three points and no baskets in the first half, was 0-for-7 before he finally made a 3-pointer with 1:29 left in the third quarter.

Pierce, averaging 22.2 for the season, missed all four of his first-half field-goal attempts and finished with just three points -- not scoring until he hit a free throw with 4:46 to go in the opening half.

He was coming off a 34-point performance in the Celtics' 128-119 loss to the Suns on Friday night.

Although it ended one of the longest streaks this season, it was by no means, not hard fought. It just came to who could hit the important shots at the end, which obviously wasn't us. We missed key freethrows and shots, that the Celtics capitalized on. Lets hope we can start a new streak next game against the Nets. GO BULLS!

Outstanding season comeback, brings us back to striking distance.

2005-01-23T13:47:00.000-06:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

Bulls coach Scott Skiles thought that Chicago's fans should be disappointed despite a 10-point victory.

Kirk Hinrich had 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and Antonio Davis added a season-high 17 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 95-85 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

``For the fact that so many of our fans braved the elements to come out I thought it was below a mediocre performance,'' Skiles said, ``and frankly I'm embarrassed by it and I will do everything I can not to make it happen again.''

Despite a storm warning, 18,815 fans attended the Bulls 16th win in 22 games.

The Bulls bounced back from a loss to Boston on Wednesday that ended their seven-game winning streak, but Skiles still found flaws with his team's effort.

``When I look at the stat sheet if they (Atlanta) make any shots at all they beat us like a drum. They had 23 offensive rebounds, they killed on the glass. We have our bigs standing on the ground with concrete shoes most of the night not jumping getting rebounds,'' Skiles said. ``It was a game any team could've won. We were just fortunate to have that little spurt.''

Leading 74-71, Chicago went on a 21-7 run at the start of the fourth quarter. Hinrich scored eight points in the span and hit Eddy Curry for an alley-oop dunk, giving the Bulls a 95-78 lead with 4:25 left in the game. Chicago led the entire game.

Curry scored 18 points for Chicago, which has won six straight at home. Curry thought Skiles had a right to criticize the team's play, especially before Saturday night's game against the Detroit Pistons.

``I think so. We definitely didn't play like we normally play. It's a let down for us because we needed some momentum going into tomorrow night,'' Curry said.

Antoine Walker scored 25 points for Atlanta and Al Harrington added 21 points and eight rebounds. The Hawks have lost eight straight on the road.

Trailing 70-59 late in the third quarter, the Hawks closed the period by outscoring the Bulls 12-4. Kenny Anderson scored with 1.9 seconds left in the third to cut Chicago's lead to 74-71. Replays showed Josh Smith interfered with the ball while it was still on the rim, but the officials counted the basket.

``We just never could get into a rhythm,'' Walker said. ``We turned the ball over in critical situations when we had a chance to take over the game.''

The Bulls led 55-43 at halftime. Hinrich, Curry and Tyson Chandler all had 11 points in the first half for Chicago. Harrington scored 13 points for Atlanta and Walker added 12 in the half. Chandler ended the game with 13 points.

4 games and going strong...

2005-01-11T17:53:00.000-06:00

From sports.yahoo.com:

Kirk Hinrich spread his game to all corners of the floor, shooting and passing and running the Chicago Bulls' offense that featured an added flavor Saturday night.

Hinrich scored 22 points and tied his career high with 14 assists, while rare starter Othella Harrington matched a season high with 19 points as the Bulls beat the Boston Celtics 102-91.

``Everyone is getting on the same page, and it's fun to play like that,'' Hinrich said after Chicago's ninth win in 12 starts. Not bad for a team that started the season 0-9.

``It seemed like everything was clicking,'' he added. ``I was able to find people and make the scoring pass early in the game and continue that throughout the game.

With Antonio Davis sidelined by an injury, Harrington stepped in and hit nine of 12 shots and also had a season-high 10 rebounds.

``I just took the same shots that I work on every day,'' Harrington said. ``I tried to be as aggressive as I could.''

Rookie Luol Deng had 19 points for the Bulls, who beat Utah on Friday night and are now 4-1 in January.

The Celtics, led by 20 points from Paul Pierce and 14 from Tony Allen, lost back-to-back games after falling Friday night to Detroit. Coach Doc Rivers gave some of his starters fewer minutes Saturday, but not because they were tired.

``You've got to play defense. Why didn't I play the starters more?'' Rivers asked. ``The starters didn't play defense. (Eddy) Curry would have had a career night the way he came out at the start. You play defense or you don't play and you saw that tonight.''

Starting forward Raef LaFrentz played just 17 minutes and center Mark Blount only 21.

``Crunch the numbers any way you want to. We're four games under .500 and that's not good enough,'' LaFrentz said after scoring just two points.

``All I know there are a lot of guys trying,'' guard Gary Payton said. ``If coach feels we are not defending well, so be it.''

Hinrich sparked Chicago's 25-17 third-quarter advantage with 12 points and three assists.

``What I love about Kirk is that he doesn't force anything,'' Rivers said. ``What did he have, like three points at the half? Then he just comes out, passes the ball and starts to score. I really enjoy watching him play. ... But not so much tonight.''

In Chicago's decisive 13-0 run in the third, Hinrich hit a jumper and a pair of 3-pointers and then on a break made a nifty alley-oop pass to Curry for a slam, capping the spurt that put the Bulls ahead 73-58 with 6 minutes left in the third.

Boston rallied to within seven with 4 minutes left before Harrington hit another soft jumper and Hinrich drove for a basket, was fouled and converted the three-point play.

Hinrich followed in his own miss just before the first-half buzzer to cap a 19-5 run over the final 4 minutes as the Bulls took a 58-52 lead. He finished the first half with seven points.

It may not mean much that we ahve a 14-18 record and we have had a 4 game winning streak, but I would like to believe it shows that we still are in this and we can come back from the early season loses. Lets hope that they keep the streak alive with
Hinrich leading the way. Only time will tell how far we get this season, so keep root'in hard and keep our spirits up. Who knows, if we keep up this streak, we could easily get back into playoff contention.

Rookie Reserves Pace Bulls Past Pistons

2004-12-24T14:47:00.000-06:00

from NBA.com

Rookie reserves Ben Gordon and Andres Nocioni have the Chicago Bulls thinking about the glory days.

Gordon and Nocioni combined for 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Chicago Bulls held off the defending champion Detroit Pistons, 89-82, for their fifth straight win.

It is the first time the Bulls have won five straight games since the 1997-98 season, Michael Jordan's last in a Chicago uniform. They also ended a nine-game losing streak to Detroit.

"It does feel nice for me because I've been here through it all and for us to start winning, I've never had a winning streak like this since I've been in the NBA," Bulls fourth-year forward Tyson Chandler said. "It definitely feels good."

After the game, Pistons coach Larry Brown had to be restrained from going after referee Anthony Jordan, whom Brown felt was ignoring him.

"The guy wouldn't talk to me during the game," Brown said. "I can't understand that. I wasn't being discourteous. Well, I was at the end and I suppose I'll hear about that."

Gordon's 19 points, Nocioni's 18 and Chandler's 13 helped the Bulls' bench outscore their Pistons counterparts, 53-8.

"We have been a team that just keeps on battling," Chicago coach Scott Skiles said. "Each night is a little bit different. Our bench has played so well all year. Ben got hot for us right when we needed some hoops, but Noch (Nocioni) came into the game with a lot of pop in his step. We got a great contribution out of our bench."

"A lot of guys coming off the bench have started before somewhere else or are good enough to start so I think everybody just comes off (the bench) ready to play," Gordon said. "When they get in the game, they contribute."

Chicago did not trail after the second quarter, finishing the period with a 9-1 run to take a 46-38 lead into halftime.

Chauncey Billups kept Detroit in the game by scoring 17 of his season-high 32 points in the third period, including four 3-pointers. He continued his strong play in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 71-70 with a jumper at the 7:36 mark.

"One of the first things guys we're saying back on the bench was we knew they were going to make a run," Gordon said. "So just keep your head, keep your composure and continue to play the way we were playing."

Gordon responded by scoring seven points in a decisive 13-4 spurt, capping it with a three-point play with 2:11 left to seal the victory.

"I got some good looks and knocked down some shots," Gordon said. "That's what I had to do. I was fortunate to get them off and they were going in."

Richard Hamilton again struggled for Detroit. He followed a 3-of-22 performance against the Trail Blazers on Saturday with a 5-of-15 showing against the Bulls, scoring 12 points.

Billups made 9-of-16 shots while the rest of the team was just 22-of-72.

"We continue to shoot bad and give people life," Brown said. "They really came out and shot the ball well. We defended them as best we could, but they did a great job of shooting the ball."

At 12-12, the Pistons are at .500 for the ninth time this season after being .500 just once (1-1) last season.

"If you had told me at the start of the season that we'd be .500 at Christmas, I would have said, 'No way,'" Billups said. "But the way we've been playing, it's not surprising. I don't expect to be playing this way all year."

Chicago (4-15) at Memphis (9-14)

2004-12-15T18:39:00.000-06:00

from NBA.com

The Memphis Grizzlies look for their fifth straight win over the Chicago Bulls when the two teams play at the FedEx Forum for the first time.

The Grizzlies scored just 13 fourth-quarter points in losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 92-86, on Monday. Pau Gasol scored 19 points and Lorenzen Wright added 16 and 10 rebounds for Memphis.

The Grizzlies are holding opponents to 87.3 points in going 4-3 since Mike Fratello became coach. Mike Miller is making 48 percent (39-of-81) of his 3-pointers to rank fourth in the league.

The Bulls blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, losing 94-93.

Eddy Curry scored 20 points and Luol Deng scored 16 for the Bulls, who committed 24 turnovers in losing for the fifth time in seven outings.

Deng leads all rookies in scoring, averaging 14 points. He is shooting 44 percent (111-of-253) from outside.

Tyson Chandler has five double-doubles in his last eight games for Chicago.

The Bulls lead the overall series 10-7 but have never won in Memphis. The last Bulls' road victory over the Grizzlies came in Vancouver on January 27, 1998.

Suns’ Heat Too Much for Bulls

2004-11-23T15:11:00.000-06:00

from NBA.com

The Phoenix Suns left Scott Skiles yearning for the good old days.

Shawn Marion scored 21 points and grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds as the Phoenix Suns continued one of the best starts in team history by sailing past the struggling Chicago Bulls, 100-82.

Skiles guided the Suns to a 116-79 mark and two playoff appearances from 1999-2002 but now is at the helm of one of the weakest Bulls' teams in almost 40 years. Chicago has dropped all nine of its games this season -- the slowest start by a Bulls' squad since the 1967-68 team also opened 0-9 en route to a 29-53 mark.

"We just keep looking on the bright side that we are making improvements out there, but it doesn't take away from the fact that we can't get a game right now," Bulls center Eddy Curry said. "It is mentally and physically draining on everybody on this team. I think we are doing a good job of sticking together and trying to play through this thing no matter what."

Phoenix led 53-48 with 3:28 remaining in the first half when they closed the quarter on a 12-2 run and Chicago never recovered.

"We were playing tough as has been the case," Skiles said. "We had several minutes where instead of not playing as well as we could have we fall off the cliff and get unhinged. They went up by 15 and we had to play catch up."

While the Bulls fell to 0-5 on its seven-game road trip, the Suns improved to 9-2 and matched Seattle for the best record in the league. The start is the second-best in club history, trailing only the 1980-81 squad, which opened 14-2.

"We're pretty happy where we are right now and how we have come together," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It feels good and the guys have a real good chemistry right now. There will be some tough times ahead, but so far so good."

Amaré Stoudemire had 21 points and Steve Nash added 15 for the Suns, who have won seven straight at home against the Bulls.

Stoudemire who was named Western Conference Player of the Week earlier in the day, had his string of 30-point games snapped at four. His run of 15 consecutive 20-point contests dating to last season is the longest current run in the league.

"We knew this was a team we should get a win against," Stoudemire said. "We weren't playing that good and weren't scoring that good early but we fought through it. We are a good ballclub and down the stretch we have a tendency to show it. Once we got going it was a rout from there."

Rookie Ben Gordon scored a season-high 20 points and Curry added 17 for Chicago, which is the only winless team in the league.

Marion has at least 12 rebounds in seven of his last eight games.

"We have so many weapons on the floor nobody can match up with us," Marion said. "We slowed down in the third but it was just a matter of time before we got running again."

The teams combined to miss 36-of-48 3-pointers, with Phoenix going 7-of-30 from the arc. The Bulls also missed 10-of-23 free throws.

Pacers Charge Past Bulls

2004-11-01T15:24:00.000-06:00

From NBA.com

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 27 (Ticker) -- Stephen Jackson scored 18 points to lead the shorthanded Indiana Pacers to a 91-71 preseason victory over the Chicago Bulls, who will open the regular season minus a few players as well.

Acquired in a trade in the offseason, Jackson scored eight points as the Pacers raced to an 11-0 lead and never trailed. Indiana was without its starting frontcourt of All-Star forwards Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest and center Jeff Foster, who is out four to six weeks following surgery Wednesday on a sore hip.

After learning Wednesday that centers Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis would be suspended for the first two games of the season because of their involvement in a fight in Monday's game against Washington, Tyson Chandler may miss some time after a horrible fall.

As Chandler tried to block a shot by a driving Jackson, the two collided. Chandler fell on his back and had to be helped to the locker room.

Although the injury was diagnosed as a bruised right hip, the Bulls must monitor the situation closely because Chandler missed 43 games last season due to lower back problems.

After the Pacers opened a 56-31 lead early in the third quarter, Curry -- who had 22 points and eight rebounds -- and rookie Luol Deng combined for 17 points in a 19-2 run. Deng scored 15 points and fellow first-round pick Ben Gordon added 14. Gordon had been averaging just 6.2 points in the preseason.

Randy Holcomb collected 12 points and eight rebounds for Indiana.

Pippen Retires

2004-11-01T15:12:00.000-06:00

From NBA.com

November 1, 2004 -- The Chicago Bulls today waived guard/forward Scottie Pippen.

Pippen announced his decision to retire on Oct. 5. Pursuant to his settlement agreement with the Bulls, and as required by League rules, he has thus been placed on waivers by the Bulls.

Welcome!

2004-08-19T16:08:00.000-05:00

Thanks for stopping through! I hope you'll come back when I have more to offer, very soon!