Chicago Bulls Blog – Page 42 – NBA Blog

As usual, Chicago Bulls beat Detroit Pistons

Even short-handed, the Chicago Bulls’ dominance of the Detroit Pistons continues.

The Bulls continued a five-year winning streak over the Pistons with a 95-94 victory Sunday at United Center, despite playing without three key contributors, including notorious Piston-killer Joakim Noah.

The Pistons (24-50) led most of the game and dominated many of the key statistical categories but untimely turnovers and the Bulls’ big advantage on free throws doomed them.

Charlie Villanueva had a shot in the final seconds to tie, with the score 94-91, but it sailed off line. A Daequan Cook free throw was followed by Rodney Stuckey’s meaningless 3-pointer before the buzzer.

The Bulls have won 18 consecutive games against the Pistons, with their last loss coming on Dec. 23, 2008. They also have won the last 14 meetings at United Center since Feb. 24, 2006.

— Reported by David Mayo of Michigan Live

Bulls sign Malcolm Thomas to second 10-day contract

The Chicago Bulls announced today they have re-signed forward Malcolm Thomas to a second 10-day contract. Thomas, a 6-9, 225-pound forward, originally signed a 10-day contract with the Bulls on March 19, 2013.

Thomas has appeared in one game with Chicago this season, and also recorded three points and five rebounds in five games played with the Golden State Warriors earlier in the season. The 24-year old native of Columbia, Mo., is in his second season out of San Diego State.

Miami Heat winning streak ends at 27 games after loss to Bulls

With two-tenths of a second left, LeBron James took the final inbounds pass in his own end, dropped the ball to let time expire, turned and walked toward the exit.

No buzzer beater.

No fourth-quarter rally.

No record for James and the Miami Heat, either.

The Heat’s bid for NBA history ended Wednesday night when their 27-game winning streak was snapped by the Chicago Bulls 101-97, setting off a raucous celebration inside United Center.

Miami finished six shy of the 33-game record held by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers.

James said there was no shame in falling short.

”It’s one of the best that this league has ever seen,” James said, referring to the streak that began on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 3. ”We recognized that and rightfully so.”

James tried to spur yet another comeback in the final minutes, getting mad after a rough foul. But the reigning MVP could never get the defending champions even or, more importantly, ahead.

Luol Deng scored 28 points, Carlos Boozer added 21 points and 17 rebounds, and the Bulls brought the Heat’s stampede to a screeching halt.

— Reported by Andrew Seligman of the Associated Press

Former Bulls center Tom Boerwinkle dies at 67

Former Chicago Bulls 7-foot center Tom Boerwinkle, known for his crisp passes, determined rebounding and ability to facilitate the offense, has died at the age of 67.

Boerwinkle was the first-round pick of the Bulls (4th overall) out of the University of Tennessee in 1968. He played his entire NBA career for the Bulls, averaging 7.2 points, 9 rebounds and 3.2 assists from 1968-78 while setting hard picks to create scoring opportunities for the likes of Chet Walker, Bob Love, Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier.

The University of Tennessee announced that Boerwinkle passed away following a lengthy illness.

“Tom was a once-in-a-lifetime guy,” former Tennessee teammate Bill Justus said in a statement released by the university. “When you meet a guy like him and have him as a teammate, he becomes a brother to you, and there’s no replacing someone like that.

— Reported by Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune

LeBron James wanted Taj Gibson to join the Miami Heat

It wasn’t the type of conversation Bulls forward Taj Gibson anticipated having when he accepted a spot on the USA Select Team last summer to work out against Team USA as it prepared for the London Olympics.

Then again, it isn’t often LeBron James tries to recruit you to join him with the Miami Heat.

‘‘We talked about it a lot because I was coming up on my contract, possibly becoming a free agent,’’ Gibson said. ‘‘We were kicking it around, and [James] was saying: ‘Come to Miami. Come in, and we’ll treat you right there.’ I was like, ‘Nah, I’m cool with the Bulls.’ ’’

At the time, he really wasn’t.

Gibson entered training camp with an uncertain future. The Bulls had until Nov. 1 to give him a contract extension or allow him to become a restricted free agent after this season. James knew that and was planting the seed.

— Reported by Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times

Bulls analyst Kendall Gill suspended for season by Comcast

Comcast SportsNet Chicago Friday has suspended Chicago Bulls analyst Kendall Gill for the remainder of the season.

“We have made a decision to not have Kendall Gill appear on our air for the remainder of the Bulls season,” the station said. “We will re-evaluate our current position on this matter during the off-season.”

Gill was removed from on-air duties after being involved in a physical altercation with Big Ten Network analyst Tim Doyle on Tuesday night. The incident occurred after a taping of “Sports Talk Live” in the Comcast SportsNet studio newsroom.

— Reported by Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune

Derrick Rose return date for Bulls still remains uncertain

Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau Wednesday said he doesn’t believe even Derrick Rose knows when the former MVP will return to the court following knee surgery.

“I think (Rose is) being very truthful in what he said,” Thibodeau said. “I don’t think he knows (if he’ll return this year). The way he’s approached (rehab) and this is from the moment he had the surgery, the next day, he puts everything he has into whatever he’s being asked to do. He says he’ll know when it’s time. And we have to trust him. And as I said before, I trust him implicitly.

“He’ll tell all of us (when he’s ready). Trust me, he understands what’s going on here. We just have to work through it.”

Rose said March 12 that he can do everything in practice but he still needs to get his confidence back, and he didn’t rule out sitting the entire season.

— Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Coach Thibodeau would like expansion of NBA in-game video replays

After a controversial loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday, Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said he would like to see video replay expanded so referees could review more calls late in games.

Thibodeau angrily barked at referees late in Monday’s game after a Kosta Koufos tip-in in the final minute wasn’t reviewed but a Joakim Noah tip-in with 1.7 seconds left in overtime was checked. The explanation given to Thibodeau at the time was that the Koufos play couldn’t be reviewed because it was not called at the time on the floor. The Noah play was called, according to the officials — despite Thibodeau’s appeal — and the ruling was upheld.

Thibodeau would like to see the technology used more in the future.

— Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Kendall Gill gets into fight with another broadcaster

Comcast SportsNet Chicago Bulls analyst Kendall Gill has been removed temporarily from his on-air duties after a physical altercation with Big Ten Network analyst Tim Doyle in the CSN newsroom Tuesday evening.

The incident followed the taping of “Sports Talk Live,” a panel discussion on Comcast SportsNet Chicago that featured me, Mr. Doyle and Chicago Sun-Times reporter Herb Gould. Mr. Gill confronted Mr. Doyle in the newsroom over critical comments he had made on the air about Mr. Gill’s analysis of the controversial final moments of Monday’s Chicago Bulls-Denver Nuggets game. The referees ruled that what at first appeared to be a last-second basket by the Bulls would not be allowed, thus giving the win to the Nuggets.

The altercation happened right in front of me as Mr. Doyle and I were walking through the CSN newsroom on our way out of the building.

— Reported by Danny Ecker of Chicago Business / Crain’s Blog

Chicago Bulls sign forward Malcolm Thomas to 10-day contract

The Chicago Bulls today signed Los Angeles D-Fenders forward Malcolm Thomas to a 10-day contract.

Thomas is one of 122 players on NBA rosters with NBA D-League experience.

Thomas (6-9, 225, San Diego State) returns to the NBA following a 10-day stint with the Golden State Warriors. During that earlier Call-Up, he played in five games for Golden State, scoring three points in 21 minutes and was assigned to the team’s NBA D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, for one game when he scored eight points in 39 minutes. Prior to earning the call from the Warriors, Thomas played in one game for the D-Fenders, a 99-86 victory over the Texas Legends on March 6, when he scored 13 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in 41 minutes.

A veteran of 19 regular season games last season with the D-Fenders, Thomas averaged 13.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 32.3 minutes during that stretch. In seven postseason games for the team during the 2011-12 season, he averaged 17.9 points, 12.3 rebounds and 34.6 minutes, as the D-Fenders advanced to the 2012 NBA D-League Finals. He also saw NBA D-League action with the Austin Toros and Rio Grande Valley Vipers on assignment last season.

Today’s “Call-Up” to Chicago marks the fourth of Thomas’ career, including earning the call from Golden State earlier this year and signing with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets from the D-Fenders last season. He has scored four NBA career points in 36 minutes over eight games.

Thomas is expected to join the Bulls today and be available when the team hosts the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, March 21.