Bulls News

Bulls never really threaten in loss to Lakers
Comment
November 20
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"After an impressive win in the opener of their six-game road trip, the Bulls on Thursday night had a performance more in line with most of the circus trips in the post-Jordan era. With the Bulls never mounting a serious threat after about the middle of the second quarter, the Lakers cruised to a 108-93 victory at Staples Center. The Bulls (6-5) were led by Derrick Rose with 20 points on 9-for-20 shooting. John Salmons had 18 points (all in the first half), and Joakim Noah posted his eighth double-double of the season with 12 points and 15 rebounds. The Lakers (9-3) were led by Pau Gasol -- back in action following a hamstring injury -- with 24 points and 13 rebounds. With his 21 points, ..."
Lakers dump Bulls 108-93
Comment
November 20
Chicago Tribune
 
"Pau Gasol made his season debut Thursday night. An argument could be made that Derrick Rose did too. Rallying from a brutal first half that mirrored his season-long struggles, Rose rallied with 16 of his team-high 20 points in the second half of the Bulls' 108-93 loss to the Lakers Thursday night at Staples Center. Rose has flashed glimpses of promise previously this season, most notably the fourth quarters of the Nov. 3 and Nov. 5 victories over the Bucks and Cavaliers, respectively. But if the Bulls are to take the next step this season -- and rebound from a game in which they clearly were outclassed by the defending NBA champions -- they'll need more performances like Rose's second half ..."
Ankle injury continues to slow Rose
Comment
November 20
Yahoo! Sports
 
"The lane opened, and suddenly Derrick Rose(notes) was bolting toward the rim. Surely, the Chicago Bulls' young point guard would deliver a highlight to remember, a soaring dunk, maybe even a vicious one-handed flush like the one he memorably threw down on Leandro Barbosa(notes) last season. Not on this night. Rose instead opted to coast toward the basket for an easy layup, looking far more like John Stockton than Michael Jordan. The truth is Rose has yet to dunk at all this season. "The times I've attempted to I was barely getting up," he said. "So I will just say it was a high layup." A sprained right ankle Rose suffered early in the preseason has limited him. Three weeks into the ..."
Gasol Returns, Comes up Huge
Comment
November 20
Los Angeles Times
 
"The never-ending "hamstring watch" finally ended. Pau Gasol was back. After two setbacks and almost five weeks of limping around on the most scrutinized leg muscle of the season, Gasol returned to the Lakers, looking as if he had never left them. The box scores show he missed 11 games, but he was in late-season form in a 108-93 victory Thursday over the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center. Gasol had 24 points and 13 rebounds in 35 minutes. The Lakers had the starting five they envisioned for months. They had experienced a weird few weeks without him. There was a home loss to Dallas. Near-losses in Oklahoma City and Houston. A drubbing in Denver. Another home loss to Houston."
Chicago could try to blame road woes on the circus
Comment
November 19
Los Angeles Times
 
"Mike Bresnahan covers the Lakers for The Times and ties up loose ends on the day of his self-designated "Lakers game of the week." The Lakers play host to Chicago tonight. Here's the difference between Los Angeles and Chicago. The Lakers get kicked out of Staples Center every year in late January because of the glitz and glamour of the Grammy Awards. The Bulls get booted from the United Center every year because of the pomp and circumstance of the circus. That's right. The circus. Ringling Bros. and Barnum"
Passive Rose has to get aggressive
Comment
November 19
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Point guard Derrick Rose is so disgusted with his play, he could pull his hair out. Check that. He apparently will take the opposite approach. ''I probably won't get a haircut,'' he said Wednesday after practice at USC's Galen Center. ''I might get a lineup, but I'm not touching my hair until I get back on track. I'm just trying to change something; there has to be something that I'm doing wrong.'' Roughly 15 hours after another subpar effort -- 10 points on 2-for-12 shooting -- in the Bulls' 101-87 victory at Sacramento on Tuesday, Rose was still obviously upset. Through 10 games, he's averaging 13.4 points and 5.5 assists with a field-goal percentage of .438. Rose was expected to step up ..."
Return to USC a mixed blessing for Chicago Bull Taj Gibson
Comment
November 19
Chicago Tribune
 
"As soon as he finished hugging ex-teachers and ex-coaches who greeted him at the Galen Center entrance on the USC campus, Taj Gibson knew what was coming. "I was like, 'Please don't go in the big gym. Please don't go in the big gym,' " Gibson said Wednesday afternoon. "As soon as we got here, (teammates) were, like, all over me." That's because inside said "big gym" were three huge photos of Gibson from his USC playing days. For professional athletes who consider intense mocking the purest sign of being a good teammate, this was equivalent to throwing raw meat to a lion. "I told him they probably put those pictures up last night," assistant Pete Myers said. Added coach Vinny Del Negro: "I ..."
Derrick Rose in pursuit of elusive aggressiveness
Comment
November 19
Chicago Tribune
 
"If Derrick Rose looks like Dr. J circa 1976 in a few weeks, the Bulls will be in trouble. Rose made a vow to a group of reporters after Wednesday's practice at USC that he wouldn't cut his hair until he gets on track. The Bulls, of course, would rather see Rose play with aggressiveness than with an Afro. "I need to change something," Rose said. "There has to be something I'm doing wrong. I know the (right ankle tendon) injury was something. But it's taking too long to get back. "We're winning, so I don't care anything about my game. But if we weren't winning, I'm playing terrible. I'm not going to the hole like I used to. It seems to me that I'm not that aggressive. But it's going to ..."
Gasol to Return to Action Against Bulls
Comment
November 19
New York Times
 
"Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol is set to make his long awaited return to the court Thursday when the defending NBA champions host the Chicago Bulls. Having missed the team's first 11 games because of a hamstring ailment, the seven-foot Spaniard trained Wednesday and declared himself fit for his first regular season game on the Lakers website (http://www.nba.com/lakers/) said."
Youthful mistakes doom Kings in loss to Bulls
Comment
November 18
Sacramento Bee
 
"There will be nights the young Kings will play like young Kings. They will look unsure of what to do on the floor and make mistakes. Tuesday night at Arco Arena was one of those nights. Learning when to force the issue and when to back off is something that comes with experience, and the Kings saw what happens when a team hasn't mastered that in a 101-87 loss to the Chicago Bulls. The Kings had 21 turnovers that led to 28 points for the Bulls. "I think we just have to be a little more alert, a little more fundamentally sound," said Kings coach Paul Westphal. "A little more sometimes aggressive, sometimes patient." Westphal said he isn't sure the Kings would have won even if they had cut ..."
Bulls get show on road
Comment
November 18
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Bigger challenges await them down the road, but the Bulls began their five-game Western trip with an impressive and mostly comfortable -- save for a few minutes in the fourth quarter -- 101-87 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday at ARCO Arena. ''That fourth quarter wasn't real pretty, but fortunately we got some stops when we needed to and came out with the victory,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. ''A good start to a long trip.'' This was the first meeting of the teams since that big trade last February, so it was only fitting that guard John Salmons, the key to the deal from the Bulls' perspective, busted out of his recent shooting funk to led the team with 23 points on ..."
Chicago Bulls start trip with 101-87 victory
Comment
November 18
Chicago Tribune
 
"Everyone from general manager Gar Forman to coach Vinny Del Negro to teammates have called Brad Miller and John Salmons stabilizing forces since leaving this NBA outpost via trade last February 18. To which Salmons responds with his typical shrug and Miller responds with his typical humor. "Look at Joakim (Noah)," Miller said. "That guy's out there. Obviously, you have to stabilize him, and just being halfway sane is going to do that." There's nothing funny about this critical six-game trip, and the Bulls got off to a stable start with a 101-87 victory over the Kings Tuesday night at Arco Arena. Salmons lugged a .317 shooting percentage into the game but, after receiving a nice ovation ..."
Bulls' Joakim Noah relishes leading the league in rebounds
Comment
November 17
Chicago Tribune
 
"Some players would downplay leading the league in a major statistical category after nine games. Joakim Noah, whose 12.2 rebounds per game lead the NBA, isn't like most players. "It feels good; I'm not going to lie," Noah said. "I do understand it's only nine games. And the goal is just to win. But, sure, it feels good to see your name up there with other great names." Noah admitted he feels more comfortable on the court, even poking fun at himself for forgetting plays under former coach Scott Skiles. "He had a playbook that looked like a football playbook," Noah said. "That definitely didn't help. "I just think it's the combination of more bulk and experience and working hard each day. ..."
Salmons a big fan of the ex games
Comment
November 16
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"At first glance, there's seemingly nothing connecting the Bulls' games Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers at home and Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings on the road that kicks off the so-called circus trip. But a couple of folks inside the locker room dubbed the games the John Salmons homecoming stretch. ''I didn't realize it, but someone told me today that I'm playing my two former teams back-to-back,'' Salmons said after the Bulls' 94-88 victory over the 76ers at the United Center. ''It's always fun to beat your old team.'' Salmons may not have realized the connection of the two games probably because he hasn't played in Philadelphia for nearly four years and facing the 76ers ..."
Bulls trying to get Derrick Rose back on track
Comment
November 16
Chicago Tribune
 
"Remember when Derrick Rose drew the headlines for wreaking havoc with a record set by Lew Alcindor? Rose's scintillating performance in Game 1 of the Bulls' first-round playoff series against Boston last April, in which he scored 36 points to tie Alcindor's 39-year-old record for scoring in a rookie playoff debut, is a distant, if pleasant, memory. The fresher memories are from Saturday night, when Rose posted his second seven-turnover game of the young season and Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings smashed Alcindor's 40-year-old franchise mark for rookie scoring by dropping 55 points on the Warriors. Currently, Jennings is getting the national love reserved for Rose last season. Closer to ..."
It would be silly for NBA to retire the number 23
Comment
November 16
Chicago Tribune
 columnist Rick Morrissey
"I believe Michael Jordan to be the best basketball player in the history of the game. I do not believe it follows that the NBA should permanently retire his number. Should that get me kicked off the Good Ship Michael? LeBron James apparently thinks so. James says he'll stop wearing Jordan's old number and is urging other NBA players who wear No. 23 to do the same in honor of MJ. If the Cavaliers superstar had his way, the league would permanently take Jordan's number out of circulation, the way Major League Baseball has done with Jackie Robinson's No. 42. It's a gracious gesture by James, the young luminary paying homage to his elder. But the idea of honoring Jordan in this way reminds me ..."
Bulls a bit sloppy, but six players score at least 14 points to snap two-game losing streak
Comment
November 15
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Bulls have had better defensive efforts, and this might have been their sloppiest game of the season (season-high-tying 21 turnovers). But, for a change, they made a few shots -- enough at least to overcome another slow start and pull away (sort of) for a 94-88 victory Saturday night over the Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center. ''It's a nice win for us, there's no question about it,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. ''It's a good way for us to get out on this road trip, get that bad taste from the last two games out of our mouths a little bit. ''It wasn't a perfect game, but I was happy with the way that we got a lead. I wasn't happy with the way we finished the game, with our ..."
Kirk Hinrich, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah lead charge
Comment
November 15
Chicago Tribune
 
"The next time the Bulls play in the United Center, Ben Gordon will be in attendance with the Pistons. That Dec. 2 game will bring even more questions about the Bulls' offense than this season's slow start already has created. Here's how bad it has gotten: The Bulls downed Philadelphia 94-88 Saturday night at the United Center, shooting 44.9 percent -- and people suggested improvement. But 21 turnovers, including seven from Derrick Rose, and telling postgame quotes from coaches and players suggested otherwise. "I don't know about that," chuckled coach Vinny Del Negro, when it was offered the offense looked better. It did at least from Kirk Hinrich, who hit his first six shots en route to ..."
Sixers show fight but fall to Bulls
Comment
November 15
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"In front of a sellout crowd at the United Center on Saturday night, the 76ers did something they had not done the night before: They played every possession hard.Unfortunately for the Sixers, the outcome was the same: They lost, outlasted by the Chicago Bulls, 94-88.The Sixers dropped to 4-6. The Bulls improved to 5-4.On Friday night, the Sixers were outhustled and outplayed in a loss to the Utah Jazz. Saturday night's game was fought hard, if not well executed."Night and day from [the Utah game], and if we would have had some shots go down, I think it's a different ball game . . .," Sixers coach Eddie Jordan said. "I liked the way we executed, our defense was into itself, I liked the way ..."
Gibson not playing like NBA rookie
Comment
November 14
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"In general, the Bulls have struggled to make shots consistently this season, but don't include rookie Taj Gibson in that group. After scoring a season-high 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting in the loss Wednesday at Toronto, Gibson is averaging 8.3 points on 51.8 percent shooting. He has filled in nicely at power forward for starter Tyrus Thomas, who is out with a fractured left forearm. Besides scoring inside, Gibson has stepped out to the perimeter and knocked down quite a few mid-range jumpers. ''I've been confident, I've been capable,'' he said of taking the jumpers. ''It's just guys finding me in the trenches and I'm able to capitalize. I'm a patient player. I just try to do the right ..."
Bulls' leadership is growing
Comment
November 14
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Bulls are looking for leadership on and off the court as they prepare for the 76ers on Saturday night at the United Center. And a few more timely fourth-quarter baskets wouldn't hurt either. When Joakim Noah was a rookie three years ago, then Bulls coach Scott Skiles chastised Noah for offering a blunt assessment of what the team needed to improve. Skiles indicated such commentary should not come from a first-year player. "I don't think I really said that much as a rookie, but (the media) just asked me questions and I just answered them," Noah said Friday after practice at the Berto Center. "I don't think there is just one specific (leader). The more experience you have, the more you ..."
Salmons, Hinrich haven't Ben hot
Comment
November 13
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Through eight games, the Bulls are a respectable 4-4. That's not great, not bad and about where they were expected to be considering the issues they had heading into the regular season. But what's truly surprising is how the Bulls have played so far, specifically how certain individuals have performed. The biggest question marks were supposed to be Luol Deng and Joakim Noah, and the givens were supposed to be John Salmons, Brad Miller and Kirk Hinrich. But Deng and Noah have been the mainstays through the first two weeks, while Salmons, Miller and Hinrich -- the team's most veteran players -- have struggled. If not for the lack of production from the latter group, the Bulls might have a ..."
Opponents limiting Derrick Rose's attacking style
Comment
November 13
Chicago Tribune
 
"Late Wednesday night in Toronto, Derrick Rose uttered the following in such a matter-of-fact manner that it almost downplayed the severity of its importance. "There's no room to drive," Rose said. Anyone who has watched the Bulls' first eight games has noticed Rose isn't attacking the rim with the same regularity as last season. He has had flashes, no doubt: The fourth quarters at home against the Bucks and visiting the Cavs come to mind. And Rose's numbers -- 13.8 points per game, 5.6 assists, 45.2 percent shooting -- actually aren't that far from his Rookie of the Year averages of 16.8 points, 6.3 assists and 47.5 percent shooting. But first, Rose suffered a tendon injury in his right ..."
Bulls go cold at the wrong time
Comment
November 12
Daily Southtown
 
"This time, there was no need for a video review at the end of the game to determine a winner. In fact, the Bulls probably would prefer if the final six minutes of their 99-89 loss to the Toronto Raptors Wednesday night at the Air Canada Centre were never viewed again. To say it was an ugly finish is an insult to ugly. Leading 88-85 with six minutes remaining, the Bulls suffered an offensive meltdown of epic proportions. They managed just one point the rest of the way - a meaningless free throw with 10 seconds left - and went scoreless on a mind-boggling 12 straight possessions down the stretch. They were 3-of-21 (14.3 percent) from the field with five turnovers in the fourth quarter. ..."
Raps `all on the same page'
Comment
November 12
Toronto Star
 
"Finally, they got it. Finally, the embarrassment got to be too much. Finally, there was concerted effort. Deciding after a horrible first half that they were fed up with themselves, the Raptors put together two solid quarters of offence, defence and intensity Wednesday night, leaving all to wonder why they can't do it all the time."
Raptors feed off DeRozan's high energy
Comment
November 12
Toronto Star
 columnist Dave Feschuk
"Excuse Toronto's basketball fans for their rare moment of raise-the-rafters ecstasy Wednesday night. No league championship was won. No division-winning banner was raised. But DeMar DeRozan, Toronto's rookie swingman, did jump and hang and throw down an actual, highlight-reel-worthy slam dunk at a key moment in a 99-89 win over the Chicago Bulls. And given how long it's been since the Air Canada Centre witnessed that kind of baseline-commanding statement from a high-flyer on the rise – given the Raptors' recent employment of rosters favouring jump shooters to the exclusion of high jumpers – DeRozan might as well have brought home a world freaking title."
Big when it counts
Comment
November 12
Toronto Sun
 
"His numbers weren't really anything to write home (to Italy) about. In fact, his teammate Chris Bosh had a much bigger game in that department, as did his counterpart with the Chicago Bulls, centre Joakim Noah. But Toronto big man Andrea Bargnani was big when his team needed him, helping the Raptors defeat the Chicago Bulls 99-89 last night at the Air Canada Centre. Bargnani made a number of key plays late in the contest, including one early in the fourth quarter when he blocked a Brad Miller shot, deflecting the ball to Marco Belinelli, who took it down-court for a layup, bringing the Raps to within one (80-79). And then with just over five minutes left, Bargnani stole the ball from ..."
End game's plain offensive
Comment
November 12
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"This time, there was no need for a video review at the end of the game to determine a winner. In fact, the Bulls probably would prefer if the final six minutes of the 99-89 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night at the Air Canada Centre were never viewed again. To say it was an ugly finish is an insult to ugly. Leading 88-85 with six minutes remaining, the Bulls suffered an offensive meltdown of epic proportions. They managed just one point the rest of the way -- a meaningless free throw with 10 seconds left -- and went scoreless on a mind-boggling 12 straight possessions down the stretch. They were 3-for-21 (14.3 percent) from the field with five turnovers in the fourth quarter. ..."
Chicago Bulls go frigid in 99-89 loss
Comment
November 12
Chicago Tribune
 
"The only instant replay needed for the Bulls on Wednesday night might have been to see if that atrocious fourth quarter actually happened. Then again, watching it once proved difficult enough. To say the Bulls went cold down the stretch of a 99-89 loss to the Raptors at Air Canada Centre is like saying Canada likes its hockey. Save yourself from watching the lowlights and chew on these numbers and details: --The Bulls shot 3-for-21 in the fourth quarter and 25 percent in the second half. --They failed to score a field goal for the final 9 minutes, 20 seconds and failed to score any points at all after two Taj Gibson free throws with 6:24 remaining until Kirk Hinrich hit a meaningless free ..."
NBA backs officials' buzzer-loser call against Chicago Bulls
Comment
November 12
Chicago Tribune
 
"Seemingly everyone has seen the replay and expressed an opinion about Brad Miller's overturned potential game-winner Tuesday night against the Nuggets except one important principal: Miller. "Haven't watched it," Miller said Wednesday. The NBA league office has -- and backed its officiating crew. "The review was conducted properly and the right call was made," league spokesman Tim Frank said. Video reviews are supposed to be completed within two minutes. But Frank said crew chief Mark Wunderlich asked if more replay angles were available around the 2-minute mark and officials own the authority to extend reviews. During the roughly one-minute extension -- the review lasted just longer than ..."
Bulls go from oh, yeah! to oh, no!!
Comment
November 11
Daily Southtown
 
"For a moment Tuesday night, the United Center erupted in euphoria as it appeared the Bulls extended their comeback and winning streaks with a miracle finish on a Brad Miller prayer at the buzzer. But following a lengthy review, the officials ruled that Miller's shot came after the buzzer. Instead of a dramatic win, the Bulls had a heartbreaking 90-89 loss to the Denver Nuggets. ''It's such a split-second thing with 0.3 seconds,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. ''I thought it was good. Truly, I haven't even seen the replay. It irrelevant. The refs have to make the call. I thought it was good initially.'' The officials refused to comment directly to a pool reporter, but crew chief Mark ..."
Nuggets win photo finish against Bulls
Comment
November 11
Denver Post
 
"In the city that gave us "Dewey defeats Truman" and penciled the Cubs in the 2003 World Series (before, of course, Bartman), here was the scene at the United Center on Tuesday night: the Bulls celebrating like, as Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups said, "they advanced to the Sweet 16" while the PA system played the song "Another One Bites the Dust." Chicago's Brad Miller had splashed an improbable fadeaway basket at the buzzer, which proved to be, indeed, improbable. The Nuggets beat the Bulls 90-89 because Miller's shot wasn't released in time. And the Nuggets, well, they John Dillinger-ed out of town with a road win in their gym bags. "I was just standing around laughing, looking at their ..."
Nuggets win at Chicago on overturned basket at buzzer
Comment
November 11
Denver Post
 
"The three NBA officials huddled over a television, while an arena held its breath. After nearly four minutes, the surprising call was made - the Nuggets had defeated the Bulls 90-89 at the United Center, by a fingertip. It was the basketball equivalent to winning by a nose. Chicago's Brad Miller launched a jumper at the buzzer Tuesday night. The initial ruling was that the basket was good and the Bulls celebrated like they had won a playoff series. Then the officials ruled that the ball hadn't completely left Miller's hands when time expired, and Denver stole a big road victory. So light up a victory cigar. Nuggets coach George Karl surpassed the legendary Red Auerbach for the eighth- most ..."
Bulls go from ecstasy to agony
Comment
November 11
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"For a moment Tuesday night, the United Center erupted in euphoria as it appeared the Bulls extended their comeback and winning streaks with a miracle finish on a Brad Miller prayer at the buzzer. But after a lengthy review, the officials ruled that Miller's shot came after the buzzer. Instead of a dramatic win, the Bulls had a heartbreaking 90-89 loss to the Denver Nuggets. ''It's such a split-second thing with 0.3 seconds,'' Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. ''I thought it was good. Truly, I haven't even seen the replay. It's irrelevant. The refs have to make the call. I thought it was good initially.'' The officials refused to comment directly to a pool reporter, but crew chief Mark ..."
Chicago Bulls' Tyrus Thomas upbeat despite broken arm
Comment
November 11
Chicago Tribune
 
"An upbeat Tyrus Thomas made his first public comments Tuesday night since fracturing the radius in his left forearm last week. "Of course it's always hard to miss time," Thomas said. "But you have to take the good with the bad." Thomas said his re-evaluation earlier Tuesday by the team physicians who performed surgery Saturday went well. "I'm basically free to run after another week or so," Thomas said. "It's just my arm. I have a plate in it. The break is mended together. "The swelling will go out, and then I'll be able to do whatever cardio-wise." Thomas confirmed he suffered the injury while doing a pull-up that added weight to his body, an exercise the fourth-year forward said he has ..."
Game-winning jumper at buzzer waved off as Chicago Bulls lose 90-89
Comment
November 11
Chicago Tribune
 
"Chauncey Billups didn't just sink the game-winning free throw with 0.6 seconds left Tuesday night at the United Center. The Nuggets' guard also offered up a quote-of-the-year candidate when he colorfully dissed the Bulls' reaction to Brad Miller's subsequent game-winning shot attempt, which officials ruled came after the buzzer following a lengthy video review. "I was laughing because they were dancing and jumping around like they had just made the Sweet 16," Billups said. The wild ending to the Nuggets' 90-89 victory prevented the Bulls from winning their first four home games for the first time since the 1997-98 season. It also wasted Joakim Noah's career-high 21 rebounds, Derrick Rose ..."
Del Negro praises Deng's three 'D'
Comment
November 10
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Small forward might be the most challenging defensive position in the NBA. Night in and night out, you face a talented, versatile player capable of putting up big numbers. For an example of just how potent, look at the trio of small forwards the Bulls' Luol Deng will match up against in a three-game stretch that concludes with tonight's game against the Denver Nuggets at the United Center: Small forward might be the most challenging defensive position in the NBA. Night in and night out, you face a talented, versatile player capable of putting up big numbers. For an example of just how potent, look at the trio of small forwards the Bulls' Luol Deng will match up against in a three-game ..."
Bulls look to spread playing time, avoid early burnout
Comment
November 10
1111122222
 
"On Saturday against the Bobcats, Luol Deng played 47 minutes and 12 seconds, John Salmons played 42:35 and Joakim Noah played 40:37. It's tiring even typing that sentence. Tyrus Thomas returned to the Berto Center on Monday with his fractured left arm in a sling. Thomas' injury also has put the hurt on Vinny Del Negro's rotation as the Bulls have just 10 healthy players, and early-season burnout could be an issue. Asked if it's ideal to play players such heavy minutes this early in the season, Del Negro needed only one syllable. He then elaborated. "No," he said. "But that's the situation we're in until I become comfortable with the other rotations. We had Sunday off, so we got some rest ..."
Hard work gives Noah a real shot
Comment
November 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Of everything Joakim Noah did on the court Saturday night in the best performance of his career, one move excited everyone connected with the Bulls, from the players to the coaches to the front-office personnel. Late in the third quarter of the 93-90 comeback victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, Noah got the ball in the post, made a nifty move toward the baseline, turned and released a feather-soft left-handed hook shot that swished through the hoop. It was an element of the game -- polished post moves -- he wasn't supposed to possess. Afterward, Noah was asked where that shot came from. ''A lot of work,'' he said with a smile. ''It came from a lot of hours in the gym this summer. ''It ..."
Bulls' Joakim Noah coming of age
Comment
November 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"This might have been difficult to believe two seasons ago when Joakim Noah seemed more conditionally challenged than a Bulls cornerstone. But some of Noah's fondest memories with his famous father, Yannick, are of early morning jogs through Central Park. "When I was in high school, he used to wake me up in the morning sometimes and it was a good time to bond with him," Noah said. "My father is really busy, but I always remember him running and jogging and doing extra stuff. He took it pretty seriously." And so, finally, is Noah. After his career-best game in Saturday night's victory over the Bobcats, Noah is averaging 11.3 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and shooting 60.9 percent from the ..."
Bulls' Tyrus Thomas breaks left forearm
Comment
November 7
Chicago Tribune
 
"Back on Sept. 25, Tyrus Thomas wore a smile as wide as the lane and carried buoyancy in his voice that anybody attending the first day of Bulls training camp could hear. "I think this is going to be a great season for me and the team," Thomas said then. That still could be true, but Thomas' star-crossed season hit a substantial bump Friday. The fourth-year forward fractured the radius in his left forearm while performing pull-ups in the weightlifting portion of practice. X-rays confirmed the fracture and team physicians will perform surgery on Thomas Saturday at Rush University Medical Center. The Bulls said Thomas will miss four to six weeks, which would represent 13 to 20 games. "It's ..."
Thomas out with fracture
Comment
November 7
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Tyrus Thomas' week from hell took a dramatic turn for the worse on Friday when the enigmatic Bulls power forward suffered a fractured radius of the left forearm during a weightlifting session at the Berto Center. Thomas, who was sent home two days earlier in the week because of the flu, was scheduled to undergo surgery today and is expected to be sidelined from four to six weeks. ''We are disappointed to lose Tyrus,'' general manager Gar Forman said. ''This will be an opportunity for Taj [Gibson] and James [Johnson] to get valuable experience.'' Power forward is one of the deeper positions on the team. Besides the two rookies, Brad Miller, Joakim Noah and even small forward Luol Deng can ..."
Bulls' Thomas out 4-6 weeks with fracture
Comment
November 6
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Bulls announced today that Tyrus Thomas will undergo surgery Saturday to repair a fractured radius in his left forearm. Thomas suffered the injury today while doing pull-ups during a weightlifting session and is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Rookie Taj Gibson will start his third straight game for Thomas on Saturday against the Bobcats. "Tyrus tweaked his arm, and he's pretty sore," coach Vinny Del Negro said after practice and before X-rays revealed the fracture. "It's unfortunate." Thomas has endured a rough week in which he didn't play in the fourth quarter of a close loss last Sunday in Miami, took exception to Del Negro's criticism during Monday's practice and then battled a nasty ..."
Final non-call was correct
Comment
November 6
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 columnist Brian Windhorst
"Please file the memory of the ending of the Cavs' 86-85 loss to the Bulls for later reference. Most specifically when people complain about LeBron James passing too often with a chance to take the last shot. Also, please put it in the opposing view file when it is suggested that Mr. James gets all calls. This goes next to the games are rigged, David Stern tells the officials to protect stars, etc., etc. Sometimes it is better to pass and sometimes the officials make the correct call regardless of the player involved. After watching the replay, it seems pretty clear that Joakim Noah went straight up and did foul LeBron under the rules. The photo above seems to back this up, LeBron is ..."
'D' Bulls top LeBron
Comment
November 6
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Would you believe the Bulls won for a second straight game because of their -- ahem -- defense? Believe it. Despite going scoreless in the last 1:44 and shooting only 40.9 percent, the Bulls squeezed out an 86-85 victory Thursday over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena because they successfully defended a LeBron James drive in the final seconds. That's right. With Luol Deng and Joakim Noah providing the resistance, the Bulls thwarted a James drive for a potential game-winner and forced a turnover with .2 seconds left. The Bulls (3-2) had stops on their last three defensive possessions against the Cavaliers (3-3) -- and this comes two days after they had stops on their last two ..."
Bulls notes
Comment
November 6
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Before the game Thursday night against the Cavaliers, Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro was unsure whether he'd play Tyrus Thomas, who arrived at the team hotel less than four hours before tipoff. ''I want to see how he warms up before the game,'' Del Negro said. ''I talked to him. I know he's been very, very sick, as sick as he's ever been, he said. I want to see how he feels warming up, and we'll go from there. I don't think he's feeling great. I appreciate the effort of getting here. Let's see how he feels, and if he can give us a few minutes, that'll be great.'' Rookie Taj Gibson started at power forward, and Thomas entered the game with 2:50 left in the first quarter. Thomas said he was ..."
Tyrus Thomas makes trip to Cleveland
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November 6
Chicago Tribune
 
"Tyrus Thomas settled into his first-class seat, orange juice in tow, and smiled weakly as his flight sat on an O'Hare runway. "Just want to be there," Thomas said, meaning Cleveland. Hours after receiving clearance from a team physician, Thomas, who had missed two days with the flu, arrived in time to play 12 minutes off the bench in the victory over the Cavaliers. He contributed six points and one block. "My wind felt fine," Thomas said. "I just wanted to help." Thomas said the illness made him feel "like death" and that he experienced a high fever, chills and nausea so that he "couldn't eat." Thomas said he felt "close enough" to 100 percent to play. "I appreciated his effort getting ..."
Chicago Bulls clip Cleveland Cavaliers 86-85
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November 6
Chicago Tribune
 
"For much of his 27 minutes, 23 seconds Thursday night, Joakim Noah banged against the once-immovable force known as Shaquille O'Neal. That, despite O'Neal's aging status, can tire even the springiest of chickens. "He's heavy, man," Noah said. Nevertheless, Noah found enough energy for the most ferocious of fist pumps after he and Luol Deng combined to defend LeBron James' final drive, preserving a gritty 86-85 victory over the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans arena. James' miss with 0.2 seconds left didn't just give the Bulls a different result from their last winnable road opportunity, Sunday in Miami. It dropped the Cavaliers' shooting percentage to .407. Don't look now, but the Bulls, who ..."
Ailing Thomas sent home again
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November 5
Daily Southtown
 
"Tyrus Thomas showed up at the Berto Center before practice Wednesday, but was still sick and was sent home for a second straight day. He didn't accompany the team when it departed for Cleveland on Wednesday afternoon. Although it seems highly unlikely, there's a remote chance he could travel on his own today and join the team in time for the game with the Cleveland Cavaliers. ''He's at home,'' coach Vinny Del Negro said after practice. ''He'll see the doctor (Wednesday) and (today) and then we'll re-evaluate and see if he can fly to Cleveland. ''But he's pretty sick still. He's got the flu, sore throat, the whole thing.'' Besides allowing him to get rest, Thomas was sent home both days so ..."
Thomas ill again, likely to miss Cavaliers game
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November 5
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Tyrus Thomas showed up at the Berto Center before practice Wednesday but was still sick and was sent home for a second straight day. He didn't accompany the team when it departed for Cleveland on Wednesday afternoon. Although it seems highly unlikely, there's a remote chance he could travel on his own today and join the team in time for the game with the Cleveland Cavaliers. ''He's at home,'' coach Vinny Del Negro said after practice. ''He'll see the doctor [Wednesday] and [today], and then we'll re-evaluate and see if he can fly to Cleveland. ''But he's pretty sick still. He's got the flu, sore throat, the whole thing.''"