Chicago Bulls Blog – Page 43 – NBA Blog

Unclear when Rip Hamilton will return for Bulls

After tiptoeing around the question last week, coach Tom Thibodeau on Monday didn’t rule out that Richard Hamilton could be sidelined for the remainder of the season with his back injury.

“There’s an unknown,” Thibodeau said. “It’s a back, so those things are tricky. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Hamilton missed his ninth straight game. The veteran guard was a surprise late scratch before the Feb. 28 home game against the 76ers after scoring six points in 18 minutes on Feb. 26 against the Cavaliers.

Hamilton has missed 59 of 132 games since signing his two-year, $10 million deal, which carries a $1 million buyout for next season’s team option.

— Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

Bulls beat Warriors in impressive rout, 113-95

Embarrassed one game, handing out humiliation the next.

Such is life for the Chicago Bulls right now.

Luol Deng scored 23 points, Carlos Boozer had 21 points and nine rebounds, and the banged-up Bulls bounced back from their most lopsided loss of the season to whip the Golden State Warriors 113-95 on Friday night.

”I do know we have pride,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. ”We’ve taken a hit. We’ve lost some guys along the way. Our guys will battle. We know that we’re short-handed. But if we have the right intensity and we do it collectively, we have a chance. And we’ve shown it throughout the year.”

Maybe this week more than any other.

Two nights after a 121-79 shellacking at Sacramento that renewed calls for Derrick Rose’s return, the Bulls outscored the Warriors 38-17 in the third quarter en route to snapping a season-high, five-game road losing streak. They led by 36 points early in the fourth quarter before both sides cleared the benches.

Nate Robinson added 20 points and seven assists, while Joakim Noah finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds for Chicago, which had lost four of five overall. The Bulls outshot the Warriors 52 to 45 percent and won the rebounding battle 43-34, though the final box score hardly showed how much of a blowout the game really was.

— Reported by Antonio Gonzalez of the Associated Press

Still no return date for Derrick Rose

Speaking on the 10-month anniversary of surgery to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, Derrick Rose said Tuesday he still isn’t sure if he will play this season but has suffered no setbacks during his rehabilitation.

“I’m waiting to that day where I feel normal,” Rose said before a practice at UCLA. “Until then, I will just wait. I haven’t had any pressure from the organization. No one has to push me to go out there to play.

“My teammates have been doing great, playing hard for me. They’re out there fighting so that’s a good sign. And we’re winning games. So I’m not worried about anything right now.”

Rose said he can do everything physically, downplayed the hubbub over recent comments about his hamstring pain and said the main hurdle he has to clear is the mental one.

“I can do everything,” Rose said. “It’s just me having the confidence to do it and me feeling normal.”

— Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

Hamstrings limiting Derrick Rose as he prepares to return

A new development may help explain why Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is still hesitant to return to the court.

ESPN’s Doris Burke spoke with the former MVP before Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers and reported that although Rose has been taking full contact in practice for well over a month, his hamstrings are “on fire” after those workouts. Rose added that he won’t return to the court until he’s past those issues.

A team source told ESPNChicago.com on Friday that one reason why Rose has been hesitant to play despite being medically cleared is because he still is struggling to dunk the same way off his surgically repaired left knee.

— Reported by Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago

Bulls GM denies that there is a rift between team and Derrick Rose

Bulls GM denies rift between team and Derrick Rose

Chicago Bulls general manager Gar Forman denied Saturday that there is any kind of communications rift between Derrick Rose’s camp and the organization regarding the return date for the all-star guard from his knee injury.

“We talk all the time. We have been in communication throughout the whole process. High-level communication,” Forman told the Tribune before scouting the DePaul-Pittsburgh game at Allstate Arena.

Published comments from Rose’s older brother Reggie were critical of the Bulls organization for not adding more pieces before the trade deadline. But Forman insists the two camps remain in contact.

“From Day One, the communication has been consistent and it has been very encouraging. There have been no setbacks and (Rose) continues to make progress,” he said.

Forman said he would not comment on an ESPNChicago.com report that attributed a source as saying Rose has medical clearance to resume playing after suffering a torn ACL 10 months ago.

“I don’t comment on what a source says,” Forman replied.

— Reported by Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls charter plane had engine trouble on Saturday

The Bulls’ charter plane experienced engine trouble roughly 20 minutes after takeoff and returned to Chicago late Saturday. Passengers heard a loud sound emanating from an engine, though most downplayed danger.

The Bulls’ traveling party went home late Saturday, borrowed the Blackhawks’ charter plane early Sunday and arrived in Indianapolis shortly before a lunch meeting and film session at the team hotel.

— Reported by K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune

Joakim Noah would appreciate some rest

Joakim Noah has a chair in front of his locker at the United Center. But after most games, he could use a recliner or a couch or even a bed. He’s wiped out.

”I’m tired,” Noah said after scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, with five assists and four blocked shots in the Bulls’ 96-85 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. ”Pretty tired.”

After back-to-back stellar games against the 76ers on Thursday and the Nets on Saturday, Noah’s fatigue — and the wear and tear on his right foot still being treated for plantar fasciitis — bears watching heading into Sunday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The issue of Noah’s playing time cropped up again after he played 41 minutes in a game the Bulls led by 14 points or more throughout the second half. Even Noah seemed to be wondering why he played the final 6:25 of the fourth quarter when the Bulls were leading by 19 points.

— Reported by Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times (Blog)

Bulls sign Louis Amundson to 10-day contract

The Chicago Bulls today signed forward Lou Amundson (AH-mund-son) to a 10-day contract.

Amundson (6-9, 225) will be in uniform tonight (No. 17) when the Bulls host the Brooklyn Nets at the United Center at 7:00 p.m. (CT).

In his seventh season out of UNLV, Amundson has played in 308 regular season games (seven starts). During that time, he has posted averages of 3.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 0.75 bpg in 12.9 mpg. He also owns shooting averages of .493 from the field and .443 from the line.

A native of Ventura, Calif., the 30-year old forward appeared in 20 games with the Minnesota Timberwolves earlier this season. He has also played with Philadelphia (twice), Utah, Phoenix, Golden State and Indiana.

With his signing, Chicago’s roster now stands at 15.

Michael Jordan facing paternity lawsuit

Sports icon Michael Jordan is facing a legal battle with a woman who claims he is the father of her 16-year-old son.

The basketball legend has been sued by Pamela Smith, who filed documents in Georgia on Feb. 6 alleging she fell pregnant with Jordan’s child in 1995, and gave birth to a son, Grant, in 1996.

— Reported by the Toronto Sun

Bulls in talks with Louis Amundson

The Chicago Bulls are in talks with Louis Amundson about signing the veteran power forward, according to league sources.

A decision is expected Friday, sources told ESPN.com, with the Bulls and Amundson’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, scheduled to talk about specifics.

The Bulls are looking for an extra big man with Taj Gibson sidelined by a sprained left knee. And Chicago has just enough room under its hard salary cap of $74.307 million to sign Amundson, who is eligible to play for the Bulls in the postseason because he was waived by Minnesota before Friday’s 11:59 p.m. ET deadline.

— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com