SB Nation Chicago - Bulls 113, Raptors 106: Derrick Rose Defies Belief, Gravityhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48877/chicago-fave.png2011-04-02T23:03:14-05:00http://chicago.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18511022011-04-02T23:03:14-05:002011-04-02T23:03:14-05:00Bulls 113, Raptors 106: Derrick Rose Defies Belief, Gravity
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<p>Derrick Rose is an absolute joy to watch, but is becoming near-impossible to write about. There simply aren't enough adjectives to describe what the 22-year old All-Star, and prohibitive MVP favorite, is doing on the basketball court these days.</p>
<p>Against the Raptors, Rose was simply a force of nature. Whenever Toronto made a run, and they made quite a few in an effort coach Jay Triano should be proud of, Rose had an answer. Often, it was <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nba.com/video/games/bulls/2011/04/02/0021001133_tor_chi_play3.nba/index.html">an emphatic one</a>. When Toronto closed to within two late in the third, Rose single-handedly took Chicago on an 8-0 run, finishing the quarter with 15 points.</p>
<p>Rose's line of 36 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and three blocks (!) included making 13 of 14 free throws, stopping Toronto's momentum and racking up easy points for the Bulls. Rose was a 77% free throw shooter his entire career up until his fateful miss at home against the Los Angeles Clippers in December. Since then, he is hitting nearly 89% of his free throws and is threatening Kyle Korver for the team lead in free throw percentage. The transformation, and his improved mental focus at the line, has been incredible to witness.</p>
<p>Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer played a crucial role as well, scoring 17 and 18 points respectively, and Taj Gibson had his best game of 2011 with 15 points and 9 rebounds off the bench. Ronnie Brewer also had a season-high six assists to go with six points and five rebounds. The Bulls won the rebounding battle 43-33, leading to 21 second chance points.</p>
<p>The Bulls struggle against Euro-style drive-and-kick teams like the Raptors, who became the only team to score 105 points against the Bulls twice this season. Out for the third straight game with an ankle injury, Chicago missed Joakim Noah's length on defense as the Raptors scored 63 points in the second half using frequent drives down the right side of the lane.</p>
<p>Jerryd Bayless, substituting for injured starter Jose Calderon, and DeMar DeRozen both scored 26 points for the Raptors, and rookie Ed Davis put up an impressive 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors, who shot 51% and had only eight turnovers against the best defense in the NBA.</p>
<p>With both the Heat and Celtics idle on Saturday, the Bulls' 56-20 record puts them three games ahead in the race for the top seeding in the playoffs. The Bulls' 33-5 record at home ties the San Antonio Spurs for the best home record in the NBA. Amazingly, only one game separates the Bulls and Spurs for the best overall record in the NBA. It is as simple as this for the Bulls: Win the next three games and they clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference.</p>
<p>Pinch yourselves as much as you want, Bulls fans. This is really happening.</p>
<p><i>Follow Zachary Lee on Twitter <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/rightfieldsucks">@rightfieldsucks</a></i></p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/chicago-bulls/2011/4/2/2087815/bulls-113-raptors-106-derrick-rose-defies-belief-gravityZachary Lee2011-04-02T15:24:58-05:002011-04-02T15:24:58-05:00Chicago Bulls Vs. Toronto Raptors: The Final Push For The Playoffs
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<p>With seven games left in the 2010-11 season, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> find themselves in a position few around the NBA thought possible back in November. If the Bulls can win their next three games at home, where they are a league-best 32-5, all they will need is a victory next Friday against the basement-dwelling <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cavaliers</a> to clinch the top spot in the Eastern Conference for the first time since Michael Jordan roamed the hallways of the United Center.</p>
<p>As if things hadn't gone well enough for the Bulls this season, the Western Conference-leading <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a> have lost six straight games, making it possible for Chicago to end the regular season with the best record in the NBA and clinching home court advantage throughout the playoffs.</p>
<p>If you had tried to tell me that would happen before the season began, well, let's just say I'd be feeling guilty for the padded room I had you put in.</p>
<p>But prohibitive MVP favorite <span>Derrick Rose</span>, <span>Luol Deng</span>, <span>Carlos Boozer</span> and the rest of <span>Tom Thibodeau</span>'s Bulls have authored, to this point, the story of the season in the NBA.</p>
<p>The countdown to the one seed begins tonight against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.raptorshq.com/">Toronto Raptors</a>, who you might remember torched the Bulls for 118 points in the first game after <span>James Johnson</span> was traded between the teams. It was an uncharacteristically poor night on the defensive end for the Bulls, allowing the second highest point total of their season on the first night of having their entire roster intact.</p>
<p><span>Joakim Noah</span>, once again, will be a gametime decision with a sprained ankle suffered in Monday's loss at Philadelphia. The Bulls will need Noah completely healthy for the playoffs and as Boozer has played so well in his absence, the Bulls don't need to hurry Noah back into action. Ultimately the Bulls need to find floor time for Noah and Boozer to play together, as they still haven't found a rhythm due to alternating injuries throughout the season, but Chicago's first priority is to have everyone healthy after 82 games.</p>
<p>The Raptors are going through one of their roughest patches of the season, losing five straight games. Toronto has only won four games since beating the Bulls on February 23rd.</p>
<p><b>Raptors To Watch For</b></p>
<p>Raptors point guard <span>Jose Calderon</span> strained a hamstring in Wednesday's loss to Milwaukee and will not travel to Chicago, promoting reserve <span>Jerryd Bayless</span> to the starting lineup. Bayless has yet to find a home in the NBA in his young career, bouncing from Portland to New Orleans to Toronto in the span of three years. A talented scorer, Bayless has struggled with his decision-making and is abnormally foul-prone for his position. Demar DeRozen has continued to improve as an athletic slasher, more than doubling his scoring average from his rookie season. Former number one overall pick <span>Andrea Bargnani</span> is making his second start since returning from an ankle injury. A talented scorer at seven feet tall, if he were any worse at rebounding he might be declared allergic.</p>
<p><b>Bulls To Watch For</b></p>
<p>Derrick Rose, winner of the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award for March, has been on fire his last four games, averaging 27.8 points and 9.8 assists. Boozer has strung together his two best games in more than a month, averaging 23 points and 11 rebounds, further fueling the argument that Boozer will always play better when Noah is not on the floor.</p>
<p>Amazing as the Bulls run has been and exciting as it may be to look ahead to playoff seedings and matchup, Chicago must first handle its business in the final homestand of the year, beginning tonight against the Raptors. Tip-off is at 7:00 p.m. CDT on WGN.</p>
<p>Follow Zachary Lee on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/rightfieldsucks">@rightfieldsucks</a></p>
https://chicago.sbnation.com/2011/4/2/2332625/chicago-bulls-vs-toronto-raptors-the-final-push-for-the-playoffsZachary Lee