Bulls 10-11

[Dan Michler]

Son of a biscuit that was a fun game to watch!  Even my wife could not go to sleep until the end.  This just emphasizes how incredible the East playoffs are going to be this year.  The NBA has not been this loaded with talent and heated rivalries since the 80's.  If you aren't watching, you are missing out on some high quality entertainment.

Through mid-way in the 3rd quarter I was convinced we were going to lose.  Then Luol Deng kicked it into high gear!  He matched up 1-1 with James and got the better of him on both ends of the floor.  James/Wade combined for 24/45.  They threw their best punch last night and we took it.  This was a statement game.  Rose/James going head to head in that final minute was nerve racking.  LeBron is such a freakish athlete, its tough to not get rattled when he decides to play defense like that.  The first possession Rose struggled to get the ball, then James end up with it and sprints down the floor for the and-1 to tie the game.  Next time down, Rose beats James off the dribble and draws Wade for the double team.  Good stuff!

A telling stat I read in Wilbon's article this morning...Miami is 1-7 against the top 5 teams in the NBA, the Bulls are 7-4.

WTF was up with the Celtics trading Kendrick Perkins?  Ainge is messing with team chemistry when team chemistry is the #1 thing that team is built on.  Wierd stuff.

[Mike Clark]

D.Rose for MVP!!!

That was great regular season game. The Bulls played a great 2nd half. Deng stepped up his defense when it mattered most. It was really good to see the Bulls 2nd team out play Wade/Bosh and company. Miami came back and took the lead back when Lebron came returned to the game. Thibs put the starters, minus Bogans, back in and they slammed they door shut. Plus he played the offense/defense switch really well with Korver/Brewer at the end. Nicely played and a well coached game.

Not sure what the Celtics are thinking either. Doesn't sound like the players are all that happy about the trade. Interesting for both sides. Maybe Garnett and Peirce really are getting old and need more rest. Maybe Perkins was due to get paid and they knew they could not afford him. No matter what it is strange.

[pdga#7648]

The Celtics are banking on Shaq and his experience in the playoffs to be better than Perkins it sounds like. Thats what the guys on around the horn believe anyway. and 1 of the guys was from Boston globe, so who knows? I don't think he can play long enough to hold down other big men, his age will be a factor. Perkins was so much younger. that may have been the trade the Bulls needed to outduel them in the playoffs though. didn't the go to a game 7  with the Celts?

[Mike Clark]

For all the Stacy King fans out there.

http://www.nba.com/bulls/stacey-king-soundboard.html

[pdga#7648]

Season SWEEP over the Heat 3-0. great sign for the playoffs. finally starting to win on the road, also a very big +

Rose has to be MVP!

[Dan Michler]

The Heat have no half-court offense in the final minute of close games.  If they did, they'd have the best record in the NBA.  How about Noah manning up against James on that final possession.  Every one of these games has been thrilling to watch.  A Bulls/Heat playoff series could be epic.  The biggest thing I took from this one was Luol Deng showing he wanted the ball in his hands with the game on the line.  Having that 2nd option at the end of games is huge.

[Dan Michler]

Loving this Heat losing streak.  I think Rose has all but locked up the MVP award.  Youngest ever at age 22.  Bulls only have 4 games left that look tough on paper.  Unlikely the Heat will catch us for the 2 seed.  I'm still holding out hope for the top seed.  We've got a home game aganist Boston on April 7.

[Mike Clark]

Do not count Kobe out for the MVP. The Lakers are hot right now. They haven't lost since the All Start Break. They keep this up the media bias could get Kobe the MVP. They do not have to win them all but they are going to make a serious run for the #1seed in the West.

I think if The Bulls finish 1 thru 3 in the east D.Rose is the more deserving player. Unless something horrible happens The Bulls should finish no worse than #2 in the East. They have a pretty easy schedule to finish out the year.

Now the serious blame game starts for The Heat. It will be fun to watch the meltdown. Bosh is now speaking up about how he needs to be more aggressive. Lebron is not going to let the team down anymore. Wade doesn't want Lebron taking the last shot anymore. They are not even close to being on the same page. Good luck. Not!

[Dan Michler]

And Kobe would be a deserving choice.  By the numbers, Kobe is averaging a 25/5 to Rose's 25/8.  Rose shoots 44% and Kobe 45%.  Both are about 32% from three.  Kobe's defense has been down this year compared to past year's where is a dominant defender.  He's conserved his legs a bit more with the knee injuries.  Rose's defense has been way up, so I think defense is almost a wash, even though Kobe is the better natural defender.

The thing that is on Rose's side is that Kobe has won MVP's in the past and is clearly not having one of his better seasons.  This fact kept MJ from winning some MVP's that he deserved (see Karl Malone and Barkley's awards).  And the fact that the general perception in the media is that Rose has completely carried Chicago this season when we've missed Boozer and Noah.

LeBron is the best player in the league, but with the way things are going in Miami and the negative vibe from the media, I just can't imagine James taking the award for the 3rd straight year.  Dirk and Amare are deserving candidates, but they play no defense so I'm against giving them the award unless their offensive games are off the charts.

[pdga#7648]

I just hope the voters, don't call the MVP, the same way the refs call fouls(actually don't call fouls) when Rose goes to the hoop. I think because he is so young, that he hardly ever gets a call. I hope they don't use the he will get his later BS.
just ask this, where would the Bulls be without him in the lineup?
yea Kobe scores 25, but isn't that down from his normal numbers? I know Rose's 25pg is up from last year, as are his assists, fg% and 3pt%.
Unless Rose goes down, or Kobe and LeBron don't lose another game all year, Rose should be the favorite in my eyes.

[Mike Clark]

The only thing that worries me about Rose not getting the MVP is the media bias. Its all about the 2 coasts and the 2 big cities in the media. Rose is more deserving than both Kobe and James. I guess Dirk's name has been thrown around as well. But I do not see him getting it over Rose either.

So much for the Lakers being hot. Their big men ended that game horribly.

Celtics with a bad loss. Bulls only 1.5 games back. Bulls have the easiest schedule of the top teams in the East. #1 seed is getting closer. The Bulls and Celtics still play each other next month. That game could determine the Eastern Conference Champion.

[philvb85]

I can see the media bias changing some peoples votes.  What has me more worried is that if Rose wins he will be the youngest MVP of all time.  I have a bad feeling that voters will take that in to consideration and deem him unworthy, simply because greater players (in their minds) were unable to win a league MVP at that age. 

Luckily they say that Boozer's ankle injury is similar to the one he suffered a few weeks ago, prediction he will only need to sit a week or so.  I would really like to see us grab the #1 seed, but I would rather we are healthy and firing on all cylinders when we start the post season.  The East will be extremely tough this year and we will need all the bodies we can get.

[dana]

How bout the first quarter rose is having tonite! Wow.

went to the game last night. Great time, even got to see the white mamba drill a 3

[DaBus85]

Maybe Da Bulls shouldn't have a huge lead.  They play bad when they have a big lead.  That second half was disappointing!  The worst part was the d.  Man did they get sloppy  Don't get me wrong they are a really good team but you could see when they weren't hitting shots they missed boozer in the post.  It was a great streak of 9 games in a row with giving up less than 90 points.  And how about that half time presentation!!  Wow that was epic!  Made my hairs stand up!  GO BULLS!!

[pdga#7648]

Boston lost to the Nets tonight, which I think puts the Bulls in a tie for 1st place.
I was believing it before Saturday, but hearing MJ say these guys might win another 6, I have to agree with him, if they stay together, which in this day and age, just doesn't happen anymore. Let's just hope the health stays with us this year, cause this team is very impressive, and they are playing some very good team ball right now. And it helps they are a 10 man deep team. The bench always steps up when needed.

[dana]

Bulls have been hot from 3 point land the past few games. 

I thin Bogans brought is ppg up a little bit tonite!

[pdga#7648]

7 game winning streak, has them all alone in sole posession of 1st place. Tibbs said last night, we don't have the best record, that is the next goal. I love this guys attitude. He wasn't happy with last nights 19 point win. he said the defense was sloppy and terrible.

16 games left. even if they finsihed 12-4, that still puts them at 60 wins. good enough for Tibbs to win Coach of the Year, and Rose the MVP. They played great last night without Boozer and Noah in the lineup. I know it was the Wizards, but still they looked like a veteran team, and people stepped up big(Bogans)

I'm excited every time I turn on a Bulls game. anout like it was in the 90's 

[DaBus85]

OMG D Rose is ridiculous!!  They way he played tonight hands down mvp of the league.  That was one hell of a performance!

[Dan Michler]

Bulls are 12-2 this month.  Just dominating right now headed into the playoffs as the 1 seed.  Boston seems to be floundering as they've lost at home to the Bobcats, they lost to the Nets, and they damn near lost to the TWolves last night.  I think Miami will end up the 2 seed and Boston the 3. 

Miami certainly scares me a little when I see box scores like last night:
Bost 31 pts 12 reb
James 33 pts 10 reb
Wade 30 pts 11 reb

But even with that, they won by just 6 pts at home over Houston.  They are a wierd team.  The Bulls seem to have their number because of our depth and the fact that Rose seems to be the best player on the court in the final 3 minutes of the game.  We need that home court adv. though.

[Dan Michler]

Why do the Bulls keep letting these crappy teams hang around til the end of games?  Last night we hung on against the Suns after being up 22 in the 3rd qtr.  Then the Toronto and Piston games both came down to the wire last weekend.  I'm a little bit concerned that we may have peaked too early in the season, although we do keep winning the games in the end.  Hoping we get a renewed energy in the playoffs.  Orlando will be waiting in the 2nd round and that series is going to be a battle.  Derrick Rose has still never won a playoff series, so we can't take anything for granted.