Gordon could be out for Game 5

The status of Bulls guard Ben Gordon, who was the hero of game 4, will be a game time decision as to whether or not he will play in tonight's crucial game 5 in Boston.

Gordon has a strained left hamstring and told the Chicago tribune it did not feel very good after the team's shoot-around today. If Gordon is out for the game, it will be very hard for the Bulls to pull off a victory. Gordon leads all scorers in the series with 24.8 points per game. Gordon helped the Bulls win game 4 when he hit a three-pointer in the final seconds of the first overtime to force a second. He also had 42 points for the Bulls in their game 2 loss.

Photo: AP Photo - Charles Rex Arbogast

Bulls re-tie series in 2OT instant classic

For those who missed the Bulls' 121-118 victory over the Celtics in game 4 to tie the series 2-2, you missed one of the best basketball games of season. The game was filled with drama, back-and-forth scoring, and insane shots from both teams when it mattered most. Here is a nice little video for those who either missed it, or just want to re-live the action:

Was there ever any doubt? Rose Rookie of the Year.

It was announced Wednesday, Derrick Rose is the 2009 Rookie of the Year. Although he didn't lead all rookies in scoring — O.J. Mayo did with 18.5 points while Rose averaged 16.8 — he had by far the most solid rookie campaign of any player.

Rose won easily, receiving 111 of 120 possible first place votes from sports writers and broadcasters. Mayo finished second in the voting with Brook Lopez coming in third.

To any Bulls fan, this news is no shock. Rose has been the spark plug of a team that has surprised many with making a playoff run, and actually taking game one from the Boston Celtics — a game in which Rose tied the record for points in a playoff debut with 36. The future of the Bulls looks awfully bright with him as the leader.

Photo: M. Spencer Green / Associated Press

Bulls come out tied 1-1 after two games in the Garden

Alright so last night's loss was pretty disappointing. The Bulls had a chance to go up 2 games to nothing on the defending champs and really take a stranglehold on the series. Instead, Ray Allen finally woke up and hit 6 of 10 three pointers — including a game winning trey with only 2 seconds left on the clock. But coming out of Boston with one victory is not bad. I don't think many people thought the Bulls had a prayer to even compete in this series. They have proven that game 1 was not a fluke by nearly taking them out in game 2 as well.

Now the Celtics have to come to the United Center where they will not have the crowd (or the referees for that matter) on their side. I feel like the Bulls have a lot of momentum going into game 3, even though they just loss. I think they have messed with the minds of the Celtics players by playing them so tough the last two games. Long story shirt, the Celtics better bring their A-game to the UC if they want to come out of there with any victories at all.

What can the Bulls improve on the rest of the series? Well, let's start with the main reason why they lost game 2: Giving up offensive rebounds and second-chance points. The Celtics had 21 offensive rebounds and it seemed like every time they were able to scoop up an offensive board, their next shot attempt went through the hoop. The amount of second-chance opportunities the Bulls gave Boston in game 2 was sickening. The Celtics had 32 second-chance points!! It just never seemed to stop. If the Bulls could have boxed out and taken away just half of those Boston offensive rebounds, they probably would have won the game.

They also need to work on being more patient on offense. It has worked for them so far because of Rose and Gordon, but sooner or later the quick shots without letting any offense develop is going to come back to bite them. Del Negro just needs to make them understand they need to take some time off the clock every once in a while, especially towards the end of the game when the score is close. Don't take the first available, off-balance shot when only 10 seconds has ticked off of the shot clock.

Other than rebounding and patience, the team has played pretty well. As long as they can keep scoring the way they have been, they will have a chance to win every game. They just have got to stay mentally focused and stay hungry. I don't think staying hungry will be much of an issue for the team, but if they lapse mentally, it could be very detrimental for them.

Photo: Elsa/Getty Images

Round 1: Bulls vs. Celtics

So here we are. After 82 games, the Bulls pulled off making it to the playoffs with the #7 seed in the Eastern Conference. Their reward? The defending champion Boston Celtics.

After struggling for much of the season and appearing to have no chance at making the playoffs, the Bulls got hot at the end of the season after some mid-season trades that brought in John Salmons, Brad Miller, and Tim Thomas. The added depth to the low post and the added scoring from Salmons proved to be the missing ingredient the Bulls needed as they won 12 out of their final 16 games to finish the season at an even 41-41 record.

The Celtics on the other hand, have been in the top 2 in the Eastern Conference all season long. They exploded out of the gate to start the season with a 27-2 record that saw a 19-game winning streak. It appeared the 2008 champions were going to be unstoppable, but after some injuries and inconsistent play from their stars, they finished 62-20 — good enough for the #2 seed in the East behind the Cavaliers. Yes, 60 wins is impressive, but after starting the season 27-2, the Celtics had higher expectations earlier in the season. This is not to take anything away from Boston, they are the still the champs until someone can take them down.

So how do the teams match up? Obviously asking any NBA fan who they would vote for to win the series, the easy answer would be the Celtics. But there are some factors that could give the Bulls a few advantages and give Boston a run for their money.

Before we even get into comparing line-ups, let's establish that most of Boston's roster consists of the same players they had in 2008 when they won the title. The Bulls have about four players on the team with any playoff experience at all, but nothing compared to veteran squad of Boston.

Lets start with the centers: Joakim Noah vs. Kendrick Perkins. Noah averages 6.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, slightly worse than Perkins' 8.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Perkins is also bigger at 6'10, 280 lbs. to Noah's 6'11 232 lb. frame. Perkins has six full seasons and an NBA championship under his belt, while Noah has two years and no playoff experience. Noah is no stranger to the post-season big stage as he helped lead the University of Florida to two consecutive NCAA Championships. Noah is also more athletic and probably a little better defender than Perkins. Despite Noah's college success and defensive skills, the edge has to go to Perkins.

Now for the guards: Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon vs. Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen. The Bulls guards combine for 37.5 points, 9.7 assists, and 7.4 rebounds per game. The Celtics guards average 30.3 points, 11.1 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game. There is no question much of the Bulls scoring all season has come from Rose and Gordon. In fact, Gordon is the top scorer on either team averaging 20.7 points per game. The big issue for Rose and Gordon is their defense. Rose has shown flshes of good defense all season, but he struggles sometimes. Gordon might as well stand on the sideline while the team is on defense because he never learned how. Rondo and Allen obviously have the experience and fundamental advantage over the Bulls' guards, but when it comes to putting points on the board, the Bulls' guards get the edge. Not to say that Rondo and Allen are not capable of this either, but on any given night, Rose or Gordon can single-handedly take over a game, especially late in the game when it counts most. Because of that factor mixed with the lack of defense, I call a push for the Bulls guards vs. Celtics guards. It will literally be a game by game basis on who performs better, but if the Celtics can contain Rose, the Bulls will struggle.

For the forwards: The Bulls got the best news possible learning that Kevin Garnett will probably not play for the whole series. This factor could contribute huge for the Bulls to actually pull off the upset. The Bulls bring in Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons while the Celtics forward will be last year's NBA Finals MVP Paul Pierce and Leon Powe. The Bulls forwards average 29.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game while the Celtics forwards average 28.2 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Obviously with Garnett out of the picture it gives the Bulls a huge break. Not only is Garnett a great player, but he is the team's leader and brings an enormous amount of energy to the court every night he plays. With KG out, I give it another push at the forward position. Thomas and Salmons are a great duo, but Pierce can single-handedly win a game on any night.

Now for the benches: The Celtics bring in an experienced group off the bench, but they aren't very deep. Stephon Marbury, Eddie House, and Glen Davis will be the biggest contributors off the bench, but none of them are very scary. House can light it up from the three point line at any given time however. The Bulls have one of the deepest benches in the NBA — with Kirk Hinrich, Brad Miller, and Tim Thomas. Both team's benches have a lot of NBA experience and even playoff experience. The benches could come in huge in some of the games because when one of the starters is not paying well, they need to come in and fill that slot. I think the Bulls have the better bench to do that.

So let's review:
Center: Celtics
Guards: Even
Forwards: Even
Bench: Bulls

The Bulls are going to have to play perfect basketball the entire series to be able to pull off an upset on the defending champs. If KG were able to play, I don't think the Bulls would stand a chance. However, KG cannot play and it really gives Chicago a big chance to take advantage of the situation. The last time the Bulls played Boston, they beat them 127-117. The Celtics were without KG at the time, proving the Bulls can actually beat them without the big man. The toughest thing for the young Bulls team will be staying mentally focused and putting forth 100% effort on every play of every game. If they can't stay focused, the veteran Celtics will eat them alive.

Photo: www.bballvideos.com

Potential playoff match ups...

With only two games remaining in the regular season, the Bulls have clinched a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. What is yet to be decided is what seed they will receive and who they will be playing in the first round. As it stands right now, they have the #7 seed and would play the Boston Celtics in Round 1. However, the Bulls could very easily reach the #6 seed or drop to the #8.
Let's go over the scenarios that could decide the Bulls' first round opponent:
The Bulls are currently tied at a 40-40 record with the Philadelphia 76ers, who have the advantage on the Bulls if the season ends and they still have even records. The Sixers, however, play the Celtics and the Cavs — the two best teams in the East — in their final two games of the season. If the Bulls can win just one more game, the odds of getting the #6 seed are very realistic.
On the other hand, the Bulls are only one game ahead of the Detroit Pistons, who they play tonight, April 13th. If the Bulls lose, they will drop down to the #8 seed before the night is over.
So as you can see, the Bulls could end up in any of the bottom three slots entering the playoffs. Their potential opponents by seed would be Cleveland if they had the #8 seed, Boston if they end up #7, and Orlando if they can reach the #6 seed.

Best (meaning worst) hair in Chicago Bulls history

Fellow classmate Robert Lotzer gave me an idea to do this after he wrote about Chiacgo Cubs' Mike Fontenot's hair. It made me think about another Chicago athlete on the basketball court who may have the most ridiculous hair in all of professional sports right now. The Bulls own Joakim Noah.



Besides Noah, the Bulls have had a few other athletes grace our television sets with not only crazy hair styles, but facial hair as well. Who can forget Dennis Rodman and his seeminlgy insistance on having a different hair color every game? Ben Wallace brought back the old-school afro, and Drew Gooden used his facial hair to express his individuality.

Thomas or Aldridge?

In the 2006 NBA Draft, the Bulls picked LaMarcus Aldrdge, a 6-11 forward out of Texas, with the second overall pick. They eneded up trading Aldridge to the Portland Trailblazers for Tyrus Thomas, a 6-9 forward out of LSU, after they selected him with the fourth overall selection.
After Thomas had a few underwhelming seasons averaging 5.2 and 6.8 points per game, it looked like the Bulls had made a bad choice in not keeping Aldridge. Aldridge had an explosive sophomore campaign averaging 17.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in the 07-8 season. He is averaging similar numbers this season, in fact even better at 18.4 points per game.
Thomas has recently come on very strong for the Bulls however. This may be due to the inside depth the Bulls now have with Brad Miller, Joakim Noah, and Tim Thomas. Tyrus may have struggled before simply because he had no other inside help. In the past few weeks, he has shown flashes of the dominant player he can be. The guy is a FREAK athlete with amazing God-given talent. His biggest issue is working on staying focused night in and night out. If he can mix the mental aspect of the game with his physicality, he can become a very scary player for opponents.
So the question is, Thomas or Aldridge? Right now, Aldridge still looks like the better overall pick, but will Thomas prove this wrong a few years down the road? I guess we'll have to wait and see. But until then, I know I'm comfortable saying I am very happy that Tyrus Thomas wears a Chicago uniform.

Photo: http://sportsmaven.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/tyrus-thomas-at-2007-nba-all-star-weekend-2-17-07.jpg

D-Rose a B-? I think not.

Any Chicago Bulls fan knows Derrick Rose. Despite being the first round pick in the 2008 NBA draft, he is about as humble as any other player in the league. He’s already a local hero, and is one of the leading candidates for Rookie of the Year. He averages 16.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game.

In an interview with the Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson earlier this week, Rose graded his performance so far this season a B or B-. This is not only a complete under estimate, but I would be willing to say anyone who considers themselves a basketball fan would disagree with his assessment.

To compare Rose to the elite players in the league, and grade him with those standards, then maybe a B or B- would be accurate. But the reality is, a rookie in the NBA should not ¬— and cannot — be compared to NBA all-stars. Even LeBron James, arguably the league’s most dominant player, was left out of the all-star game his rookie season.

Perhaps Rose feels like his role on the team is to be an elite player and that is why he gave himself such a poor grade, but he has to realize filling that role takes time. There is no question he is already a team leader and will be an all-star for years to come, he just needs more time. Remember, he is a 20-year-old rookie.

If we grade Rose relative to other rookies in the league, it would be foolish to argue that he shouldn't be graded with an A or A-. The other candidates for Rookie of the Year this season, all of whom were top five draft picks, do not stack up to the Chicago native.

Rose said one of the reasons he graded himself like he did is because they didn’t have enough wins. But wait. Rose's stiffest competition for Rookie of the Year is O.J. Mayo of the Memphis Grizzlies. Mayo has had a very solid season — averaging 18.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game — fairly even with Rose. But he has a downfall that can't be ignored: His team’s record is 19-54 this season. Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook is another ROY candidate. He is averaging 15.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game — also comparabale to Rose. But again, the Thunder are 21-53 this season.

Rose and the Bulls are 36-40 and have a spot in the playoffs if the season ended today.

The remaining top five draft picks — Michael Beasley and Kevin Love — have also had good seasons, but nothing compared to the other aforementioned rookies.

Rose's other reason for for his low grade — “I've committed too many turnovers.” The Bull's point guard is averaging 2.5 turnovers per game. Compared with some of the ‘elite’ point guards in the league, Rose looks impressive.

Steve Nash averages 3.5 turnovers per game, with Chris Paul at 3, and Deron Williams at 3.5. Granted all of those players average more assists per game than Rose, but as a rookie, his turnover numbers compare pretty well to some of the best point guards in the league.

Stats aside, D-Rose has been the spark-plug of one of the most disappointing teams in the league this season. Rose makes plays on a nightly basis that are as jaw-dropping as seeing the Cubs win a playoff game. He has shown he possesses extraordinary leadership skills and confidence, and he never backs away from any game-time scenario.

As far as being a rookie on a team with no other definitive stars, I give Rose an A for the season. It's going to be a few years before he is considered an elite player in the league, but Chicago fans need not worry — by the time the 20-year-old is done with his career, the Windy City will be smelling roses again in the month of June.

Photo: http://weblogs.cltv.com/news/opinion/mcclendon/derrick_rose.jpg