Chicago Bulls guard Richard Hamilton could be sidelined for up to a month after tearing his plantar fascia, CSNChicago,com reported.
Dec 072012
Dec 072012
Chicago Bulls guard Richard Hamilton could be sidelined for up to a month after tearing his plantar fascia, CSNChicago.com reported.
Dec 062012
After a tough loss to Indiana on Tuesday night, the Chicago Bulls bounced back in a big way with a double-digit victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Marco Belinelli filled in for Richard Hamilton once again and had his best game yet as a member of the Bulls. His 23 points led the team in scoring.
Luol Deng was second in scoring with 22 points. He also grabbed seven rebounds.
The Bulls were in control for a majority of the game, leading the Cavs by 16 after the first quarter. Cleveland was able to cut the lead down to six late in the third quarter, but the Bulls held them off and held a nine-point lead going into the final quarter.
Both teams struggled in the final period, shooting under 40 percent.
Luol Deng’s strong fourth quarter (11 points on 4-for-4 shooting) was enough to hold off any chance of a comeback by Cleveland.
Game Positives
This was another strong defensive performance by Chicago, who allowed 85 points on just 37 percent shooting. Joakim Noah (13 points, 15 rebounds) and Carlos Boozer (10 points, 12 rebounds) both contributed with double-doubles.
Kirk Hinrich also had an efficient game, shooting over 50 percent and tallying eight assists.
The offense was efficient as a whole, shooting 47 percent from the floor and were once again strong on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 45-41.
Game Criticisms
The Bulls’ 15 turnovers is probably the biggest criticism I have in this game.
There’s also the fourth-quarter struggles that the Bulls seem to have this season. Chicago shot 35 percent in the fourth quarter and were 0-for-5 from beyond the arc. They also had five turnovers in that period.
This was a big win for Chicago, as they have just one day of rest before starting another set of back-to-back games on Friday night with the Detroit Pistons, followed by the New York Knicks on Saturday night.
The Bulls’ seesaw season continues as they are once again above .500 with a 9-8 record.
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Dec 052012
CLEVELAND (AP) — Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau says veteran guard Richard Hamilton could miss two weeks because of a foot injury.
Dec 032012
The Chicago Bulls had planned on being without Derrick Rose (torn ACL) for a big part of the 2012-’13 NBA regular season.
What they didn’t account for, though, was Rose taking the Bulls’ offense with him.
A year after tying the San Antonio Spurs for the best record in (50-16), Chicago has slid down the Eastern Conference standings without their MVP leader. The 2012-’13 Bulls have struggled to find repeat performances on either end of the floor, but their offense has seen the biggest drop off.
Coach Tom Thibodeau‘s team has struggled to identify a go-to scorer.
Luol Deng (18.1 points per game) has enjoyed a dominant season as a second option on offense. The problem is his complementary game has lacked the most crucial element for any sidekick. He’s missing his superhero partner.
If there’s been a bright spot for the 8-7 Bulls, it’s been Richard Hamilton. The 13-year veteran isn’t quite reliving his superstar days as a Detroit Piston, but he’s no longer the offensive liability that Chicago fans may remember from last year.
Thibodeau has been forced to implement an all-hands-on-deck approach to his offense. Deng leads the team in scoring, while four other players (Hamilton, Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah and Nate Robinson) have each averaged between 13.9 and 11.2 points per game.
So when news broke that Hamilton suffered a torn plantar fascia in his left foot (according to Sam Smith of Bulls.com), a gust of despair blew across the Windy City. The shooting guard was enjoying his most productive season as a member of this franchise, and the team had never needed his production more.
All may not be lost from this injury though, which Smith suggests may keep Hamilton sidelined for a week or two. In fact, if Smith’s timeframe is correct, Thibodeau may use the next handful of games to identify the rotation pieces who could help his team even after Hamilton’s return.
Jimmy Butler, the second-year player out of Marquette, should be first in line for Hamilton’s minutes. Butler plays the tenacious defense to fit Thibodeau‘s coaching style, and he’s even shown some offensive ability in limited minutes (5.4 points on 52.9 percent shooting in 15.9 minutes per game).
Marco Belinelli has been the team’s best three-point threat (40.7 percent), but the sharpshooter had appeared to be falling out of the rotation in recent games (he logged just 9.3 minutes per game over the team’s past four games). Given Chicago’s struggles with consistent offensive production, Belinelli could shoot his way in to more minutes now and over the course of the season.
Thibodeau may simply opt for increased touches for his bigs. Boozer has the pedigree to be a top option even if he’s no longer the player that averaged 20-plus points three times over a four-year stretch. And Noah is such a gifted passer at the center spot (4.3 assists per game), that he remains productive despite the lack of an offensive post game.
Chicago’s next three opponents all have losing records (Indiana, Cleveland and Detroit). But following those three contests, the Bulls start a stretch of eight games against teams over .500.
So these next three games loom large for Chicago’s chances to maintain their competitiveness. If Thibodeau pulls the right strings with his offense, the Bulls could return Hamilton to a more consistently productive team than the one he left behind.
All statistics used in this article are accurate as of 12/2/2012.
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Dec 022012
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls say veteran guard Richard Hamilton has torn tissue in his left foot.
Nov 282012
The Chicago Bulls‘ collective confidence was recently shattered, but there’s no time to throw a pity party. Just two days after blowing a 27-point lead against the Milwaukee Bucks, they play the Dallas Mavericks at home Wednesday.
Like Chicago, Dallas has been without its star player all season. Star forward Dirk Nowitzki had knee surgery in October and isn’t expected back until at least mid-December.
This puts the Mavericks at a great disadvantage, but doesn’t mean they should automatically be written off. The team has still pulled off some big wins this season, from beating the Los Angeles Lakers on opening night to a close victory against the New York Knicks on November 21. Also, let’s not forget that they are just two seasons removed from winning an NBA championship.
Chicago hasn’t won any titles since 1998, but it has been the best team in the league each of the past two seasons thanks to star point man Derrick Rose. The Bulls have visibly struggled in his absence, but have done anything but flat-out give up.
This makes it all the more important that they play a tough game against Dallas and defend their home court.
Time: Wednesday, November 28, 8 p.m. EST
TV: CSN Chicago, Fox Sports Southwest
Records: Dallas Mavericks (7-8) vs. Chicago Bulls (6-7)
Betting Lines: Bulls -6 (according to vegasinsider.com)
Injuries: Derrick Rose (knee, out), Dirk Nowitzki (knee, out), O.J. Mayo (ankle, expected to play)
Key Storyline: Bulls Look to Get Back to .500 Following Heartbreaking Loss
Chicago hasn’t played horribly this season, even with Derrick Rose continuing to recover from ACL surgery. The team is just 6-7 and is actually tied for second place in the Central Division. The Bulls stand just 1.5 games behind the Milwaukee Bucks, who made a great comeback before defeating them Monday night.
The loss put the Bulls below .500 and is the exact reason why they need to shake off the hurt from that game to focus on tonight’s. The Mavericks have performed horribly on the road this season, going just 2-5. Chicago has gone 3-4 at home, but has the overall depth and experience to defeat this young squad.
Of course, Dallas has its own agenda entering this game. The Mavs have lost two straight and three of their last four. As it would for Chicago, a win would put the Mavericks back at .500 for the season.
A win isn’t going to come easy for either team. Chicago is coached by longtime Knicks and Boston Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau, who runs a tough defensive system he learned while with both teams. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle, on the other hand, runs something of a modified run-and-gun offense that also features a fine low-post game.
It’s certainly going to be a clash of styles, and the players will have to adjust accordingly.
Key Matchup: Chris Kaman vs. Joakim Noah
Tonight, we have a tale of two centers. Bulls big man Joakim Noah has been great this season, averaging 13.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. Dallas’ Chris Kaman, has been solid as well, averaging 14.2 points, seven rebounds and 1.1 blocks.
Both men play a fine defensive game, but Kaman has something of an advantage. Not only is he more experienced than Noah, but he is also a stronger offensive player. For his career, he has averaged 12 points per game compared to Noah’s nine.
Granted, Noah’s offensive game is coming into its own this season, but is still developing. Kaman has shown throughout his career that he can be a strong scorer both in the paint and on the perimeter, and will have an advantage tonight in that department.
Defensively, the two could not be more similar. Both players have incredible length and use it to play solid defense, and they’ll be going toe to toe all night long as they fight for every loose ball that comes their way.
Noah has the tenacity, but Kaman has the experience. He may have a reputation as soft, but he’s going to do all he can to win this battle and help bring in the win for Dallas.
X-Factor: Richard Hamilton
One of the players who has stepped up in Rose’s absence is 2-guard Richard Hamilton, who only appeared in 28 games last year due to injuries. He has yet to miss a game this season and has been one of Chicago’s top scoring options.
In 13 games, Hamilton is averaging 14.5 points and shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range. Over his last five games, he is averaging 17 points and has made 43 percent of his three-pointers. One of these games includes a 30-point effort in Chicago’s now-infamous loss to Milwaukee.
Hamilton simply must keep it up tonight. He has a weak defender guarding him in O.J. Mayo, so there’s no reason to believe that he won’t be able to score a good number of points. With Luol Deng and the rest of his teammates contributing as necessary, Hamilton’s scoring touch and knack for hitting threes should keep Chicago in the game from start to finish.
That is, unless he has a bad night, which could sink the Bulls.
Depth Charts
Mavericks
Bulls
Prediction
I’ve made a lot of predictions for games this season, but this one might be the toughest to call. Dallas has so much youth and a strong desire to win, whereas the Bulls have plenty of experience to go with that same passion. Throw in how both teams have played without their star, and it doesn’t get any easier.
Still, based on how well they’ve performed as a unit over the past couple of years, the Bulls have the clear advantage here. Their current starters have been playing together longer than those of the Mavericks, and they have still played some good basketball even without Rose.
This game will see another solid scoring effort from Richard Hamilton. Joakim Noah may not score as many points as Chris Kaman, but he’ll easily win the defensive battle with some help from Carlos Boozer.
O.J. Mayo will keep Dallas in the game as he gets back to his high-scoring ways, and he’ll have some help from veteran Vince Carter, not to mention rookie Jae Crowder. Sadly, it just won’t be enough by the final buzzer.
Dallas will see its fair share of scoring runs and leads, but Chicago will come charging back each time. It may take a while for the momentum to fully shift to one side, but the Bulls will gut it out and come away with a victory that brings their confidence back up to where it should be.
Chicago Bulls 98, Dallas Mavericks 94
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Nov 272012
The Chicago Bulls filled a season-long gag reel in their 93-92 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.
The Bulls led 78-51 with 2:50 remaining in the third quarter. They mustered just 14 points over the game’s final 14-plus minutes, while allowing 42 to a Bucks lineup laced with second-teamers.
Teams have been torched in the past by Milwaukee’s starting backcourt—Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. They’ve even seen Mike Dunleavy catch fire from three-point land from time to time.
Not tonight, though. Milwaukee’s three leading scorers combined for just 22 points on 8-of-24 shooting.
How did Chicago manage to blow this lead, then? They’re probably still trying to figure that out. While five Milwaukee players scored in double figures, only one (Ersan Ilyasova, 18 points) scored more than 11 points.
While the Bucks bench largely erased this lead with 56 points, Chicago’s bench managed just seven field goal attempts. Richard Hamilton looked like vintage Rip with 30 points for the game, but shot just 2-of-8 in the fourth-quarter collapse.
It’s tough to hit the panic button this early in the season. Then again, it’s tough to blow a 27-point lead with under 15 minutes left in the game.
The Bulls may not appear to be in serious danger with a 6-7 mark, but only one of those wins came against a team with a winning record (a 93-86 win over these same Bucks in Milwaukee on Saturday). Not to mention they’ve already lost to the New Orleans Hornets (3-9 entering Monday), Portland Trail Blazers (6-8) and Houston Rockets (6-7).
Coach Tom Thibodeau‘s team has played their typical stingy defense (93.4 points allowed per game). But they’ve struggled to find enough offense to win games. Luol Deng leads the team in scoring with a pedestrian 17.2 points per game. Chicago entered Monday’s game with the second-worst three-point attack in the NBA (28.1) and 10th-worst field goal percentage (43.6).
This second-half collapse won’t require a players only meeting. It might not even warrant a film session. Blowing that kind of lead tends to speak louder than any Thibodeau rant could.
Derrick Rose isn’t returning soon. In fact, the club still doesn’t know when that time will come.
The Dallas Mavericks will visit the United Center on Wednesday. If the game itself isn’t a must win, then the first five minutes surely are in the minds of a very concerned fanbase.
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Nov 202012
Chicago Bulls fans must curb their enthusiasm when it comes to the expectations of their team.
If you have taken the time to assess each player’s performance, you are not alone. I will look into the play of each Bull to see which player has met, exceeded or has failed to make the expectations fans have placed on them.
A couple of Bulls’ players, Marco Belinelli and Richard Hamilton, have come to close to meeting the goals that were set for them. As for the others, how has your favorite Bull performed thus far? It is time to find out.
Nov 142012
When Derrick Rose tore his ACL in last year’s playoffs, Chicago Bulls fans’ hearts immediately sank. Rose had played a key role in the team being the NBA‘s best each of the past two seasons, so how could they continue to play well without its fearless leader?
However, while Rose continues his road to recovery, the Bulls have continued to play well. The team is 4-3 and just a half game behind the Milwaukee Bucks in the Central Division.
More importantly, the rest of the team has done a great job of stepping up and looks like it is more than capable of doing well in the playoffs. Richard Hamilton has done a fine job staying healthy and Luol Deng has been clutch on both sides of the floor per usual.
The best player in Chicago, however, has been center Joakim Noah. Through seven games, he has averaged 15.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He has not once turned off the afterburners and finally seems to be living up to his full potential.
That said, Bulls fans need to stop the pity party and just root for the team that has played well all season long. Yes, Rose is a big loss, but it’s not as though Chicago has just lost an irreplaceable player. Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson have done a fine job running the point in the former No. 1 pick’s absence and are keeping the Bulls in the hunt early in the season.
On top of that, just look at how the rest of the key Bulls players have performed thus far. Rose’s injury has brought them together and they are playing with the type of motivation that most coaches can only dream of. They are determined to prove that they are still a dangerous squad without Rose, and it is clearly working based on Chicago’s place in the standings.
The best part of it all is that the Bulls are not merely getting by. They may rank 21st in points scored per game, but that can be attributed to Rose’s absence, as the 2011 MVP has averaged 21 points per game for his career. Factor that in, and Chicago goes from being 21st to the very top offensive team.
On the other side of the coin, the team’s defense is looking top notch, ranked fifth in the NBA. With Rose out, everyone has turned up the effort on this side of the court to successful results.
Thus, Bulls fans need to stop putting Derrick Rose on a pedestal. He is important to the team, but not so much to the point where it is lost without him. Four and three isn’t a great record to start the season, but it’s better than anyone could have expected them to do thus far.
Seeing as how Rose has just started cutting on his knee again (via ESPN Chicago), it may only be a matter of time before he returns to the lineup. At that point, fans’ cries may return to smiles and so will the Bulls to the top of the standings.
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