Bulls vs. Lakers final score: Anthony Davis comes home and brutalizes Bulls
5 HRS AGO - Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Anthony Davis had himself a night Well that was a Expand
5 HRS AGO - Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Anthony Davis had himself a night Well that was a bummer.
Tonight against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, our Chicago Bulls looked absolutely outmatched from the jump. With D’Angelo Russell back following a two-game absence and LeBron James wisely moved back into the starting lineup (albeit on a minutes restriction), Los Angeles had a much more well-rounded two-way night than they did in the two teams’ prior encounter Sunday, a 118-108 Bulls victory.
A key strategic shift was Lakers head coach Darvin Ham’s decision to double-team Chicago’s best scorers, wings DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, especially off pick-and-roll actions. As a result, the Bulls were forced to take a bunch of jumpers, to middling results. Chicago did launch significantly more triples (33) than Los Angeles (20), although thanks in part to a poor long-range shooting night from Zach and Patrick Williams (a combined 0-for-7), the Bulls only made two more than LA did Collapse
Bulls vs. Clippers game preview and thread: the L.A. back-to-back conclusion
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Can Da Bulls beat a more talented LA team a second Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Can Da Bulls beat a more talented LA team a second night in a row? After a surprisingly good 118-108 win (coughed-up leads aside) against a solid and fairly whole Los Angeles Lakers club yesterday, our Chicago Bulls are hoping that lightning can strike two days in a row at Crypto.com Arena, where they will try their darnedest to fend off Kawhi Leonard’s Los Angeles Clippers.
Yesterday against the Lakers, the Bulls’ perimeter defense — led by the Patricks and Alex Caruso — effectively stuck with Los Angeles players on pick-and-roll actions, which limited a lot of the Lakers’ offensive attack.
On offense yesterday, Chicago performed surprisingly well, even without Nikola Vucevic for all of the second half, following a pretty flimsy ejection (Andre Drummond and Derrick Jones Jr. stepped up in his absence). As a team, Chicago connected on 54% of its field goals (including 45% of its triples), and dished out for 32 dimes (against just nine Collapse
Bulls vs. Trail Blazers game preview and thread: Portland has surrendered
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Blazers could be without three starters Today, our Expand
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Blazers could be without three starters Today, our 34-38 Chicago Bulls travel to the Mood Center to face off against the 32-40 Portland Trail Blazers.
3.5 games behind the four Western Conference teams with an identical 36-37 record and ranked from the ninth through the 12th seeds, the 13th-seeded Trail Blazers appear destined to sink into the NBA lottery this season after all, and thus would keep the lottery-protected pick they owe Chicago.
Despite being on the road and most likely missing their top defender Alex Caruso and their best overall player and lone All-Star, small forward DeMar DeRozan, the Bulls should still win. The Vegas odds reflect that, favoring Chicago by two points tonight.
That’s because Portland appears to be more or less throwing in the towel on the 2022-23 season. The Blazers will be missing at least two starters tonight, probably three, and maybe as many as four, in addition to a few role players. Portland has gone Collapse
Cash Considerations Podcast: Bulls FINALLY beat Joel Embiid
7 DAYS AGO - #PatBevEffect The Bulls beat Joel Embiid for the first time ever after losing 12 straight games Expand
7 DAYS AGO - #PatBevEffect The Bulls beat Joel Embiid for the first time ever after losing 12 straight games against him, extending their overall winning streak to three in the process with a double-overtime thriller against the Sixers. As the Bulls tighten their grip on a play-in spot, Jason and Ricky discuss whether this surge since signing Patrick Beverley is for real and what it means for the rest of this season and beyond.
Cash Considerations: A Chicago Bulls Podcast is part of the Blue Wire Podcast Network.The pod can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts. Collapse
Bulls vs. Sixers game preview and thread: the PatBev era’s biggest test
3/20/2023 - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
can the Bulls finally beat Embiid? I don’t know why I am Expand
3/20/2023 - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
can the Bulls finally beat Embiid? I don’t know why I am getting upset that people paid to come up with storylines for this season (some directly by the team itself) are doing just that.
Viscerally, reading about how the Bulls are a different team with Patrick Beverley (7-4, with 2 very close losses nevermind those close wins) and have great net ratings since his arrival (blowing out the Nets by 60 points helps the differential), makes me twitchy, as if somehow Arturas Karnisovas will have it printed out for him and he’ll sigh through using it to explain his inactivity and ineffectiveness since Summer 2021.
But my concern about the Bulls is so far beyond that. Karnisovas has shown enough to be fired, he’s indicated he doesn’t know what he’s doing let alone the ability to spin like he’s playing 4-D chess. After the deadline, he took his team’s terrible play and tried to say it was fine, what will some small stretch of good play make any Collapse
Bulls vs. Timberwolves final score: the clutch victor for once, as Bulls get double overtime victory
3/18/2023 - Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
DeMar DeRozan’s 49 points leads Chicago After a couple Expand
3/18/2023 - Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
DeMar DeRozan’s 49 points leads Chicago After a couple of heartbreaking losses at home, the Chicago Bulls finally made the plays when it mattered the most to win a double overtime slugfest against the Minnesota Timberwolves 139-131. It took the TWolves losing their best player Anthony Edwards early in the game, and some truly choking moments from the visitors, but for once it wasn’t the Bulls who coughed up the game that was up for grabs.
Chicago fought back from a 10 point fourth quarter deficit to force the extra period, concluding with a DeMar DeRozan layup with 20.1 seconds left. Minnesota had a chance to win in regulation but did this instead:
this game rules pic.twitter.com/w5wQvjMlor— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 18, 2023
Then in OT, the Bulls did it again to send the game to double overtime when Zach LaVine scored with 11.1 seconds remaining.
In the second extra period, the Bulls turned on the jets as they scored seven of Collapse
Bulls vs. Kings final score: Chicago loses in the final seconds again
3/16/2023 - Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Another last second three sinks the Bulls at home After Expand
3/16/2023 - Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Another last second three sinks the Bulls at home After winning two road games in a row, the Chicago Bulls were looking to start off a three game home stretch with a victory.
And despite losing late in the fourth quarter, they were given a boost thanks to a miraculous four-point play by DeMar DeRozan which tied the game. He rose up from the top of the arc and splashed a three while getting hit on the elbow by Harrison Barnes.
DEEBO IN THE CLUTCH.@DeMar_DeRozan | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/XooNMmFg73— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 16, 2023
All the Bulls needed was one more defensive stop to send the game to OT.
However, it turned out to be deja vu at the United Center as the De’Aron Fox knocked down a three with 0.07 seconds left to give the road team a 117-114 win.
Fox is cold"I'm fuckin nice" pic.twitter.com/gVJRDRb5Eg— Will Gottlieb (@Will_Gottlieb) March 16, 2023
It’s another tough home defeat for the Bulls as they Collapse
Bulls vs. Rockets final score: vets pull out fourth quarter W over one of the league’s worst
3/12/2023 - Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
that was much closer than it needed to be. Zach LaVine is Expand
3/12/2023 - Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
that was much closer than it needed to be. Zach LaVine is enjoying a heck of a heater right now.
Our Chicago Bulls’ highest-paid player led the way for his team against a miserable Houston Rockets club tonight. LaVine finished with a game-high 36 points while shooting 14-of-26 from the floor (3-of-8 from deep) and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe, eight rebounds and five assists. Across his last five contests, the 6’5” shooting guard is averaging 35 points on 56.5% shooting from the floor, and looking like his All-Star self again, shooting well inside and out.
Zach Attack’s offensive effort tonight, combined with an efficient night and some clutch shooting from DeMar DeRozan, solid second-half makes from Nikola Vucevic, and the two-way play of Patrick Beverley, powered the Bulls to a 119-111 finish over a totally scattered young Rockets club.
The Rockets started out red-hot from deep.
In the game’s first quarter, Houston outscored Chicago 32-22, Collapse
Bulls vs. Nuggets game preview and thread: the reigning MVP looks to decimate a sorry Chicago squad
3/8/2023 - Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
the Bulls are visiting AK’s old team Tonight, our Expand
3/8/2023 - Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
the Bulls are visiting AK’s old team Tonight, our Chicago Bulls travel to Ball Arena to get embarrassed by the Denver Nuggets.
Despite occupying an under-appreciated market, Denver built its title-contending squad through savvy draft picks and trades, the kind of roster construction approach that Chicago will probably need to emulate if it ever hopes to actually compete for anything.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, quite possibly en route to his third straight (although Giannis Antetkounmpo could mount a real challenge), will most likely obliterate his Bulls counterpart, Nikola Vucevic.
Guards Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be tough covers for Patrick Beverley and Zach LaVine, and have the length and size to bother the Bulls’ backcourt on the other end.
Forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon also boast big size and strength advantages over DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso, their probable charges tonight (though perhaps Billy Collapse
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Bulls vs. Lakers game preview and thread: revenge or repeat?
15 HRS AGO - Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Lakers head to Chicago Bad night for the play-in Expand
15 HRS AGO - Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Lakers head to Chicago Bad night for the play-in standings for your Chicago Bulls, as they didn’t play but all the teams around them won. The Bulls are still comfortably going to make the play-in tournament, but it would be a lot better to be in 8th versus 10th. They’re currently 1.5 games behind that mark against the tied Hawks and Raptors.
Both of those teams are off, but the Bulls play tonight, returning from their 3-game west coast road trip to face the Lakers. The Lakers last played on Sunday when they lost to the Bulls at home in spite of LeBron James’s return.
The Bulls played quite well in that one, and even had some fun at LeBron’s expense by the hands of Patrick Beverley being Patrick Beverley.
Will that fuel the Lakers or whatever? They have their own play-in lives to contend for, they don’t need anything extra.
Injury Report:
LeBron is listed as questionable but you’d think given the time off he will play again. Anthony Davis Collapse
Bulls vs. Lakers final score: Zach LaVine leads Chicago to 118-108 win
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
LeBron’s surprise return not enough for Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
LeBron’s surprise return not enough for Lakers After their win at Portland Friday, the Chicago Bulls continued their mini West Coast road trip with a 118-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite a noon local time tip, the Bulls were the ones who raced out to an early lead, going up by as much as 20 points in the first quarter. The Lakers rallied back and made it an eight point game at halftime with all of the momentum. Nikola Vucevic played just 15 minutes as he was ejected during the second quarter. He initially got T’d up for arguing about a foul call then was subsequently called for his second technical just seconds after as he was walking away from the referees. It was a tough blow for Chicago as this was during the stretch in the first half where LA was fighting their way back into it.
Nikola Vucevic received back-to-back technical fouls and was ejected from the game. pic.twitter.com/N5zGAZ0s6i— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) Collapse
Bulls vs. Sixers final score: Bulls blown out real good
7 DAYS AGO - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
first humble pie eaten in the PatBev era Just when I was Expand
7 DAYS AGO - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
first humble pie eaten in the PatBev era Just when I was ready to believe...wait, no: I was never going to believe the Bulls were suddenly good. Just that they were average like their talent suggested.
Tonight at home the Sixers made them look far worse than that. Philadelphia quickly enacted revenge on the Bulls after losing to them a couple nights prior. They started the game quickly jumping out to a 17-0 lead, led by 28 at half, and coasted the rest of the way for what was ultimately a 116-91 final score.
Sixers star Joel Embiid didn’t even come out to start the 2nd half, using the time to rest a sore calf.
Worryingly, DeMar DeRozan also exited this game but under much different circumstances. DeRozan looked to re-injury the quad strain that has bothered him for much of the calendar year. Recall that the Bulls have played multiple double-overtime games lately and DDR has racked up heavy minutes.
On the bright side, Alex Caruso was out for Collapse
How I learned to (mostly) stop worrying and (sorta) love the Play-in PatBev Bulls
7 DAYS AGO - Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
who knew, adding players helps! Even at this season’s Expand
7 DAYS AGO - Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
who knew, adding players helps! Even at this season’s many depths, there was no real point where you could give up on the dream of the Bulls making the top TEN seeds in the conference. It wasn’t so much what they were doing on the floor, as the knowledge that:
They weren’t going to tank by holding out, say, DeRozan and Caruso
They had too much talent to be truly as bad as their record, and could look more like an average-to-below-average team that got some unlucky clutch bounces (just some unlucky, others were earned)
They just had to outlast the Pacers and Wizards
So that last one was expected: with this week seeing the Wizards lose to the Magic and the Pacers lose to the Hornets, both are now 2.5 games behind the Bulls for 10th and declared themselves unserious for play-in contention.
What was unexpected has been how outright excellent the Bulls are playing since adding Patrick Beverley off the scrap heap and onto the rotation.
Looking Collapse
Bulls vs. Heat final score: season stays alive with 2 wins on back-to-back
3/19/2023 - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Bulls routed the team with the rest advantage I think we Expand
3/19/2023 - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Bulls routed the team with the rest advantage I think we learned a lot tonight from this game: the Miami Heat are going nowhere these playoffs
They had a rest advantage coming into Chicago to face a Bulls team that just played a double overtime game the night before. And completely laid an egg, giving up 70 points to the play-in contending Bulls in the first half. This included allowing 14 straight points from Patrick Beverley.
14 STRAIGHT POINTS FOR PAT BEV pic.twitter.com/2NgbTnjiLE— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 19, 2023
The Heat had a decent 3rd quarter but the deficit never got as close as 7 and ultimately ended as a 113-99 Bulls win.
Bulls just lit up Miami. A season-high 34 assists and shot 17-34 (that’s 50%) from three. Beverley had 5 threes lol. Coby White had 4 makes off the bench to finish with 18 off the bench, as the Bulls point distribution was pretty even with 4 players scoring between 24 and 18 points.
Fellow ‘rivals’ the Collapse
Bulls vs. Timberwolves game preview and thread: how will Chicago blow this one?
3/17/2023 - Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports
another should-be-even matchup Bulls need to take advantage Expand
3/17/2023 - Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports
another should-be-even matchup Bulls need to take advantage of Hot off the heels of a last-second loss to the Sacramento Kings Wednesday, our 31-37 Chicago Bulls will host the visiting 35-35 Minnesota Timberwolves tonight at the United Center, as their three-game home stand continues. The Bulls face a quick turnaround, as they’ll next face another struggling Eastern Conference club, the Miami Heat, at home tomorrow.
That Kings game was probably the most disappointing Bulls moment of the week —
Oh wait. That’s right. Our $20 million/year starting point guard is going to have his third left knee surgery in 14 months, and is expected to miss possibly the entirety of the 2023-24 NBA season. Meaning we’ll have effectively paid him $60 million for 35 games. Not great, Bob.
Ball will have cartilage transplanted into the ailing joint. K.C. Johnson noted yesterday that another player who recently went under the knife for a cartilage transplant, former Collapse
Bulls vs. Kings game preview and thread: don’t believe, don’t ever believe
3/15/2023 - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
in the ‘refuse to die’ part of the season I’m very concerned. Expand
3/15/2023 - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
in the ‘refuse to die’ part of the season I’m very concerned. All it took was wins over the Pistons, Rockets, and strug-gle-ing Nuggets to get stuff like ‘season saved’ and picking out small samples of the team performing well.
Update after the Rockets game. The Bulls 5-man lineup of DeRo, Vuc, Bev, LaVine, and Caruso with 155 mins played together is:1st in NBA* in Defensive Rating at 95.51st in NBA in Net Rating at 23.613th in NBA in Offensive Rating at 119.1(*Minimum 150 mins played together) https://t.co/V6QQnGTL3r— Kevin Anderson (@Kevin_NBCS) March 12, 2023
No! What the fuck!
We should indeed ‘not look now’ when hearing the Bulls offense is 8th over 8 games when they played mostly awful defenses.
This wouldn’t be a concern if we had faith in the competence in the front office. But this stuff is going to go from the Bulls media’s mouths to AK’s mouth (bypassing the ears, no brain folks) in between sighs.
The play-in is still in play Collapse
Bulls vs. Rockets game preview and thread: can Chicago down West’s worst after beating West’s best?
3/11/2023 - Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
will the accidental Bulls tank resume? After winning a Expand
3/11/2023 - Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
will the accidental Bulls tank resume? After winning a surprise blowout against the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference on Wednesday, the Denver Nuggets (who then proceeded to lose to the Spurs) our Chicago Bulls got a couple days off to recuperate before traveling to Houston to face off against the West’s worst team, the 15-51 Houston Rockets.
In that 117-96 obliteration of Denver, only four Bulls scored in double figures (you can guess which ones), with a rejuvenated Zach LaVine again leading the charge, thanks to his 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting. Nikola Vucevic nabbed a 25-point, 15-rebound double-double. Patrick Williams stepped up, scoring 18 points during a solid two-way night. It was probably one of the Bulls’ best wins of the season.
Can Chicago take care of business tonight against a far inferior team that’s happily tanking? On paper, yes, the Bulls are the more talented club. But that doesn’t mean much for this middling Chicago Collapse
Bulls have reconfigured their end-of-roster and two-way spots
3/7/2023 - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
at least they’re prospects So I guess I’ve been shown what’s Expand
3/7/2023 - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
at least they’re prospects So I guess I’ve been shown what’s what by the Bulls front office. Their end of the roster, both in regular and two-way spots, have been effectively wasted all season. But perhaps in a nod to how the season’s gone - even Patrick Beverley couldn’t save them - they are starting to put in an effort to find guys for future seasons.
To recap the last few weeks:
Tony Bradley was waived to sign Beverley.
Goran Dragic begged out before Bulls’ doctors could look at his knee.
They signed Terry Taylor (23.45 years old) to one of their two-way spots, waiving Malcolm Hill (27.36)
and then more recently:
Converted Carlick Jones from a two-way contract to a full NBA contract. This wasn’t just until the end of the season, the Bulls used their unspent (lol) MLE to add 2 non-guaranteed years at the minimum.
Signed Justin Lewis to the vacated two-way spot. Lewis received some hype as one of the better undrafted free agents last Collapse
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Bulls vs. Clippers final score: a 3-point barrage sinks Bulls defense in second half
1 DAY AGO - Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
the Nic Batum game The Bulls held serve with the Los Expand
1 DAY AGO - Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
the Nic Batum game The Bulls held serve with the Los Angeles Clippers for about a quarter, but after that found themselves at the wrong end of way too many transition opportunities and wide open three pointers. The Clippers surged ahead over 20 points in the second half to eventually beat the Bulls by a 124-112 final score as the Bulls split their L.A. series.
The Bulls had many things going against their surprisingly-stout defense in this one. It was the second night of a back-to-back, and they were without Javonte Green and Alex Caruso.
The Clippers also simply made a ton of shots.
Bulls 112, Clippers 124Defensive rotations have been the Bulls calling card all year. Clippers totally demoralized them with 20 made threes, tied for 3rd most the Bulls have allowed all year pic.twitter.com/UJKjzsWEhC— Will Gottlieb (@Will_Gottlieb) March 28, 2023
Thought-to-be-washed Nic Batum went 8-10 from three.
The Bulls, as a team, went 9-23. Collapse
Bulls vs. Lakers game preview and thread: play-in East meets play-in West
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Pat Bev Revenge Game incoming? This afternoon at Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Pat Bev Revenge Game incoming? This afternoon at Crypto.com Arena, our Chicago Bulls will face off against Patrick Beverley’s last team, the ascendant Los Angeles Lakers.
LA is currently in the midst of a three-game win streak, and looks like a wholly different team since president Rob Pelinka offloaded $65.4 million’s worth overpaid of veteran point guards in trades to add players around stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis who actually made sense. Yes, that salary sum includes our guy Pat Bev, who has been an absolute steal off the buyout market in starting for his hometown team, but was overpriced and out-of-position as LA’s $13 million starting shooting guard. All 6’1” of him.
In the weeks since the February 9th trade deadline, Los Angeles has gone 12-6 with its new-look lineup, featuring fresh additions D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, Rui Hachimura and Mo Bamba. Bamba could be done for the season with a high left Collapse
Bulls vs. Sixers game preview and thread: is a second straight upset win in the cards?
7 DAYS AGO - Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
can Chicago beat a Sixers team with a healthy Joel Embiid Expand
7 DAYS AGO - Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
can Chicago beat a Sixers team with a healthy Joel Embiid twice in a row? On Monday night, the Play-In PatBev Bulls did the borderline-unthinkable, winning a low-scoring double-overtime rock fight, 109-105, against a Philadelphia 76ers club featuring a healthy Joel Embiid, the likely 2023 MVP, for the first time in 13 meetings.
Chicago was abetted by the fact that James Harden looked severely hungover in stumbling to a meager five points (plus 12 assists and seven rebounds) on 2-of-14 shooting in 46:37. Embiid was hardly stifled, scoring 37 points on 11-of-22 shooting and pulled down 16 rebounds. The seven-footer did foul out in the game’s second overtime, which certainly helped pave the way for probably the game-winning play, a critical Derrick Jones Jr. block of a sluggish driving Harden with seconds to spare.
The win marked the Bulls’ second double-overtime victory in the last three games. Chicago is now a respectable 8-4 since adding Collapse
Bulls vs. Sixers final score: the Embiid streak is over as Bulls win in double overtime again
3/21/2023 - Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
A solid road win for the Bulls After their marathon Expand
3/21/2023 - Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
A solid road win for the Bulls After their marathon win in double overtime at the United Center on Friday night, the Chicago Bulls found themselves in a similar situation in Philadelphia two days later.
The Bulls had the upper hand late as they led by two thanks to a couple of free throws from Zach LaVine. It also aided Chicago that Joel Embiid, who was playing on 5 fouls since the middle of the 4th quarter, had finally fouled out a couple of minutes earlier. Now just one defensive stop separated them from victory.
James Harden, who struggled all game (as he always seems to against the Bulls), made a drive to his left and towards the basket. But when he flipped up the potential game tying shot, it was sent back by Derrick Jones Jr. in a spectacular defensive play.
CLUTCH BLOCK BY DERRICK JONES JR.@TheRea1DJones | @NBCSChicago pic.twitter.com/NYAjtWO8DW— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) March 21, 2023
It was the end of a grueling Collapse
Bulls vs. Heat game preview and thread: a very quick back-to-back
3/18/2023 - Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
Bulls got the W yesterday but at what cost? Quick turnaround Expand
3/18/2023 - Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
Bulls got the W yesterday but at what cost? Quick turnaround for the as-of-now-play-in-placed Chicago Bulls, though they get to stay at home at least. The visiting Heat played on Wednesday night, though they are on the front end of a back-to-back and have made some according playing time decisions.
Last night, in a double-overtime win over the TWolves, DeMar DeRozan led with 52 minutes, followed by Zach LaVine’s 47 and Nikola Vucevic’s 46. At least the other guys should be relatively fresh, as the ‘big’ three were heavily relied upon in that victory.
The Bulls can’t afford to mess around with rest, they need every W.
Injury Report:
Javonte Green is getting closer to a return but is still listed as questionable for tonight.
For the Heat, Kyle Lowry is being held out. Recent signee Cody Zeller is also out with a broken nose, that sounds about right.
Game Time: 7pm Central, NBC Sports Chicago Collapse
Cash Considerations Podcast: Bulls get beamed
3/16/2023 - another heartbreaker Jason is joined by Morten Jensen of Forbes, Sports Illustrated and The NBA Expand
3/16/2023 - another heartbreaker Jason is joined by Morten Jensen of Forbes, Sports Illustrated and The NBA Podcast after the Bulls’ latest heartbreaking loss, a 117-114 defeat against the Kings on a last-second De’Aaron Fox 3-pointer. We discuss this wild game, where the Bulls stand this season and where they stand in the big picture moving forward. Finally, it’s NCAA Tournament time!
Cash Considerations: A Chicago Bulls Podcast is part of the Blue Wire Podcast Network.The pod can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts. Collapse
Is DeMar DeRozan merely slumping or is this the beginning of a career decline?
3/14/2023 - Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
has not been the same since hip injury The Bulls saved Expand
3/14/2023 - Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
has not been the same since hip injury The Bulls saved their season, according to Darnell Mayberry of the Athletic, over this nice schedule break where they got 2 wins while the other crappy East play-in teams had to play more games which gave them opportunity to lose.
So naturally there is a trend of positive coverage, and the easy to see point is Zach LaVine being on a heater.
But of course I will look at things negatively: LaVine’s improved play has kind of masked DeMar DeRozan’s slump.
DeRozan is the unquestioned team’s best player and should be dominating the ball when he’s on the court. At least that was unquestioned until lately, and not because LaVine suddenly improved his faults, but because DeMar just isn’t as potent.
We can look for a point in the season that is not arbitrary like a new month, but potentially causal: DeRozan injuring his hip.
“It probably happened 10 games before the Boston game,” DeRozan said, referencing a Jan. Collapse
Cash Considerations Podcast: Lonzo Ball saga takes another depressing turn after Bulls upset Nuggets
3/11/2023 - what a week The Bulls’ roller-coaster season continues with a shocking blowout win over the Expand
3/11/2023 - what a week The Bulls’ roller-coaster season continues with a shocking blowout win over the West-leading Nuggets, but the excitement was short-lived with the news that Lonzo Ball might need a third surgery on his troublesome knee. On a more positive note, Zach LaVine is hooping.
Cash Considerations: A Chicago Bulls Podcast is part of the Blue Wire Podcast Network.The pod can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts. Collapse
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