Category: Chicago Bulls Blog

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Bosh, Bargnani lead Raptors to OT win over Bulls

The AP reports: Chris Bosh didn’t panic after watching the Chicago Bulls erase Toronto’s 17-point lead and send the game to overtime. He just helped the Raptors win in the extra period. Bosh had 31 points and 15 rebounds, Andrea Bargnani scored 28 points and the Raptors beat the Bulls 134-129 Sunday. Chicago’s Ben Gordon had 37 points, including a buzzer-beating jumper over Bosh that sent it to overtime… Jose Calderon had 22 points and a career-high 19 assists, Shawn Marion scored 16 points and Pops Mensah-Bonsu added 13 as the Raptors set a franchise-high for points and extended their winning streak to a season-high four games… Chicago rookie Derrick Rose had 23 but the Bulls failed to get their first five-game winning streak since Dec. 11-19, 2006.

Salmons lifts Bulls over Pacers, 112-106

The AP reports: John Salmons scored 22 points and hit two late 3-pointers, and the Chicago Bulls pulled out a wild 112-106 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday for their fourth straight win… Ben Gordon added 25 points as the Bulls matched their longest win streak in two years with a victory that featured some dramatic swings… Danny Granger scored 32 and Brandon Rush added a career-high 29, but the Pacers suffered their sixth loss in eight games… The Bulls didn’t have to contend with Troy Murphy, who missed his second game because of a sprained ligament in his left knee. They did, however, have to deal with Rush and Granger.

Bulls player of month is John Salmons

John Salmons has been named the Bulls CDW/Blackberry Player of the Month for March.  Salmons joined the Bulls on Feb. 18, in Chicago’s six-player deal with the Sacramento Kings.

In 13 March contests, Salmons (6-6, 207 pounds) has started every game (the Bulls are 8-5) and he has averaged a team-best 22.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg (fourth on the team) and 1.5 apg in a team-high 41.2 mpg.  He has shot a team-best .500 from the field, .400 from downtown (24-60 3FG) and .873 from the line (second on the team).  During March, he has led the team in scoring five times, and he has scored 20 or more points eight times, including two games with 30 or more points, highlighted by a Bulls player season-high, and career-high tying, 38 points against Boston on March 17.

On the year, Salmons currently ranks second on the Bulls in scoring with 18.8 ppg (24th in the NBA), and averages 4.4 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.01 spg and 37.6 mpg (20th).  He is shooting .480 from the field (44th), .837 from the line (36th) and .417 from downtown (23rd).

Salmons scores 27, Bulls beat Heat 106-87

The AP reports: John Salmons scored 27 points, Tyrus Thomas came up big again and the Chicago Bulls beat Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat 106-87 on Thursday night for their sixth win in seven games. The Bulls took control in the third quarter, outscoring the Heat 32-14, and moved into a seventh-place tie with Detroit in the Eastern Conference… Wade scored 31 points after hitting just five of 24 shots the previous night in a 90-88 loss at Indiana, but solid efforts by Chicago’s Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich and Tyrus Thomas to back Salmons helped the Bulls avoid a four-game sweep. Gordon scored 18 points for the Bulls, who lead Charlotte by three games and Milwaukee by 3 1/2. Thomas added 15 points and 12 rebounds, and he was particularly good in the third, scoring seven points and blocking two shots.

NBA rule change on too many players on court

The NBA Board of Governors voted to approve a playing rules change in regards to “too many players on the court”, which will take effect beginning Friday, March 27.

Under the playing rules change, when a “too many players on the court” violation is called, a technical foul will be assessed against the offending team and the non-offending team will have the option of either accepting or nullifying the game action that occurred during the violation.

Option 1 — Accept Game Action

The non-offending team can opt to ACCEPT all play that occurred during the violation, including any points scored, with no adjustment of the game clock.

Option 2 — Nullify Game Action

The non-offending team can opt to NULLIFY all play that occurred during the violation, other than any acts of unsportsmanlike conduct or flagrant fouls or any points scored from free throws as a result of such actions.

Under this option, following the technical foul, the game clock would be reset to the time when the ball was put into play with too many players on the court and, depending on how the ball was originally put into play, play would resume in accordance with the following:

1) If the original play commenced with a throw-in, then the ball would be returned to the original throw-in spot and play commenced with a throw-in.

2) If the original play commenced with a missed free-throw attempt where the ball remained in play, then play would be commenced with a jump ball held at center court between any two players who were on the floor at the time play was suspended due to the violation.

3) If the original play commenced with a jump ball, then play would be commenced with a jump ball held at the original jump-ball spot between the same two players who participated in the original jump ball.

Hinrich leads Bulls over Pistons, 99-91

The AP reports: Kirk Hinrich scored 24 points filling in for injured phenom Derrick Rose, and the Chicago Bulls beat Detroit 99-91 Tuesday night to pull within a game of the seventh-place Pistons in the Eastern Conference… Ben Gordon scored 19, Tyrus Thomas had 18 points and 12 rebounds, Joakim Noah scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and John Salmons added 16 points as the Bulls earned their fifth win in six games… Tayshaun Prince and Will Bynum scored 20 each for the Pistons, who clearly miss injured stars Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton. Bynum also had nine assists while Antonio McDyess scored 16, but the Bulls simply pulled away in the second half.

Gordon 21 in 2nd half, Bulls beat Wizards 101-99

The AP reports: Chicago hung on and beat the Washington Wizards 101-99 Monday night to improve to five games under .500, good enough to hold down the eighth and final playoff spot in the generously spread-out Eastern Conference standings. Despite the close call, the Bulls were perfectly content to win for the fourth time in five games and open up a 1 1/2 -game lead over the ninth-place Charlotte Bobcats… Ben Gordon scored all of his 21 points in the second half—including seven in the final 3 1/2 minutes—for the Bulls, who led 88-77 with 6:09 to play. Antawn Jamison scored the game’s next eight points to put the Wizards back in it, and Nick Young made the score 100-99 with a 3-pointer with 3.6 seconds play… Jamison finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds, and Andray Blatche had 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Wizards, who have lost five straight.

Luol Deng slow to heal

The Chicago Sun-Times reports: Following two weeks of rest and low-impact workouts, Luol Deng’s lower right leg is still bothering him and the forward doesn’t appear any closer to returning than two weeks ago when the rest was prescribed. “It’s a stress fracture,” Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. “Until that heals – it takes time – we’ll try to be smart about it.

John Salmons rocking with Bulls

The Arlington Heights Daily Herald (Mike McGraw) reports (via blog): John Salmons continues to be almost shockingly efficient. In the last four games, he’s averaged 28.0 points and shot 63.1 percent from the field. Some people figured he averaged 18 points in Sacramento only because he got so many opportunities with a horrible team, but he’s been even better with the Bulls. His assist total is minuscule, but I don’t see that as a problem right now. Rose, Gordon and Kirk Hinrich spend so much time handling the ball that when Salmons gets it, it’s usually time to make something happen before the shot clock runs out. The best thing about Salmons is he’s had an almost even mix of outside shots and drives to the basket. He’s got a quick first step and finishes very well near the hoop. Tough to complain about his game. He outscored Bryant and Paul Pierce in games this week.