Bulls Win Without Rose — And Are Proud Of It

The Chicago Bulls managed to win on Wednesday night, beating the Atlanta Hawks 98-77, once again without the reigning MVP, PG Derrick Rose. And though the win was just 1 of 41 other wins this season, the Bulls felt especially proud of this victory, calling it a great team effort, according to CSN:

F Taj Gibson, who helps lead the Bulls' so-called "Bench Mob," was especially proud of the energy from the bench, which added 37 of the Bulls' 98 point:

"I was trying to bring energy to the game. We looked real slow early... It worked well. We started rolling."

And does the bench's dominance in the paint intimidate other teams?

"Yeah, it's scary. Sometimes I don't even go for the rebound; I just let [C Omer Asik] get 'em all..."

Starter SF Luol Deng, who played nearly 36 minutes in the game, was impressed by the response from the team after the Hawks went on a 10-2 run to open the third quarter:

"The thing we did well was even in the third quarter when they made their run we responded well right away. We didn't hang our head. The second unit was big tonight again... Omer and Taaj were huge in the back. It was just a great team effort tonight."

Even PF Carlos Boozer felt some of the energy Wednesday night:

"We always play hard; I just think we had a certain edge to us tonight that we were lacking the other night when we lost to Denver. It was good to see everybody having fun and enjoying the game and playing the way we like to play."

The Bulls will be back in action on Friday night, taking on the Detroit Pistons at the United Center.

Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more on the Bulls, and be sure to visit Blog a Bull as well. For news and notes from around the NBA check out SB Nation's NBA news hub.

Kirk Hinrich Open To Signing With The Bulls In The Offseason

It's not an issue that is top-of-mind for the Chicago Bulls or Atlanta Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich, considering both teams are busy preparing for the 2012 NBA Playoffs, but the former Bulls guard told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that he would be open to signing with Chicago in the offseason when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. After being drafted by the Bulls with the seventh overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, Hinrich played seven seasons with team before they traded him in July of 2010 to open up cap space to pursue LeBron James, Amar'e Stoudemire, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the rest of the high-profile free agent crop from 2010.

Hinrich still owns a home in the Chicago suburbs, is a favorite among many fans and will become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career this summer, so K.C. Johnson tried to connect the dots. Hinrich seemed open to the idea, but it's unclear whether he would be willing to take a discount to join a contender. Here's what the guard said when asked about a possible return to Chicago (via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune):

"I wouldn't be opposed to it," Hinrich said. "It's still a ways away, and a lot can happen. We'll see. I have no preconceived thoughts on what will happen."

"I'm excited to have a choice instead of just going wherever the business sends me," Hinrich said. "But I haven't thought about it much. I've been so caught up in this whirlwind season. I was trying to get healthy and then working to get back to playing at a level I should be playing at. Now I'm thinking about the playoffs."

Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more on the Bulls, and be sure to visit Blog a Bull as well. For news and notes from around the NBA check out SB Nation's NBA news hub.

Bulls Vs. Hawks Final Score: Bulls Win Without Derrick Rose 98-77

The Chicago Bulls won again without star guard on Wednesday night by defeating the Atlanta Hawks 98-77 at Philips Arena. The Bulls improved to 13-5 without Rose in the lineup, and 41-11 overall. Atlanta drops to 30-22 with the loss.

Chicago was led by small forward Luol Deng, who scored 22 points and made 5-of-8 attempts from three-point range. Power forward Carlos Boozer had 20 points and nine rebounds for Chicago by shooting 8-of-13 from the floor. Taj Gibson went 8-of-12 from the floor to finish with 19 points and six rebounds for Chicago.

The Hawks were led by Josh Smith, who had 19 points and seven rebounds. Jeff Teague had 13 points and eight assists.

For updates on the matchup, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Bulls visit Blog a Bull and for more on the Hawks head over to Peachtree Hoops. For news and notes from around the NBA check out SB Nation's NBA news hub.

Bulls Vs. Hawks Score Update: Chicago Leads 76-60

The Atlanta Hawks got close at the start of the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bulls, but coach Tom Thibodeau's team pulled away as the quarter moved on and the Bulls will now take a 76-60 lead into the fourth quarter tonight in Atlanta. Luol Deng has already hit five three-pointers, and the Bulls have hit 9-of-13 from downtown as a team to build the lead.

Deng has 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Power forward Carlos Boozer has 14 points and eight rebounds on 6-of-9 shooting. Joakim Noah (eight rebounds) and reserve guard John Lucas III each have scored 10 for Chicago.

The 'Hawks are led by Josh Smith, who has 17 points and seven rebounds on 7-of-20 shooting from the floor. Joe Johnson has 12 points and six assists for Atlanta.

For updates on the matchup, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Bulls visitBlog a Bull and for more on the Hawks head over to Peachtree Hoops. For news and notes from around the NBA check out SB Nation's NBA news hub.

Bulls Vs. Hawks Score Update: Chicago Catches Fire, Takes 54-42 Lead Into Halftime

After merely keeping up in the first quarter, the Chicago Bulls blew things open in the second quarter to take a 54-42 lead into halftime against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. Chicago is shooting a ridiculous 7-of-8 from three-point range thus far while playing its trademark high-quality defense.

Even without Derrick Rose, the Bulls have had little trouble scoring thanks to some seriously hot hands. The Bulls are collectively shooting 56 percent from the field so far in addition to being nearly perfect from long range, plus they're 7-of-8 from the charity stripe, too. Meanwhile, the Hawks are shooting just 41 percent from the field and 2-of-9 on threes.

Luol Deng leads Chicago so far with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, knocking down all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. Coming off the bench, John Lucas III has added a charge to the Bulls as well with 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting, including a pair of shots from three-point range. Josh Smith leads the Hawks with 13 points, but he's shooting just 5-of-14 from the field so far.

For updates on the matchup, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Bulls visitBlog a Bull and for more on the Hawks head over to Peachtree Hoops. For news and notes from around the NBA check out SB Nation's NBA news hub.

Bulls Vs. Hawks Score Update: Chicago Trails 23-21 After First Period

Playing without starting point guard Derrick Rose once again, the Chicago Bulls are trailing 23-21 against the Atlanta Hawks going into the second quarter. The Hawks jumped out to an early lead but the Bulls have battled to keep things close on the road coming off a disappointing loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Neither team shot particularly well in the first quarter, with each team shooting 44 percent from the field, respectively. The teams also have the same number of rebounds plus similar amounts of free throw attempts and turnovers, so it's easy to see why the game is as close as it is.

Luol Deng leads the Bulls with six points while C.J. Watson has five points. Josh Smith has nine points and three rebounds to lead Atlanta.

For updates on the matchup, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Bulls visit Blog a Bull and for more on the Hawks head over to Peachtree Hoops. For news and notes from around the NBA check out SB Nation's NBA news hub.

Rip Hamilton Injury Update: Guard Could Return Tonight Or Friday

It sounds as if, finally, Richard Hamilton is ready to return to the Chicago Bulls' starting lineup. Whether Hamilton returns tonight against the Atlanta Hawks or Friday against the Detroit Pistons is unknown, but it certainly appears as if Rip's return will come sooner rather than later.

Rip is getting closer. He said there is a chance he could play tonight. He took some contact on the shoulder for first time since March 5

— Nick Friedell (@ESPNChiBulls) March 28, 2012

If Rip doesn't play tonight, it sounds like he'll play Friday.He said he may want to get a couple more days under his belt &see how it feels

— Nick Friedell (@ESPNChiBulls) March 28, 2012

Hamilton has been out since suffering a shoulder injury in the first minute of the Bulls' March 5 win over the Indiana Pacers. At this point, the Chicago is used to playing without him. While Hamilton was brought in as the team's lone major offseason addition, he's played only 16 this season due to an assortment of injuries seemingly stemming from one undeniable truth: Richard Hamilton is an old dude, and it's apparent his body can't handle of the rigors of his condensded season.

Even so, the Bulls only really need Rip for the postseason, so returning with about one month left to get acclimated before the playoffs begin is really all the Bulls can ask for.

For updates on the matchup, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more on the Bulls visit Blog a Bull and for more on the Hawks head over to Peachtree Hoops. For news and notes from around the NBA check out SB Nation's NBA news hub.

Bulls Vs. Hawks: Chicago Looks To Return To Win Column After Blowout Loss

The Chicago Bulls (40-11) may have Rip Hamilton back in the line up as they head to the A to take on the Atlanta Hawks (30-21).