via i15.photobucket.com

sat on the 50-yard line. and then ran into some celebs... well, if you want to call them celebs. i guess they are in Bulls Land. more to see after the jump.

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[Thanks to BULLieving in Miami for today's game preview. The final 3 games are unclaimed if you want to jump in before the season is over. Posting this now and will likely update when we get an official word on Rose and Deng's status -yfbb]

Missed last night's win against the lowliest of the low, the Charlotte Bobcats. Apparently, I wasn't the only one. In my opinion it's a shame that games featuring MJ's franchise against the one he played for (y'know, the Bulls. He did OK there) can't muster up any excitement. Well, thank goodness for the Heat. Nothing like a game against the bitterest of rivals, regardless of what JoNo has to say, to snap everyone out of a 48-hour snooze.

For some reason this game doesn't seem to carry the same excitement that last week's matchup did even though you know the NBA made this late-season schedule with causing build up to the playoffs in mind. Hopefully I can get a fire going in your belly.

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Got into a debate recently after a Bulls win against a certain team from where I live. The debate was regarding playoff minutes. So it got me to thinking about a common misconception: playoff rotations.

There seems to be his general consensus that regardless of what contributions a team gets from certain players, the rotation must be trimmed down to eight or nine players come playoff time. Hey, makes sense. You want to keep your best players on the court the most amount of minutes possible. But what about in cases where depth is your team's strength, like this year's Bulls? Should the Bulls just scrap players who have made significant contributions to the team's overall success this season just to play the Noahs and Boozers and Rips more? I think in this particular season with the truncated schedule you might see some teams open up their playoff rotations, for the sake of fresher legs or otherwise, and the Bulls will be one of those teams.

Looking at total minutes played this season, the Bulls top 5 most used line-ups this season involve 11 different players. Now, JL3 is in one of those line-ups which speaks to the injury issues of this shortened season, so I think we can say the Bulls rotation goes a solid 10 deep. By minutes per game, those 10 players (Rose, Rip, Deng, Booz, Noah, Watson, Brewer, Korver, Taj, Asik) all average 15 minutes or more (Asik at just under with 14.8), enough minutes to have an impact on the game. I mean, I think we can safely say Omer has an impact on games and thus their outcome. Now, is Thibs supposed to just cut Asik from the rotation, reduce him to maybe 5 minutes a game at most for the sake of playing the best 8 or 9 guys all the time? Even a guy like Lucas has put in 14 minutes a game (including one memorable 45-minute performance) for 45 games! Obviously, if Rose is healthy, Watson should be getting any remaining minutes at the PG and thus Lucas should be on the bench. It really does speak volumes to Thibs as a coach in keeping the winning going while depending on production from so many different places. So now the playoffs come. What will happen?

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[Thanks to 'BULLieving in Miami' for today's game preview. Game thread at 7. I'll be a the UC, hopefully resisting live-tweeting too much and instead doing that cheering thing. Go Bulls. -yfbb]

At the risk of being a jinx, I'll just say I HOPE this is the preview to the preview (next Thursday) of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals (sometime in late May). yfBB already did some of the groundwork in his pre-preview to this game preview, and at this point how much can really be said about chasing the #1 seed that hasn't already been said. Even though the Heat have lost 2 out of their last 3 home games, they are still an impressive 24-4 at home and thus makes getting home court advantage in a possible playoff matchup that much more important in this viewer's eyes. So that's one thing to be said about this game.

Now, as far as a gauge of where each team is at the moment, oddly it seems as though both teams are in flux either due to injuries or general sucktitude (I'm looking at you, Joel Anthony). For the Bulls, Rip did well against the Knicks and hopefully this is a sign of him starting to find a rhythm after returning from injury a few games ago. Rose is a game-time decision (what's new), though I get the feeling he will be out there on the floor tonight. Besides the injuries, the Bulls are a team trying to rediscover their identity. Sure they still do the things they do well (rebounding, defense) but now how do they incorporate their MVP back into the fold after being out for a crucial stretch during the second half of the season when teams start to solidify themselves.

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[Thanks to BULLieving in Miami for carrying on his tradition of doing Heat-Bulls game previews. Gamethread at 2:30. Lets go Bulls! -ed.]

AKA versus the 1990 Detroit Pistons.

That's right, folks. It's time to encounter the mountain that the Bulls must overcome to achieve their championship dreams, granted only in a regular season tilt. Not that it matters much but this is about as much of a measuring stick game as we can get at the moment between these two teams who are almost certainly headed straight for a second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals bout. Really, at this point it's almost become an annual playoff meeting between these two. But honestly, they kinda make the perfect enemy don't they, what with loathing the Big 2 1/2 and all.

OK, I got my small dig in there, though this is somewhat of a different team than the one that ousted the Bulls last spring. To begin with, they are completely healthy with Dwyane Wade returning Friday night in a win against the Knicks. I guess them being healthy only means Udonis Haslem potentially tearing our hearts out won't be so unexpected. Mostly, the changes with the team this year are philosophical changes, the kinds of things that need to be hashed out over time with the mix of talent.

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[Disclaimer: First and foremost, this is not an endorsement of any of sin's opinions. ;) This is also not meant to be revisionist history, especially in light of recent injuries. Its just a discussion about perceptions but used in the context of our Bulls. ]

Put the Bulls in an alternate universe for a minute. I promise, only a minute. I won't harp on this for the next year. Now imagine a trade for Melo had happened for Deng and Noah as had been widely speculated as what it would take to get Melo. Now I want to start off by saying I myself would not do this trade. No way I'm giving up top 3 players in the East at two positions for one top 3 player at one position.

Now, you might be asking why am I bringing this up now. Well, a debate these days around here is if Luol Deng should be in the all-star game. Now, in a perfect world where guys like Allen Iverson aren't starting when he's obviously over the hill because of fan voting, I would say you have to be top 2 in your conference at your position in order to guarantee yourself a spot (one starter, one back-up). So in the East, its no question who the starting SF is. Not even in jest can we argue this. Lebron is a superior player to Deng and Melo.

So then who really is the 2nd-best SF in the East?

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[Fixed the formatting. -BiM]

This is a topic I've been meaning to post about for a while now.

Last season, we all witnessed (sorry, Lebron) the rise of a new MVP in Derrick Rose. But, almost as important, is the fact he has helped usher in a new era and next evolution of the point guard position. Rose, along with guys like Westbrook and Wall (maybe not there yet) represent a new crop of PGs who are capable of going for 30 or 40 points on any given night. While this kind of offensive capability and explosiveness is an amazing asset to have in your primary ballhandler, I'm here to discuss a notion often mentioned here but I feel not truly dissected: moving Rose to shooting guard.

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Let me just preface this by saying this is in no way meant to bring up Orton-to-Fins talk again. I get it, he's 99.9% not coming. Also, this is not meant to bash our current administration, though some of it might come off like that.

It is a very interesting time to be a DolFan. Plenty to debate about in regards to the direction of the team, our hopes for this current season, and how we got to this point. For the purposes of this discussion, I'll tackle the last aspect first. 

There isn't much to be said about the Tuna's tenure here that hasn't already been discussed. Granted, when he arrived the team was a 1-15 disaster, but it can easily be argued that when he left the team it was in no better shape than when he found it. The offensive line is still a work-in-progress. There is still no franchise QB to speak of. But this post is not meant to rehash old news. The issue going forward is more about the Tuna's effect on the current management. You could say this is really the first season in which Ireland and Sparano are allowed to operate independently from the Tuna. So really, how much slack does that give them? I almost find it unfair that these guys are on the proverbial hot seat this season being that this is really only their first year in operation. In actuality, I'm looking at Ireland's fingerprints on the roster and liking what I see. Even going back to last year, trading for Brandon Marshall seems more like an Ireland move than a Parcells innovation. Suddenly, our roster seems to have more speed, thanks to Ireland, while still maintaining its size at the positions where its needed; a very sound philosophy.

So now where are we?

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Before getting to some quick Dolphins training camp observations, let me just say having been attending TC at least once a year since Saban, this was by far the oddest practice I've experienced. What seemed like a fun night early on took a weird twist from the bleachers. Though I left with a sour taste in my mouth, my tempers have been cooled by an observation in this post regarding the previous day's practice which states practice was held on the far field. A bit on that later. First, some football...

QB Battle: Overall they performed as can be expected. The first drill was two QBs at once taking snaps and throwing to their respective side of the field and as the drill progressed the receivers would run different routes. Mostly short to intermediate patterns. For the most part they all completed their passes aside from some passes on outs toward the sideline, but hopefully that comes with more practice.

Chad Henne: Overall hit most of his passes. One play that struck me as odd was him pat the ball and hesitate to throw while Matt Moore, who would throw together with Henne throughout the drill, just threw. Perhaps a receiver I did not see missed a route due to me watching through binoculars, but still the patting struck me as odd in a drill where he should just be letting it go.

Matt Moore: Compared to Henne, looked a bit quicker in his drop. Maybe his first day on the field and he's going a bit fast, but if he plays quicker like that it could mean getting into his reads quicker and possibly getting the ball out of there quicker.

Pat Devlin & Tom Brandstater: Not much to draw conclusions from this drill as its relatively easy passes to complete, which they did. 

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As the Bulls and Heat take the court tonight to begin their battle for the right to represent their conference in the NBA Finals, the Heat carry with them the burden of the hopes of an entire sports town. Sports town; not a term usually associated with Miami, as the Magic City carries with it the stigma of being a weak sports town, full of bandwagoners and tardy arrivals (in Miami, we call it Cuban Time). But believe me, this is a sports town with a pulse.

So why are the fans here fair-weather? simply put, this is a fair-weather town. In a city where the temperature barely drops below 70 degrees, even in the dead of winter, the options for recreational activities remains broad year-round. Whereas in the north people escape to the theatre and to arenas to escape the bitter cold and take in some entertainment, in Miami, the beach is still a viable option in January. so while a 1pm Heat crowd on a Sunday afternoon seems sparse, it's just the simple truth that you can be in the arena just as be out on a jetski. There is just simply too much to do. Trust me, I also shook my head as I would see empty seats throughout the arena of a team that just pulled the biggest coup possibly in all of sports history (save Babe Ruth) by signing the two-time MVP Lebron James. This is not an indictment against Chicago or some claim that Miami is a better city. It's not. But while Chicago has had the Cubs and White Sox and Bears to pull for and go see for over 100 years, Miami has just had beaches that whole time.

This is where the Heat come to the rescue. Miami has been and always will be a football town first. The Dolphins reign supreme, as they should being the only consistent winner down here, and the Miami Hurricanes act as a second pro football team down here and get the same coverage. But there is a shifting of the tide. The Dolphins remain cemented in mediocrity. for the better part of a decade now. The Marlins, while having provided two Wolrd Series championships, also have jaded their fan base through multiple ownership changes and firesales in their nearly 20 year existence.

Enter Lebron James, and with him, the hopes of a true contender for years to come. As Lebron-fever has caught on over the course of the last year, you can't help but notice in the streets and radiowaves of our little paradise the attention shift. No longer are people uber-concerned with the Dolphins 20th-round pick. The lockout doesn't help either. Sure, the Marlins have one of the budding young sluggers in the MLB in Mike Stanton, and granted they are playing well which'll keep some attention on them. Neither of these stories compares to a possible dynasty blooming in Miami.

The Marino jerseys walking around are fewer and fewer. A Marlins hat? Please. Miami is becoming a basketball town right before our eyes. The youngsters all follow the Heat. All those football fans are talking Heat basketball, and the fever has wrestled the Dolphins' (and Canes') grip on this town. Sure, when football comes around we'll go and cheer, but that franchise is currently not giving much hope for it's future to it's fans. Now, it's who can beat the Heat? How can this team improve in the offseason to become even more potent? Heat caps and jerseys are donned wherever you look and finally an entire generation of Miamians have something to truly root for and believe in.

You might not agree with this premise as we all know Wrigley sells out win or lose, but Miami is just not built that way. You might not agree but it doesn't make Miami any less of a sports town. We just wait for the big wave and ride it. Well, while the Marlins might've provided that for a year or so at a time, and the Dolphins haven't given that kind of hope since #13 was taking snaps, the Heat now have a firm grasp on a fanbase that knows there will be possible championships to root for in the forseeable future. This town's second best athlete ever (Wade) and the sport's possibly biggest talent ever (Lebron) have come in, set up shop, and people are buying. 

The transformation has taken place. Even the casual fan now all of a sudden has something to truly invest in. The Dolphins would have to win a super bowl to gain back this city. In all the offices and schools, young or old, everyone is cheering in one voice: LET'S GO HEAT!!! So while the Marlins wait for a new stadium to open next year to rejuvenate a fanbase and the Dolphins search for the next great QB, the Heat are contenders now, and Miami is a basketball town now. In a sense, it's a child coming of age. From the casual fan to the die-hards, everyone everywhere wants to talk Heat, and Miami is not just a better sports town for it, but a better city overall.

As far as this Bulls fan is concerned, a series win would make me happier than just about anything else. But if the Heat win, it'll still be great to be living in happy city. A rare win-win in sports.

Go Bulls!!!! 

[Thanks to BULLieving in Miami for today's game preview -ed.]

Bring on Miami Sunday, indeed!! Fearless words from our blog leader!!

The Bulls are riding high after their victory at Orlando. They now stand at 42-18, SECOND in the East (4th in the NBA) and keep traveling south to finish up their 5-game eastern road swing in Miami. That's right, the Heat: the team currently chasing the Bulls in the standings. Do you think this game loses any of its luster because the Bulls have already claimed the season series? Uh-uh. Is this game meaningless because the Bulls have already guaranteed themselves a successful road trip? Think again. In fact, right here, on the spot, as you read this, I have come up with a new word for these games when it comes to the Bulls: it is not a stampede, it is not a statement... it's a stampment!! On Sunday afternoon in hot Miami, the atmosphere will be just right for the Bulls to make another stampment and possibly further damage a currently fragile Heat psyche. The Heat are losers of 3 in a row, 4 of 5 (a stretch started by the Bulls ten days ago), and are now 1-8 versus BOS, SA, CHI, DAL, and LAL. The loss to San Antonio came Friday night in front of a national audience immediately after that audience watched the Bulls drub Orlando. How's that for the MVP discussion...

About the only thing that can stop the Bulls right now is South Beach... I am not trying to imply that the "talents" of South Beach will get in our Bulls' way. I'm fearful of South Beach itself! It's been proven that South Beach gives the Heat an automatic 10-point advantage when teams come into town. It's true! Young millionaires traveling on the company dime cannot resist a nightlife full of buzz, booze, and boobs. Good thing our front office decided to put together a team of basketball dorks who want no part of such nonsense. Our little gym rats are either working on improving their free throws or tucked away in bed dreaming about proper defensive rotation. Who am I kiddin'! The boys are out living it up with cocktails and Rick Ross as they should be. This team is rolling, ascending, playing with energy just about every night, and really making a name for themselves in the NBA. I mean, when announcers are taking notice of Omer Asik, you know your team has arrived. I just hope they got all the party out of their systems Friday night after arriving from Orlando to give them a good day to kick the hangover, or that the organization was smart and scheduled them to fly in Saturday night so there'd be no time to party with a 1pm tip local time. 

The Heat, meanwhile, are the ones suffering a hangover. After blowing a 24-point lead Thursday night at home versus the Magic, the Heat fizzled in San Antonio and now really look like a team searching for an identity. In all honesty, it does speak to the wealth of talent they do have at the top of their roster that they've been able to amass the record they have with no semblance of an offense or clear identity as a team. Sure they excel in the open court, but everyone knows the game changes and slows down in the postseason. They've now added Mike Bibby who debuted during that game to Orlando and came off the bench. That is yet to net positive results, and it was odd to see Lebron still bringing up the ball when Bibby was on the floor (at least during the Orlando game.didn't see the Spurs game). It'd probably be a stretch to say that locker room must be volatile at the moment, but I would say tensions might be growing. LeBrick can't seem to make a late shot to save his team, an area Wade used to excel in and he could be getting frustrated watching the last couple of close losses in the end play out in the same fashion. Perhaps the expectations are catching up with this team since they haven't gone out and trounced on everyone as many "experts" predicted. Ultimately, you could see this fate befalling them before the season. No consistent PG play, no inside threat, no consistent outside threat. If they go out and dominate and win out in the postseason then who cares about these struggles now, but right now they are struggling.

What else is there to be said about this matchup. The two teams have played a few times now, know each other well, are fully aware of the hype surrounding their teams and each other. Home court advantage is at stake for both teams; the Bulls have it, the Heat want it. You can even argue the Heat have more to play for in this game as they continue to soul-search. Whatever the case may be, it will definitely be an electric atmosphere... if the crowd ever shows up. 

Remember, early start. Noon on ABC for all the Central Timers in the room. 1PM for us down here, even though my day will still start early as I will be attending (400 level. all I could afford last minute. will be rocking my Derrick home white) and have pre-game festivities to handle. I'm hoping to catch me a glimpse of Stacey and the Hunk. Enjoy! Cheer with confidence! Go Bulls!!!

[Thanks to BULLeiving in Miami for today's game preview. It's a huge game! Trade deadline is over, and the Bulls have indicated through their actions that they're pretty happy with their squad as is. Whether that means they think they're good enough to win the East, or weren't going to be good enough regardless of the proposed moves, I'm not sure. But a good way to find out is tonight's matchup.

Game is at 7 on TNT. I'll be at the UC, perhaps the most-anticipated regular season game I've been to in the 5 years I've been going regularly. Follow the live tweets, if there are any. -ed.]

Round 2... and perhaps a bit too soon....

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[Thanks to Bullieving in Miami for today's game preview, really enjoyed this one. -ed.]

There will be one question leading up to tonight's game: Will Lebron tough it out and play? James inured his ankle during their loss at the Clippers Wednesday night. The Heat then proceeded to get drubbed in Denver 130-102 the following night, in a game where perhaps it seemed they weren't even trying.

This can all get viewed in many ways. If Lebron doesn't suit up (though its rumored he'll give it a go, according to Peninsula is Mightier), is it a reflection upon our Bulls and this game simply doesn't mean that much to them? This is also the last stop on their 5-game road trip (we won't call it a "circus trip" since that name is already patented). Could they possibly be looking forward to just getting home and healthy? In that regard it can also say plenty about our team. Remember earlier in the year during the Circus Trip when we fans were concerned about them losing to Sacramento because they might be also looking to just getting home? The Bulls won, but had to fight for it, being down 13 at the half. The Bulls are having to work hard for these wins. Granted, as opposed to last year's squad, they are showing resiliency and winning those games, but if the Heat come in and beat the Bulls without Lebron, then it shows just how easy the Heat have it going most nights. It shows that the Bulls aren't as close as we'd like to think they are. Hey, that's why the trio got together in the first place, right? They can coast much of the season and still amass a 30-11 record. 

To their credit, the Heat have actually been playing outstanding ball. Since their sluggish 9-8 start, the Heat have mashed on the gas pedal (league leading +8 point diff). Lil' Spoe (as we call him down here) has figured out a few things about this team. For starters, the Heat are just a better team on the court when they have a true point out there with Wade and Lebron, rather than have one of them man the point guard duties. Having Carlos Arroyo and Mario Chalmers (not calling him a pure point by any stretch, but he does help bring the ball up the floor, get them into their offense, and... well, chuck up shots) helps their offense get set-up quicker and smoother. It also helps that Arroyo (FIUuuuuuuu!!!) is having a career shooting year (of course).

Another quirk was losing Udonis Haslem to injury. Before the season I always envisioned the Heat's money-time lineup as Haslem, Bosh, Miller, LBJ, Wade. What the injury to Haslem did was force Lil' Spoe to not use Bosh at center as much as he was with Haslem in the game. Now the Heat always have one of Big Z, Joel Anthony, or Erica Dampier on the floor, who plainly are just able to do the inside work that Bosh isn't physical enough to do.

All in all, the Heat have been playing the way we all expected them to, capped off by Wade and Lebron sharing Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors for December. This also raises an interesting debate. We sports fans love to argue about who is better than whom and if this guy played with that guy's teammates he'd be playing better. Well, what this season has given us is the ability to assess the 2 best players in the game (in my opinion. I've always liked both more than Kobe) side by side with the same teammates. No more excuses about who's supporting cast is better or worse. They both play with the same teammates and each other. If there were a conclusion to be drawn from that, Wade has shown to be the better player. Before Rose, Wade was always my favorite player in the league and he has not disappointed this year. Lebron just seems to go through these lulls where he starts chucking shots while Wade is always working for the most efficient shot. While Lebron can just overpower opponents at times, Wade is deceptive. He'll put you to sleep with his silky smooth dribbling and then suddenly explode to the rim.

Its been a great dynamic to watch this year. And despite the few empty seat the always sold-out UC crowd might see on TV, this has truly become a basketball town. The Dolphins and Canes (because they are treated like a second pro team down here) are in disarray, the Marlins continue to be... the Marlins (never forget 2003), and the hockey team plays in the next county. I really think it would take a Super Bowl win for the Fins to wrestle this town back from the grips of the Heat. The fever has truly caught on, its all anyone can talk about. 

As far as the actual game, I'm picking the Bulls in this one, despite the back-to-back. The Bulls, believe it or not (since we have our issues with this year's schedule) are 8-3 so far in the second game of a B2B. Eight of those games have been on the road, and the team traveled back from Indy last night (they won). But when I started looking forward to this matchup at the beginning of their road trip, I figured this would be the one game the Heat could very well drop as it is the last game of the trip (and now with the injured James). I just don't want to hear excuses from Heat fans about the Bulls beating them without LBJ. Now, if Lebron does suit up, I could see this Heat team coming out pumped for Wade (loyalty?) and Lebron (the RIGHT decision?). Or perhaps Rose goes into beast mode and shows that he, in fact, didn't need Lebron with him in Chicago. Oh, Chris Bosh plays for them as well. Also, the Bulls matchup well in the areas where the Heat are weakest, namely in the post (KT, Asik, Boozer, Taj vs Z, Anthony, Dampier, Juwanna Howard?) and at PG (Rose vs Arroyo, Chalmers). Oddly enough, Chalmers has always played Rose well, so this will be a matchup to watch over the course of the game.

In other news, Joakim Noah's rehab... continues. Rose has passed Rondo in All-Star voting and we need to keep voting to make sure he remains in line to start. 

Catch the action tonight at 7PM (for you guys) on NBATV and WGN. I would suggest to go over to Peninsula is Mightier (horrible name for that blog) and the Miami Herald Heat Blog to make our presence felt, but there apparently isn't any readership, so we'd basically be the ONLY presence. Hostile Takeover!!! I guess blogging is just something we don't do down in Miami. Speaking of which, 72 and Sunny calls. Enjoy the game. Get loud, UC!!! And... I got Seahawks this weekend.

Don't know how to link to it, but I'm sure there is a podcast somewhere and I just had to put this out there.

I sometimes find him annoying but sometimes like his opinions. Either way I often find myself listening to The Herd on ESPN Radio when driving home during the midday. Well, today in particular got me going and I will share. Perhaps you heard it, but if you didn't... Colin Cowherd claims he has friends in the media with intimate knowledge at the time of LeBron's thinking during the whole free agent period. Supposedly, LeBron was really interested in Chicago and reached out to Rose after the last game of the season, but was apparently shunned in a way by young Rose, who supposedly preferred Joe Johnson instead of Lebron to the Bulls. So Colin jumps to the conclusion that no one wants to play with Rose because he isn't elite or doesn't have "big picture" thinking, as he calls it, like Kobe and Wade and LeBron do. So he is basically saying that a superteam didn't happen in Chicago because of Rose, and apparently never will the way he is trashing our superstar. He compared Rose to Marbury "who also averaged 9 assists", and criticized the broadcast's claim that Rose has to learn to be a leader. Cowherd thinks that quality is seen from the beginning, that you can tell right of the bat who has it, and if Derrick doesn't by now then he never will. Basically, he is comparing Rose to the likes of Marbury and Steve Francis.

My take: Cowherd is a blowhard, but if we were to consider this... first, if LeBron really made a point to reach out to Rose and Rose turned him away, that is very dumb. But then I started thinking... what if Rose really sees himself as an alpha-dog and sees Johnson as someone who could come in and fit in rather than LeBron who would obviously become the focal point of the team. Is that perhaps Jordanesque thinking (I'm not comparing the two) in that he'd rather beat the likes of Wade and LeBron than play with them? In the end, I think Rose's selfishness to be the unquestioned leader of this team ("why not me for MVP?") will ultimately translate more to team success than it did for guys like Marbury and Francis. All stars are selfish in a way, but others are selfish to a fault, like Marbury and Francis, who both ruined teams for not wanting to share the spotlight. I mean, Marbury tried to push Garnett out of Minnesota. If LeBron went to the Bulls without Rose's "permission", I don't think Rose would be stupid enough either to want to push him out the door. If anything, Rose was looking at the situation too rationally and valuing fit more than just pure talent. I wouldn't blame him for it, but I would definitely disagree.

Anyways, heard this and thought I'd share it here and see what you all think. Perhaps you heard it yourself or not. I'd look it up as it was definitely an interesting listen. but Cowherd still blows.

[Thanks to 'BULLieving in Miami' for today's game preview (sign up!). I, for one, do not endorse degrading all women by associating a lady-name with the despicable likes of Rajon Rondo -ed.]

I will use someone's suggestion and just state this: Rajon Randa can go hang himself.

Enjoy the game...

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[Ah, there it is! Thanks to Bullieving in Miami (naturally) for tonights' big game preview. -ed.]

I must admit I got a bit ahead of myself with my last preview. Since these two teams only met 3 times last year, I felt that last game in February was the only time the Heat would visit Chicago this year. This coming from the guy who has a printable schedule on his fridge and updates the record after every game. Anyways...

Here it REALLY is, my Chicagonese Bulls fans. Here is you last chance to sweet talk and serenade Dwyane Wade into your arms. Here is your last chance to... (ok, if you read the preview linked above, you get the picture).

At this point, everything that has to be said has been said. We all know where these teams stand. And no matter what games we as fans perceive as "acceptable" losses from here on out, the Bulls need every win they can get. So while looking around for material to talk about for this preview, I came across this over at ChicagoNow. Doug Thonus and I seem to share the same thought. (I get it, I MIGHT have a bias on this) There always seems to be a little extra something in the air when these two teams meet, and as if the excitement of a playoff hunt weren't enough, I thought I'd add fuel to the fire and get us all even more pumped up by revisiting some of the bad blood between the Bulls and Heat.

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[Thanks to Bullieving in Miami for today's game preview. Both teams are desperate for a win at this juncture. -ed.]

Here it is, my Chicagonese Bulls fans. Here is your last chance to sweet talk and serenade Dwyane Wade into your arms. Here is your last chance to make the hometown superstar feel, well, at home. And you know what, it couldn't have come at a better time.

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[Thanks to BULLieving in Miami for today's game preview (sign. up!) on this difficult day. Early east-coast start time of 6:30CST -ed.]

My shameful admission for the day: it is truly painful to write this right now. It's not to say that I wouldn't have put it past this team to have such a meltdown, but with the kind of game the Bulls were having in the first half of last night's game, I just couldn't imagine them blowing it. But alas, they find a way, still, to surprise me.

The thing that aggravates is I find myself thinking many things during that first half. Is Rose finally healthy, basically making November his training camp until he got back in game shape, or did he just "get up" for this one, perhaps catching wind of comparisons with Evans and looking to showcase himself? Is the first half a glimpse of what this team could be on a full-time basis if not for the coach, or were just extremely hot in that half? Truth be told, even when they got out to the early lead, I was pleased to see him playing the starters the bulk of the minutes, perhaps thinking maybe he's trying to get them to not let the foot off the Kings' throats, to keep the "effort" going, to not get comfortable with the lead. That game could've started turning the other way a lot earlier if VDN gets the bench players early, lets the starters lose their edge just sitting on the bench, and then the Kings cut the margin against the Hunters and JJs of the world. By the time the starters would come back in, it would take them a minute to get their heads back in the game, the Kings would have had them on their heels, and we'd get the same result. So which is disappointing: lose the lead in the first half or in the second half? The former is more typical of this team, but the latter is more dramatic. So if you crave basketball worth watching, last night was it. But I'm not getting on VDN's case this time for his rotations. But only this time. Next time, Vinny, you sleep with the fishes (that expression goes so well with his name). On to tonight's game...

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[Thanks to 'BULLieving in Miami' for today's game preview -ed.]

Thank you, Charlotte Bobcats!! Yeah, that's right. I said it. THANK YOU, BOBCATS!!!!

The Charlotte Bobcats have the honor of being the team that the Nets finally defeated to avoid going 0-82. Hey, 1-81 ain't bad. I just feel this would've been the game the Nets would win if they came to the UC tonight winless. That's just the bad luck of this Bulls team. The stars would've aligned. Dog and cats would be living together. It would just go down that way, I'm sure of it. Really, though, it's also nice that New Jersey lost at the Knicks on Sunday, because a 3-game winning streak is probably a bit too much to ask of these New Jersey Nets. I guess the same could be said of our Bulls as well. If you look at it, this is the first game the Bulls play against a putrid team (and I'm just referring to their record. They do have talent). All of the games played so far are against clearly superior opponents (many) or against teams either in the same boat as the Bulls (DET, CHA) or better off (TOR, SAC, MIL). Not necessarily good company to be in if you are trying to pose as a "playoff contender" or "team on the rise". Let me just say that term may apply to our core of young players, but definitely not to this organization. I'd say at least 20 out of the 29 other teams have more talent or potential than our current roster in my opinion.

That brings me to tonight's opponent, who I believe is one of those 20 teams, the New Jersey Nets. This team is a deceptive 1-19. You could say they have a better young core than the Bulls. Devin Harris missed the first 10 games of the season with a groin issue. They were a Dwyane Wade buzzer-beater from being just bad, as opposed to historically bad. I'd also say perhaps Lawrence Frank had worn out his welcome as this team was not going anywhere anytime soon. Harris is yet to get his game in gear, averaging 16 points/game on 35% shooting. Make no mistake though when healthy he is the catalyst for their offense, and in PG comparisons, a much more assertive player than Derrick Rose right now. That is my main gripe with the kid up to this point: is it still the ankle, lack of motivation, or lack of coaching, or ALL THREE?? I can't make up my mind. But based on last season, Harris is the more efficient scorer. I only bring this up because lately we've had debate about whether Rose should shoot more. I actually like Derrick's efficiency; he doesn't require many shots to get his points. They both average 15 FGA/game. The main difference Harris averages 7.5 FTA/game, a full 4 FTA more than Rose, and the gap was greater last season when Harris was healthy. So maybe yes, Rose needs to shoot more to get his points up, because i feel he is so athletically gifted, he CAN get around and over the defense, but needs to learn to kind of go into the defense to get more calls. Hopefully he will learn this, but as his body matures and he becomes stronger and faster, he might stay with the same approach and he might never become a guy that gets a lot of free throws, which is bad.

Another player I really like on this team is Brook Lopez. If the NBA hadn't handed the Bulls don't land that #1 overall pick, Lopez was the player to get at #9. He's already turing into a handful and he's the mythic low-post scorer the Bulls have lacked in the core they had the last few years. Lopez (18.9/9.0/2.3blks) has a good post game that will only get better with polishing, and he gets to the line (6.0 FTA/game) more than anyone on the Bulls. The Bulls should think of throwing a double-team at him every once in a while tonight. That's not to say Noah can't handle him, but Joakim has been getting in foul trouble lately, and if they don't give Noah help, it won't be long before Lopez is having his way against Miller, Gray (oh dear), and Taj on his way to some kind of new career high. And does anyone feel cheated for the Lopez twins not being required to go to the same team in the draft? My girlfriend loved them together, and they have the same last name as hers, which always helps. Plus, the Bulls can afford to double in this match-up as the Nets are bottom-of-the-league bad at shooting threes (yes, actually worse than the Bulls). And Courtney Lee and Chris Douglas-Roberts are also promising young talents. Lee always displayed a heads-up game while with Orlando.

No Kurt.

The Nets are 1 of 2 teams that score less than the Bulls and they also have a bigger differential than the Bulls, meaning they play worse defense. So the Bulls do stand a good chance and at home. I'm hoping Harris is still slowed by the groin and he and Lopez won't get some of those foul calls on our homecourt.

And in closing... the Nets bad start could be directly attributed to the absence of Devin Harris early on. Guess thats what happens when a team is without their best scorer. But Harris didn't sign with another team. He was just hurt. He'll be back. Can't say the same in Chicago.

GAMETIME: 7PM CST  TV: CSN

Sorry, I have to keep this short because i'm on the way out to work, but I thought I'd fill everyone in on the talk going on down her in steaming Miami. And I apologize for not having some kind of link, but I heard this on the radio.

There is talk of a rift between Pat Riley and Dwyane Wade. I hope everyone has heard Wade's recent comments about not being content with first- round playoff exits. He wants to contend for titles as he enters his prime years, and obviously would like the Heat organization to get him some talent to play with. Well, the talk is now that Riles and D-Wade have a rift going. Pat Riley has told Wade he will not pursue anyone or sign any significant help until Wade himself re-signs with the team. This obviously has Wade upset. He wants to stay with the Heat, but as he put it, a "wound has been opened". He has no personal problems with Riley, but he feels they are on opposite ends of the table at the moment. Again, nothing personal, but obviously at odds in the basketball/ business aspect. 

It looks like a staring contest in the making, and if Riley is smart, he'll blink first because Wade IS the franchise player and seems to have the leverage in this situation. Wade wants help, but Riley won't give it to him until he knows the future of his superstar is secure in Miami. Again, not a huge development, but definitely something to keep track off with Wade's impending free agency next year. Now, the possibility of Wade leaving Miami is greater, and perhaps a glimmer of hope that he'll end up in his hometown.

Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope Riley's ego gets in the way of solving the issue, opening the door for Wade's exit.

8pm CST. on the worldwide leader (ESPN). 

Last night went well, why not keep it going, since it seems we're all bored and are still watching some basketball. I mean, I'd like to enter next season knowing who the defending champs are. Wouldn't you?

In other news, FC Barcelona won the UEFA Championship, beating Man U, 2-0. I'm not into soccer, but I need 75 words and its the only sports I've watched today.

And now, as I finish up my 75 word banter, I will quote the great Dave Wannstedt.

"If Ricky Williams averages 3.5 yards per carry, and you give it to him 3 times, he should get you the first down."

I've been meaning to post this for some time, but this is the first time in a while I spend a significant period of time at my computer.

So as we all know, the Marlins' new ballpark has been approved, assuring baseball is here to stay in Miami. I'm sure this brings a lot of excitement to fans everywhere, and maybe even conflicting emotions in regards to the current economy and the timing of this deal. This is not the focus of this post. I am posting this because I'd like to share my view of what the payroll for this club will be going forward and beyond 2012 when the park opens.

Many Marlins fans will jump to the conclusion that this new stadium means more of a revenue stream coming to the club and thus more money being shelled out to big-time free agents. I'm here to shoot down such notions. Sure, this is what the organization and fans have been waiting for: larger revenue coming into the team to be used on players and not lease payments at Dolphins Stadium. But that is not this team's track record. The Marlins have a very particular way of running their business. Overpaying for players is not one of them.

I do not doubt that this organization is about winning and being competitive, which they've done. And, hopefully, this new stadium will prompt them to open up their wallets some more. But don't get ahead of yourselves, fans. It's not as though suddenly the Marlins will be players in sweepstakes for the likes of Mark Texeira or C.C. Sabathia. I believe the Marlins will spend on players that are fiscally beneficial.

Let's face it. As much as it frustrates us sometimes to not be in play for top flight free agents, the Marlins know how to maximize the talent they have available to them. They know that the A-Rod's and ManRam's of the world are few and far between. those are players that come along only once every generation. And as great as those players are, they don't assure you success or championships. Most players only give you about 4 or maybe 5 years of solid production. And that is what the Marlins try to do: capitalize on that time window. And it works for them, and that's fine.

I'm not here to say that the Marlins will continue their bargain-basement ways. They better not. Not only will it shed bad light on the organization to continue in their current spending habits with a new revenue income (especially since the team chose to not open its books during stadium negotiations), but also it is not what our great city deserves. Our market is deserving of a competitive payroll. Granted, it will never be on the level of the Yankees or Red Sox, which is fine, because their form of spending doesn't assure anything and is somewhat irresponsible. But I feel that a middle-of-the-pack payroll is acceptable. If anything, it'll be money mostly spent on resigning their own talent. Rather than go after the Texeira's of this world, how about resign your own home-grown, elite talent, which they have shown they can produce. Sure, it'd be nice to go after a good tier 2 free agent every once in a while, and Miami is still a prime free agent destination, but Sampson and Co. know how to use the business of baseball to their advantage. They know players don't become free agents for almost 6 years, and not arbitration-eligible for 3 years. So they use the time they have control of that player's rights to their full advantage. Players can earn their pay, year-to-year, through arbitration, and if there is a player they feel they can make a long-term commitment to, then they can do it. If anything, this stadium means keeping a few more of those home-grown talents.

If anything, this post is to diminish false hopes some fans might have about the future of the payroll. No one should think the Marlins will suddenly be spending at the rate of the Mets or Dodgers. Frankly, as we all know what kind of sports town this is, the Marlins will always remain a small- or mid-market team, unless they become a baseball powerhouse, perennial contenders, and market themselves in Latin America as the "Team of the Americas", bringing in a whole other form of revenue and popularity. That's for another post, another day. In the meantime, we can enjoy this team's success now, as this team is competitive year in, year out. And we can rest assured that soon the Josh Johnson's and Dan Uggla's of the world won't have to look elsewhere for their big payday, but instead can look right here, in South Florida, and remain part of what could be the next great baseball team. With the Marlins' history, who's to say it ain't so.

So much for suspense. About a week ago, this game looked HUGE on the schedule. It would be billed as the “game of the season” for the Bulls. They’d be playing the team nipping at their heels in the playoff chase. MJ’s former organization versus his current organization. Alas, all we get is game #80 of the season, a mere tune-up for the playoffs. The OKC Thunder took care of all the drama for us last night as they defeated the Bobcats 84-81, thus ensuring the Bulls’ ticket to the postseason. So the question is which Bobcats team shows up tonight: the spoiler (though there isn’t much to spoil since it’s not as though they can somehow keep the Bulls out of the playoffs) or the team playing on the end of a back-to-back who just had its playoff heartbeat put to rest? Honestly, I think Charlotte has no chance in this game. What possible motivation can Larry Brown possibly give to this team at this point? They’ve climbed out of the depths of the Eastern Conference throughout the entire second half of the season to even get to this point, but that climb is over for them as they can’t possibly climb any higher in the standings. Plus, the way the Bulls have been playing at home, I don’t see the Trojan army coming in the UC and having a fighter’s chance.

All that being said, the Bulls can land anywhere between the 5th seed and the 8thseed. They currently sit 7th in a virtual tie with Detroit while only a game behind Philly, whose lost 4 in a row, and two games behind Miami, whose lost 2 in a row. Miami still has the Knicks (which is always a tough match-up for the Heat) and two playoff teams to play (ATL, DET), so they aren’t out of reach yet.

Philadelphia has two road games left, including the season finale @CLE, and a home date versus Boston. I’m guessing Boston is still playing hard to find their rhythm heading into the playoffs, and Cleveland could easily rest some players in that last game, but Philly could go 1-2 or even 0-3 and allow the Bulls to move up.

Detroit also has two road games left, including Indy and Miami. I feel as long as the Bulls take care of business on Monday @DET, they shouldn’t be jumping ahead of the home team.

As you all might’ve noticed, I enjoy coming up with useless little debates in the previews. They usually have no real bearing on the outcome of the games themselves, and my friends usually rag on me for getting into useless sports radio banter. Either way, my debate for these final 3 games is this: should VDN rest some guys now that their spot in the postseason is assured or should he stretch this already-thin rotation for the sake of “momentum” heading into the playoffs? I think many of you would say that whomever we play in the first round, we’d lose. That’s probably true, but at this point, why not just go for broke with this rotation and make sure to avoid playing the Cavs in the first round. Yes, I have changed my mind about who to play in Round 1. The Celtics seem vulnerable and the Magic’s shooting could go cold thus making them susceptible. What good would it do to break the rhythm this team has found? I say just keep steamrolling. Maybe this team goes in with some swagger, as TT’s comments suggest. Whatever. Keep it goin’!

GAMETIME: 7:30pm CST
TV: WGN
RADIO: ESPN1000

[Note by your friendly BullsBlogger, 03/26/09 3:07 PM CDT: Thanks to Bullieving in Miami (of course) for today's game preview. Derrick Rose is expected to play but not start. Likely just for injury reasons...but it's Vinny, so who knows. I'm Lovin it Live tonight! ]

Here we are, the home stretch, the final ten games of the season. The Bulls will be reaping the benefits of having that circus trip at the beginning of the season as there are only 3 road dates left (TOR, IND, DET) and they are all winnable games. In fact, the only true tests left on the schedule, in my opinion, are tonight versus the Heat and a home game versus Philadelphia. This is actually a bit unsettling. I’m sure we all just want wins to solidify a playoff berth, and I’m pretty sure they can lock up the 7thspot and assure a match-up against Orlando or Boston, but the "light" schedule is a concern to me. First off, I just hate the possibility of this team blowing it with the easy schedule and actually losing some of these games and playing their way out of the playoffs. Secondly, assuming they do finish with many wins, it won’t be against playoff-caliber teams, so it could easily give the players a false sense of security, thinking they’re better than they are because of a win streak, and then receive a rude awakening in Round 1. Either way, this team probably gets ousted in the opening round, because I believe Boston’s D is overwhelming and Orlando has the perimeter game to exploit the Bulls lack of perimeter D and they have the best center in the league in Dwight Howard, who is just an unstoppable force. I don’t even want to imagine this kid in another 3 or 4 years. (sidenote: went to a Bulls-Magic game last year, and Dwight Howard is totally worth the price of admission.) I’m hoping the Bulls get the 8th spot and perpetuate the curse that the Bulls have over the Cavs.

On to tonight’s game. Derrick Rose is listed as a game-time decision as the training staff has seen improvement in the injured right wrist. I truly hope he can give it a run as I’d like this game to be a playoff warm-up against a playoff team with a complete and healthy roster (minus Deng, obviously). It would also be nice to see Rose finally get the best of Chalmers as it seems Super Mario (as they call him down here in Miami) has hit the proverbial rookie wall. He is 17-45 FG in his last 6 games, only breaking double digits twice (and one of those was just a modest 10 points). I believe the Bulls should just clog the lane tonight, not allow Wade any easy scores in the paint, and try to force guys like Chalmers, Haslem, and Moon to win the game. It should be an entertaining game as the last two games between these teams have been very close, both games being won at the buzzer. So, excluding the possibility of a Matrix dunk to win the game (since, obviously, Shawn Marion is no longer with the team) and hoping Erik Spoelstra doesn’t draw up another "Wade steal the ball and drill a runner from mid-court" play, I’m hoping the Bulls can avoid the season sweep at the hands of the Heat (I’ll never hear the end of it). It can happen. The Heat is just as bad as the Bulls on the road, and Miami lost a heartbreaker last night in Indy, where they have now lost 17 in a row. That feeling of demoralization will carry over. It’s a fact.

Enjoy the game, Chi-Town! Send those Heat back to South Beach. (I make that sound like it’s a bad thing.)

GAMETIME: 7pm CST
TV: TNT
RADIO: ESPN1000

[Note by your friendly BullsBlogger, 03/17/09 2:18 PM CDT : Thanks to Bullieving in Miami for today's preview. I'll partially excuse him for the lame St. Patricks day jokes. -ed.]

Luck of the Irish, indeed. So it happens that today, on St. Patty’s Day, the defending champ Boston Celtics jig into town for a pint of ale. What they might be leaving with is a hang-over.

The C’s find themselves falling behind the Cavs for the top seed in the East, so at this point getting healthy might be their main concern. No Big Ticket tonight: Kevin Garnett won’t return to the lineup, reportedly, until Friday when they play San Antonio.

So, one might think they’re overlooking this game, which could spell a victory for the home team tonight. I doubt it, though, as Doc Rivers seems to get this team ready to play hard every night. Plus, this season, the Celtics have beaten the Bulls by an average of 17 points in their two previous meetings. This brings to mind an interesting stat: The Bulls are sandwiched in between the Cavs and Celtics in PPG, all three averaging roughly 101 PPG. Meanwhile, both the Celtics and Cavs allow about 10 points fewer than the Bulls, yet it seems the Cavs are a better matchup for the Bulls.

As I stated in my preview last week, my dream matchup in Round 1 would be the Cavs. You might call me crazy, but I believe the Bulls’ frontcourt matches up better with Cleveland’s frontcourt than it does with Boston’s. Obviously, the Cavs don’t possess a big like KG. In fact, Big Z, ‘the corpse’, and Varejao are players I feel our bigs can play with. Lets see Varejao put up 27 points against Brad Miller.

Meanwhile, tonight’s opponent presents a different dynamic in the frontcourt. Considering that Garnett is not in tonight, but perhaps previewing a possible first round meeting, KG presents a legit scoring threat to our bigs. Then you have their other bigs: Perkins, Powe, and even Glen Davis (who might not suit up tonight as well), muscle-bound bigs who can push around our slender bigs in Tyrus and Noah. Powe, in particular, is a guy who worries me, not just because he’s a mediocre frontcourt player (they tend to have career nights against the Bulls), but also he’s a heady hustle player who plays within himself. He did an outstanding job in the finals versus the Lakers, and he’s a guy I like, very much in the mold of Paul Millsap, but just a little short on the talent side.

Either way, Garnett’s absence will hopefully be a neutralizer and the Bulls can pick up their 7th in a row at home and a much-needed win in their hunt for a playoff birth. Like I said before, being 3 ½ games behind Cleveland, at this point Boston’s agenda is to get everyone healthy for the playoffs. That’s not to say the Celtics won’t come out strong tonight, because Paul Pierce and Ray Allen show up to play every night. I just think the way the Bulls have been playing at home and with the Celtics injuries, the Bulls will win tonight. The motivating factor for the Celtics is they are coming off their worst loss of the season Sunday against the Bucks, and that team will want to come out aggressive and put that loss behind them.

And as a sidenote… I know the Bulls like using the green jerseys for St. Patrick’s Day. So will it be the Bulls in green and the C’s in white? That could get confusing real fast. Enjoy the game and be safe tonight.

GAMETIME: 7:30 CST

TV: WGN

RADIO: ESPN1000

[Note by your friendly BullsBlogger, 03/13/09 5:55 PM CDT: I'll keep this as the game thread, new thread at 8:15 -ed. ]

At this point in the season, what is there to say about this team that we don’t already know? The Bulls show signs of improvement and get our hopes up, and then let us down by giving us a few losses in a row. But, in the end, I would prefer a playoff run rather than another lottery pick. There is no way the Bulls get lucky two years in a row in the lottery and get a whack at some premier talent. Plus, this organization has shown that while it drafts well, gets strong talent, they never seem to get great all-around talent. Gordon, Deng, Tyrus, Noah; they are all talented players, but also niche players. Gordon can score at will and not much else. Deng is good running the court and slashing, but not much else. Tyrus is probably the player with the highest ceiling for potential, but even his game is geared around cleaning up on the boards and playing help defense with an occasional spot-up jumper, but not much else. Noah can rebound with some of the best, but not much else. I believe this team would benefit from some playoff experience, especially D-Rose. I’m not drawing comparisons, but our homeboy D-Wade down here in Miami started to make his name in the playoffs his rookie season. He almost single-handedly defeated the Hornets (including two game-winners), and then almost forced a Game 7 against Indy in Round 2 if it wasn’t for Stan "Ron Jeremy" Van Gundy sitting him for the final possession after he scored 10 straight points in the 4th quarter (with a couple of those coming against Ron Artest). Again, no comparison, but D-Rose has shown when he is given the keys to the offense in the 4th, he can win a game for the team. I still believe of the 8 thru 13 teams in the East the Bulls would give Cleveland some problems, while Boston would probably just suffocate the Bulls. So that would be my dream first round playoff match-up: Bulls vs. Cavs.

On to the game… as much hubbub as was made about the 76ers being better without Elton Brand, they have the same winning percentage since his season was officially over as before: .500. And while I do somewhat believe the first half of the season showed that it was an odd singing given the 76ers style of play without Brand, I do believe management in Philly had the right idea and they will miss him late in the season when the games slow down, defenses are tighter, and easy buckets are harder to come by. The Bulls enter this game 10-25 on the road, and Philly is actually a respectable 18-14 at home. However, this year’s Bulls have shown they rarely have two bad games in a row. So, discounting Monday’s heartbreaker (and the best basketball game I have ever attended, despite the loss, I might add) which was hard-fought, the Bulls should bounce back tonight. The 8 thru 13 teams are separated by a measly 1 ½ games. The Bulls need every win they can get from here on out. Hopefully, they are aware of this and begin to play with some fire and poise and make a run here in the last month of the season.

GAMETIME: 6pm CST TV: CSN RADIO: ESPN1000

[Thanks to (appropriately) BULLievinginMiami for today's game preview -ed.]

Here we are at the conclusion of the pre-All-Star Break portion of the season, which for the casual basketball fan means they can start watching games from here on out. Unfortunately, us poor schmucks have been watching all season and enduring the frustration. But something pleasant has occurred recently: our beloved Bulls are actually playing well. The defense isn’t particularly better. Out of the last five wins, only twice (DET, PHO) has the opponent reached the century mark on the scoreboard, but this is misleading. The Clippers are awful, and oddly enough, N’awlins is ranks near the bottom in scoring (25th). Coincidentally, the best defensive effort came against Sac-town, which ranks 13th in scoring, and they were held to 11 points below their average. So the defense isn’t much improved, but I think we’ve come to grips with the fact that this team is not going to be a defensive juggernaut. On the other hand, the offense looks smoother. There is more ball movement. The bigs are slashing towards the rim, getting offensive rebounds and easy scores. There just seems to be less of the individual play we saw earlier in the year. This might be in direct correlation to Larry Legend and Drew Gooden not playing, although BG still has some possessions where his contract is obviously doing the thinking. But, for the most part, the offense is looking smoother and the tempo is being pushed. I’m just wondering whether management is attributing this to (gasp!) better coaching, or to the fact our roster is healthy now and some of the younger players are finally playing up to their potential. Who knows, perhaps it a bit of both. Maybe Vinny is learning. I wouldn’t bet on it, though. Either way, I hope this recent trend continues as the Bulls may be getting hot at the right time and might just have a second half surge in them to get in the playoffs.

On to the game. I always get excited when these two teams play because they’re the two teams I’m most familiar with in the league, and I love rubbing it in all my friends’ faces when the Bulls beat them. (You all should have been there to witness the ‘Let’s go, Bulls!’ chant I started with my fellow Bulls fans in a stairwell leaving the arena after Game 4 in ’07. I show no mercy to Heat fans.)

These are two of the youngest rosters in the league, both with rookie coaches and rookie point guards, but their formulas for success are very different. The Heat are notorious for playing tough defense, and though he’s not coaching it anymore, this team has Pat Riley’s fingerprints all over it, and Erik Spoelstra is a good young coach who executes Riley’s philosophy. They also have something we lack: a bonafide star. I have to admit as much as I love my Bulls, Dwyane Wade is far and away my favorite player in the league. Since his rookie season he has had the uncanny ability to take over a game, especially late. Besides Kobe, I think D-Wade is the player I’d most like to take a game-winning shot for my team. So if this game is close late, look out for D-Wade. But what also makes D-Wade dangerous is he is also the distributor on that team. His ability to create his own shot and get to the rim commands so much attention that it usually spaces the floor out for the shooters on the team, mainly Mario Chalmers and Daequan Cook (who is an absolute gunner), and to a lesser extent, James Jones, who has recently returned from missing the first two months with an injury, and Shawn Marion, who can occasionally hit an open three. Speaking of Marion, as soon as he gets the ball in his hand, it’s important that his defender apply heavy ball pressure. All 'The Matrix' is good for is cutting to the basket. He is terrible when he puts the ball on the floor, so it’s key that Deng, Thabo, and Tyrus, who will be the likely defenders assigned to Marion, apply pressure, force him to use his dribble and into some turnovers.

I also want to briefly comment on Chalmers, being that we too have a rookie point guard. Chalmers has impressed and I’m surprised he doesn’t get more pub. In the end, he might be the steal of this draft, besides maybe Brook Lopez. It’s no wonder Riley traded for him in the draft. I repeat, Riley went out of his way, giving up something, to get a second round pick. Chalmers is a smart point guard who can spot up and plays good defense. He’s definitely given Rose a tough time their last two times facing each other. Rose had only 10 points and 3 assists on 3-14 shooting in 38 minutes when these teams played in December. Chalmers also was spectacular in the NCAA championship game last year, hitting the three that sent that game to overtime and won Kansas the title. Riley was on hand to witness that. I’m sure if Miami had the #1 pick, Rose would’ve been it, but I think Riley feels he got the next best thing in Chalmers.

As previously stated, if this game is close late, that’s dangerous for the Bulls. I’m hoping they can get out to an early lead and keep it. The Bulls do have a few things going for them. I think Tyrus and Noah will be trouble for the Heat, whose bigs are non-existent. Udonis Haslem can get in there and get rebounds, but our bigs are longer and more athletic, so the Bulls should win the rebound battle. Also, the Heat are like the Bulls in that they aren’t great on the road, and at this point in the season, D-Wade is probably looking for some help. While the Heat possess the superstar, the Bulls possess a depth the Heat can only dream of. Hopefully the Bulls can wear out Wade by neutralizing everyone else and forcing him to try to do too much. Judging by how the Bulls have been playing lately, I’m thinking they win this game and go into the All-Star Break on a high note, and with momentum going into the second half.

 GAMETIME: 6pm CST, TNT, ESPN1000

[Thanks to BULLieving in Miami for today's preview. No Chris Paul, woo hoo! If you need and crave more me, I provided some As to AtTheHive's Qs. -ed.]

After being drenched in 3-game win-streak euphoria, last night's loss to the Rockets brings us back down a peg. It's a small peg, though, as the Bulls remain competitive. If we ignore the last home game versus Toronto before the trip, the Bulls' last five losses are by a combined 20 points. So they are close, but obviously not enough. There is still a ways to go with this team. I just hope the organization attributes this more to the roster getting healthy than to Vinny somehow coaching better.

Speaking of healthy rosters... Tonight's game against N'awlins presents an interesting match-up, in my opinion. It's interesting not-so-much for the match-ups on the court, but more for the comparison to be made between these two teams. When I look at the Hornets, I see a team the Bulls should strive to be like. They should be the prototype for our organization. You have an elite PG in Chris Paul, and hopefully Rose will be in that category in another year or two. I think Rose shows signs of being that caliber player. He just needs to find that delicate balance between when to be a scorer for his team and when to be a distributor. Paul is obviously very in-tune with this concept. And Rose definitely has the athleticism to become a good on-ball defender, but if he ever puts up steals numbers like Paul, it'll probably be attacking passing lanes.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Hornets present a roster the Bulls should be trying to emulate. Chandler is the perfect compliment to Paul. He's a long, athletic big man who can run the court and presents Paul with a big target to throw the ball to. (and when I say big target, I don't mean massive. I mean that since he's so long and athletic, it gives Paul a bigger area in which he can throw lobs and entry passes.) Then, the real kicker. The Hornets also possess David West, who is a talented inside scorer with a very good back-to-the-basket game. How can the Bulls duplicate that? Well, Tyrus can definitely be that athletic big that runs up and down the court and gets alley-oops and tip-dunks and such, like Chandler. (please, i don't want to start a whole "should we have kept Tyson" debate.) The only problem with this is that Tyrus is the only big the Bulls have that can possibly develop into something remotely resembling West. Tyrus' jumper is getting better, and if he can learn to gain control of his body more when attacking the rim, he can be a player in that mold. Unfortunately, I'm not certain he'll ever put up the numbers that West does, but he can certainly be that 'type' of player for the Bulls. That leaves us with Noah. Ideally, he would be the Chandler-type, but he just doesn't possess the physical talents that Tyson does. Noah's not as good a leaper and a step slower. So, basically, it's Tyrus trying to be both West and Chandler for the Bulls. This is not to say that Noah is complete garbage, but West/Chandler is a more formidable and balanced duo than Thomas/Noah, at least at this present time. 

And finally, Paul is surrounded by legit 3-point threats to help spread the floor for him and the bigs. Peja, Rasual Butler, Posey, Mo Pete... these are legit outside shooters, all shooting better than 40% from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the only Bull in that class is Ben Gordon. So we can see where the shortcomings are. Obviously I'm not trying to make the Hornets the end-all be-all of what the Bulls should be, but they certainly do provide a good blueprint considering the talent we have in place right now.

As for the game... Paul will not play because of the groin injury he suffered Monday. That is good news for the Bulls, though it sucks for the sake of my comparison. This would've been a great PG match-up to watch. Chandler looks like he might suit up tonight, so that could mean trouble. He's obviously not as effective without Paul out there, but he could give the Hornets a lot of second chance opportunities, and with the way the Bulls play defense, they can ill-afford to just give up extra possessions. I'm thinking the Hornets might get away with one here, but I could see the Bulls winning and guaranteeing an above-.500 trip. Look for Posey and Noc to bruise each other up. I know I will. And perhaps while Noc has Posey in a headlock, Kirk can come get a few cheap shots in as payback for that forearm shiver a few years ago in the playoffs versus Miami. Enjoy!!!

GAMETIME: 7pm CST, CSN, ESPN1000

As the Bulls embark on their final West Coast swing of the season, they seem to have reached a crossroads. At 18-26, this trip comes at a bad time as the Bulls are in desperate need of stringing a few wins together. While you'd think the first three opponents (Wolves, Clippers, Kings) would provide a bit of schedule relief, we have quickly learned this season that for this team, no win is a gimme. So the pressure is on. The good news is having their two long road trips out the way before the All-Star break means plenty of home games down the stretch to make up ground, where the Bulls remain competitive.

Speaking of pressure, this week's Gordon/Vinny spat brings to light a certain issue with this roster, and an issue that reared its ugly head last season. It seems to me, and perhaps you all will agree with me or not, that the Bulls are a team full of fragile personalities. During last Monday's game against the Knicks, they're broadcasters brought up a point: some of the vets were jealous of Derrick Rose early in the season. Jealous that a talented 20-year-old had just stolen the limelight away from them on this team. Now, I don't believe he did it on purpose since he seems to be soft-spoken and humble, and we don't know if what the Knicks' announcers are saying is true, but I wouldn't doubt it. I think last year showed that if some of these guys aren't coddled enough, they feel slighted. While he says all the right things, I think Gordon is a prime suspect, as shown by his little 'blow-up' on Vinny. His timing was interesting, though, with reporters around to witness it, almost to purposefully make Vinny look bad to gain the upper-hand. Two years ago, the Bulls were labeled as gritty and tough, and they're success was attributed to their hustle and defense. Yes, the defense was good, but i don't believe the gritty and tough part. If anything, they had the hot hand at the time and caught a Heat team heading towards a 15-win season the following year. Last season, gritty and tough went out the window. Their fragility showed. 'Oh, PaxDorf didn't give me my money.' 'Skiles was mean'. Well, perhaps it was Skiles who shouldn't have been fired, as shown my the Bucks' much-improved D. But, you can't fire all the players mid-season, so Skiles had to go. Well, the pressure is on again now as the Bulls are making the national news for the wrong reasons and the season is slowly slipping away. It is obvious that this organization needs to shed some of those 'weak' players and get ones who won't back down from the pressure and perhaps, then, we can turn some of these close losses into wins. It's no coincidence that recent Bulls teams with players like PJ Brown and Antonio Davis were more successful. These are tough vets who don't back down. If this road trip doesn't force Paxson's hand, I'm not sure anything will.

On to the game. The Timberwolves enter this game an improved team from the one we saw in Chicago a few weeks ago, and they won that game. They have won 8 of 10, have more than doubled their win total since the calendar turned, and are coming off an impressive win over the Hornets on Friday. They obviously aren't ready to contend in the West, but their team is taking shape. Al Jefferson is a 20/10 machine, Randy Foye seems to be coming into his own after showing signs his first 2 seasons, and Kevin Love is developing into quite a crafty pro. Love doesn't have eye-popping athleticism or over-powering size, but he does have a high basketball IQ and knows how to use his body and footwork to gain position in the paint and to get his shot off. He and Jefferson make for a troublesome high/low post match-up for the Bulls' bigs, especially if Gooden is unable to suit up again. The only hope is that the much improved Tyrus Thomas can neutralize Love, but its more likely Love can be added to the list of bigs that abuse the Bulls' bigs. I'm expecting at least 17/8 out of Love. I have no hope for our bigs against Jefferson except perhaps getting him in foul trouble, but Noah does not possess the offensive game to make that happen. The Bulls saving grace in this game will have to be the fast break, which they actually have been executing well recently. Get out in transition to try and neutralize the Wolves' bigs. The Wolves average only one less turnover than the Bulls, so fast break buckets will be available, but the Bulls must minimize their own mistakes. The Bulls are just about the youngest team in the league, and turnovers kill a young team, so hopefully Vinny has been driving that point into their heads. The Bulls only scored 40 points in the second half against Toronoto, and it was obvious which team played the tighter D in the 4th quarter. Hopefully the Bulls took some notes and will try to force an equally young team into some turnovers of their own. Its important for the Bulls to try and set the tone on this road trip early, because after the first 3 games, the Suns, Rockets, Hornets, and Mavs are lurking.

GAME TIME: 6pm CST

TV: WCIU 

RADIO: ESPN1000