Bulls game

[arhawkfan]

Im pumped and ready. I will have to miss the game because of church. I'll be checking my phone and we really need this game.

[01d0rd3r]

I just dont know if we can win tonight. This stretch has to rank up there in toughest schedule in NBA history. Eight games in Eleven days including two overtime games, one of which was a quadruple overtime. Five of the eight teams are in the playoff race and two of them are leading their division. That being said we can beat the Bulls, as we have shown before, but we are gonna have tired legs. Lets hope Josh and Joe come out ballin tonight and have great games.

[Dexmethylphenidate]

Looking to see if they can at least stay competitive w.o Horford against the top teams.

[Wurider05]

Boozer seems to get into Smoove's head.

[HalfHawk]

I really don't mind which games we win or lose at this point of the season as long as we stay where we are in the playoff standings.. The 6th seed, IMO, would be a helluva lot more favorable for us than the 5th.

[benhillboy]

This Bulls team is good and very well constructed (Sharp-shooting Korver coming off the bench with two tough seven footers in Asik and Gibson is General Management at its finest) but their sum is much greater than the parts. I'm never worried about anyone on their team, even Rose, who you pretty much have to allow to get his. You have to outcoach Thibodeau, and that just doesnt happen most nights, so they win about a game a week they have no business winning.

[hawkrule152]

I really don't mind which games we win or lose at this point of the season as long as we stay where we are in the playoff standings.. The 6th seed, IMO, would be a helluva lot more favorable for us than the 5th.

I would much rather be in the 5 seed. Face Philadelphia or Boston in the 1st round which we should be able to handle. And i would much rather be facing the Bulls in the 2nd round than the Heat.. We can match up better with them.

[High5]

I would much rather be in the 5 seed. Face Philadelphia or Boston in the 1st round which we should be able to handle. And i would much rather be facing the Bulls in the 2nd round than the Heat.. We can match up better with them.

If we play the Sixers in the playoffs we will lose.

[Guest]

Derrick Rose will likely miss the game. Rip Hamilton might be back tonight.

[Gray Mule]

Im pumped and ready. I will have to miss the game because of church. I'll be checking my phone and we really need this game.

I should be home from church by halftime. Hold on 'til I get back.Should be another good one.GO HAWKS

[lethalweapon3]

Much credit has to go to Tom Thibodeau for Chicago’s ability to stay atop the NBA leaderboard even without its wunderkind Derrick Rose. The Bulls have soldiered on, going 12-5 without their superstar, including the 5-2 stretch they’re on now while Rose is hampered by a groin injury. They’re also spent the lion’s share of the season without their starting shooting guard, free agent pickup Richard Hamilton, although Rip is reported to be available for tonight’s contest after missing much of the month with a sprained shoulder.

They’ve managed thanks to more-than-adequate offense by C.J. Watson, who’s scored 15 or more points in four of his last five games, going 12-for-27 (44.4%) from 3-point range and 16-for-18 (88.9%) at the free throw line. They’ve also gotten a boost in passing from its frontcourt, particularly Joakim Noah, who led the team in assists in four of his last six games.

The Bulls are proving highly effective at rebounding-by-committee, leading the league at rebounds per game, and tops by far in offensive rebounding rate, getting nearly a third of all chances. They can rely on Joakim Noah, Omer Asik, and Taj Gibson to snare offensive rebounds, as well as Carlos Boozer, Noah, and Luol Deng to get the necessary boards on the defensive end.

As usual, the Hawks’ wings have to help preserve Zaza Pachulia’s, Ivan Johnson’s, and Josh Smith’s time on the floor so they won’t have to do everything inside, going outside to defend only when the Bulls’ snipers (Kyle Korver, Mike James, Watson, John Lucas) are hovering the perimeter. Jeff Teague will have to stay on whichever of these guys is hanging around the arc: the Bulls have the league’s highest 3-point shooting percentage on the road (41.3%).

Deng has struggled mightily with his shots, at least since the All-Star Break, an ugly 37.7 percent (69-for-183) in that span, including 35.6% (37-for-104) since a two-game hiatus to recuperate a torn ligament in his left (non-shooting) wrist. Hamilton’s return may allow Thibodeau to reduce Deng’s floor time, particularly chasing around Joe Johnson on defense.

This team doesn’t draw a lot of fouls (3^rd fewest in the league), but perhaps on occasion they should, since they’re near the basement of the league in free throw percentage (72.7 percent, tied with the Hawks for 25^th). Keep away the easy buckets and make the Bulls earn them at the line, especially Gibson, Asik, and Ronnie Brewer, each of whom are well below 60% on free throws for the year.

Go Hawks!

~lw3

[benhillboy]

Good read as usual, Lethal. Getting a third of all offensive rebounding opportunities is insane. Ronnie Brewer helps a lot on that front as well for a guard. You can just see the imprint of the coach when they play, and I like Stacy King's commentary, so I been watching the Bulls a lot lately and will be rooting for them to get past Miami in the Final. If they couldn't take advantage of their frontcourt depth over Miami last year, they got to have it together by May this year. As for tonight's game, hell, I'll give the hometeam another mulligan, seeing as they played last night and the Bulls are considerably better than us.

[Gray Mule]

Seven for seven (7-7) from three point range. That's inhuman.No wonder they're #1 in the NBA.It's hard to beat perfection.