Cubs Beat Nationals 4-3

Kerry Wood and the Cubs bullpen blew the first two games of the season against the Nationals after great outings by the starters. Then Jeff Samardzija decided that the best way to reverse that trend is to prevent any relievers from entering the game.

Despite Starlin Castro's ninth inning error and the ensuing two-run shot from Adam LaRoche, Samardzija cruised through the entire game. His pinpoint command of his fastball, splitter, and slider are what brought him success.

With no outs in the ninth inning Samardzija rocketed a four-seam fastball onto the lower outside corner past Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond. Despite the fact that he had already thrown almost 100 pitches, the radar gun listed the pitch at 97 miles per hour.

With one out in the same half-inning, Samardzija faced second baseman Danny Espinosa. Espinosa though did not last very long as backstop Doug Eddings called a backdoor slider strike three for the second out of the inning.

Jeff Samardzija began his career as a nomad. Cubs management could not decide if he was best as a starter or a reliever. This indecision hurt him in the long run, and was unable to be successful in either department. Last season, he was a reliever for the entire season, and one of the most reliable in the bullpen. This season he has been dubbed the third starter, and began with a gem. If 2012 Samardzija pitches as well as his first game reflected for the entire season, the Cubs might be on their way to a surprise season.

Windy on the Banks Spotlight Player of the Game


Who else but Samardzija?

8.2 Innings Pitched, 4 hits, 1 ER, 8 Strikeouts

Rockets Beat Bulls 98-93

The Chicago Bulls lost their second in a row to the Houston Rockets. This marked the first time in 86 tries that they lost back to back games. There wasn't, however, one specific set that Houston continuously ran in order to beat the Bulls defense. Instead, they outworked, out-hustled, and out-manned the Bulls.

When the Bulls defense plays the way it is supposed to, they close out on opposing shooters quickly and don't allow open shots from anywhere on the floor. In this game, however, the Bulls simply seemed soft on the defensive end.

Coming into this game, Chicago was a stellar 14-6 without Derrick Rose. The past two games though have showcased the flaws inherent to both CJ Watson's nor John Lucas III's games. Though both are above average outside shooters, neither is especially fast. On top of that, neither possesses the ball handling skills necessary to adequately run the floor the way a starting point guard should. Therefore, when matched up against quicker, more athletic guards, they struggle.

Goran Dragic, Houston's starter, is by no means an all-star. He is, however, very quick, and has very good court vision. Because neither Watson nor Lucas were able to hound him on the defensive end. As a result, he finished with 20 points on 75% shooting, with 5 assists and 4 steals. Dragic took advantage of Watson and Lucas's sub-par play and submitted an excellent performance.

The Bulls performed very well earlier on in the season when Rose was out for just a few games at a time. At this point though, Rose has missed 11 straight games, and neither Watson  nor Lucas has enough in the tank to properly run the point. With Miami and OKC breathing down their backs looking for the best record in the NBA, the Bulls offense needs to get back into shape to avoid losing out on valuable playoff position.

Thunder Blow Out Bulls 92-78

The Oklahoma City Thunder are clearly led by superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. They were on top of their games when they played the Bulls, and their play design made it easy for them to excel.

Both Durant and Westbrook are uniquely talented in that they showcase incredible mid-range/three-point range games without needing to receive a pass. OKC then runs simple pick and rolls at the top of the key to get them open mid-range shots.

The key to this play is spacing. In this example, let's assume Kevin Durant has the ball and is guarded by Luol Deng. Kendrick Perkins is setting the pick, guarded by Joakim Noah. Westbrook and Thabo Sephalosha, the two guards, vacate to either corner. Serge Ibaka, guarded by Carlos Boozer then plays near the baseline to free up as much mid-range space as possible for the shooter.

When Durant runs off the pick, Deng fights through it because he knows that Joakim Noah will go under it to prevent the drive. Noah then is unable to get in Durant's face, Deng is unable to fight through the screen, and Carlos Boozer is too worried about Ibaka under the basket to close out on Durant in time. This creates just enough space for Durant to pull up with the shot.

This play is successful not only because of the talents that both stars bring to the table, but also because of its versatility. If shot isn't there, then it becomes a routine pick and roll situation. Oklahoma City can also run it with either Westbrook or Durant (as well as with backup shooter James Harden to an extent), and can set the pick with any of their bigs.

Part of the reason this game was a blowout was because of this play's success. On the game, Durant and Westbrook went 21-34 and shot 62% from the floor.

Windy on the Banks Spotlight Player of the Game


Congratulations to Serge Ibaka!

Well before this game was a blowout, the Bulls couldn't get anything going down low. Ibaka's presence down low forced the Bulls to take 24 three pointers, 9 more than their average. The league's leading shot blocker finished with 5 blocks, and was a force down low. Noah, Boozer, Gibson and Asik went a combined 9/26 and shot 35% from the floor. 

Serge Ibaka: 9 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks, 50% shooting in 21 minutes of play

Bulls beat Pistons 83-71

Neither CJ Watson nor John Lucas III are as good as Derrick Rose, and opposing teams know it. One of Rose's biggest strengths is his ability to weave through traffic and get to the rim, a skill neither backup possesses.

Because of the distinct difference in maneuverability, opposing defenses play these two much differently than they would the reigning MVP. The primary difference comes with the way bigs hedge in the pick and roll sets.

When the Bulls set up in the half-court offense with either Watson or Lucas, they prefer to run PNR plays with anyone else on the floor except for whoever is playing shooting guard. Ideally, they would then either roll off the screen and take the shot themselves, or would  hit the rolling big for an easy layup.

The defense though is fully aware of what truly isn't a very complicated concept. They are also aware of the previously stated deficiencies, and try to take this play away as much as possible by "hedging" the screener's defender as often as possible. This means that the whoever is guarding the man setting the pick moves up temporarily and faces up the the guard to prevent a dribble drive or a clean passing lane in order to allow for the original defender to recover after the pick.

The problem with this defense though is that it invariably leaves a man open. By hedging off the roller, the defense then opens themselves up for quick outside-in passing. The Bulls learned early on that they would need to fight the hedge or else the majority of their PNR plays would be unsuccessful.

For example, let's say that CJ Watson has the ball on the left elbow and is being guarded by Brandon Knight. Carlos Boozer then picks Knight allowing Watson to go towards the top of the three point arc to his right. Jason Maxiell, Boozer's defender, leaves the rolling Boozer to help on Watson. Again, this temporarily opens up Boozer for a quick pass.

Watson has multiple options in this scenario. If Boozer stops his roll and pops out towards the elbow, Watson can hit him with a quick pass before Maxiell sets up, forcing another player to help on Boozer. This opens up Joakim Noah, Ronnie Brewer or Luol Deng on the baseline, players Boozer consistently finds for easy buckets in this situation.

Another option is for Watson to hit Joakim Noah moving up along the key. Noah would receive the ball near the elbow and have a wide open passing lane to hit the rolling Boozer before the defense had any time to recover.

These are just two of the ways the Bulls try to beat a hedging defense. Though it does not always work as cleanly as intended, they must be able to execute these sets at least until Rose comes back if they want to be successful in the playoffs.

Windy on the Banks Spotlight Player of the Game 


This is a new segment that I will be including after every covered game. This player might not have had the most gaudy box score, but without him the team certainly would've had a much tougher time. Tonight's inaugural WOB Trophy goes to....

Taj Gibson!

Gibson's hard work on the glass and on the defensive end earned him tonight's honors. At one point, he out-muscled two Detroit would-be rebounders for a loose ball and kicked it to an open Kyle Korver in the corner for an open three pointer. This play encapsulated his attitude for the entire game.

"He grabs his hard hat and lunch pail and he just says "gimme your candy!" - Stacey King

Gibson: 8 points, 5 rebounds (3 offensive), 1 block, 0 turnovers, 19 minutes of play

Bulls Romp Magic 85-59

The Bulls put on a defensive show tonight, allowing just 59 points, the fewest in franchise history. With the defense playing as well as it did, the offense also clicked at times, getting much needed contributions from Carlos Boozer and John Lucas III.

The Magic began the game intent on shutting down Carlos Boozer. They doubled him as soon as he caught the ball, hoping to force early turnover and get out to an early lead. The Bulls, however, used their consistently high basketball IQ to outsmart this defensive adjustment, and break through from the post. The key is to get Boozer in a position where he is able to react quickly before the double team sets up.

One of the ways this was done was by giving Boozer a steady stream of backdoor cuts. As soon as Boozer received the pass, one of his teammates would immediately cut to the basket. Whether it was Ronnie  Brewer, Joakim Noah, etc. there was always someone ready to receive the pass down low for an easy layup.

Another method used was to use Boozer as the roller in a pick and roll situation. He would set a ball screen at the top of the key, and then catch an open look before either popping with a mid-range jumper or driving to the basket for a strong layup.  

Just as Boozer was incredibly effective from the post, John Lucas III provided a sharpshooting touch from the perimeter. Lucas scored nine first quarter points on 3/3 shooting, and was generally able to get his looks after coming off screens. The Magic couldn't fight through the strong picks set on the 3 point line, and Lucas cashed in on the opportunities.

This was a great team win for the Bulls, and credit needs to go to Tom Thibodeau for coaching his team through immense adversity this season. Carlos Boozer is the only Chicago first teamer to start every game, and Derrick Rose, their star, has missed 14. Thibs and his team responded by accumulating the best record in the NBA. In the process, he also recorded his 100th career win, the fastest coach in NBA history to do so. Congrats Coach, you earned that accolade.

Rose-Less Bulls Beat Heat 106-102

Before I get to the actual game analysis, there's one thing that needs to be mentioned. John Lucas III is by far the best 3rd string point guard in the league. He made 9-12 FGs for 24 points and made 2 clutch free throws at the end of the game to ice it. I would not have expected the Bulls to put up 106 on one of the best defenses in the league missing Derrick Rose and Richard Hamilton. Lucas had the game of his life though and carried the Bulls to this win.

The rest of the Bulls success came from their physicality and toughness down low, and their utter domination on the glass.

Early in the first quarter, Ronnie Brewer took advantage of the Heat's lackluster baseline defense. He continuously cut backdoor to the basket for easy layups. Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer displayed that they're one of the better frontcourt passing tandems in the league and consistently found him and gave him pinpoint passes.

Another play they ran that utilized their bigs' unique passing talents began, as most of their possessions do, with Joakim Noah getting the ball at the top of the key. Noah is unique in that he has a lot of raw quickness off the dribble, something that most post players do not have. This forces his defender to respect his ability to drive and play close to him, freeing up space in the middle of the floor. The Bulls then positioned Boozer behind Chris Bosh in the post, and after an easy lob over Bosh's head, Boozer laid it in for 2. The fact that the Bulls established deep position near the basket early in the game set the tone for the rest of the contest and Chicago never backed off the pedal.

As always with the Bulls, their success comes from their depth. Aside from Derrick Rose (and Luol Deng, to an extent), no one on this team can be considered a star. That said, the majority of their bench players can keep the game going on their own, and and this game was no different. The bench totaled more than half the team's total points (56), almost half their total rebounds, (23) and contributed 12 of the last 16 points of the game.

As of right now, the unit is living up to their hype.

Bench Mob indeed.

Bears Trade for Brandon Marshall

In my mind, new Bears GM Phil Emery had two jobs this offseason.

1) Acquire a big time wide receiver
2) Re-sign Matt Forte

Job number two is still up in the air, though there have been encouraging signs that the two teams are trying to reach a deal. The Bears franchise'd Forte earlier this month and now have until July to work out a long-term contract.

Earlier this afternoon though was the news that Emery completed job number one. The Bears traded 3rd round picks in 2012 and 2013 to the Dolphins for Brandon Marshall, a proven big time receiver who has great history with Jay Cutler. This moves instantly opens up the Bears offense who sorely needed a playmaker at the receiver position.

There is nothing I don't love about this move. Rather than breaking the bank to sign Vincent Jackson, the Bears give up 2 later-round picks for a guy that will help them right now. Additionally, the Bears can also address the defensive side of the ball and try to sign someone along the lines of Mario Williams or provide outside linebacker help. Also, by not spending top-dollar on a free agent receiver, this might retain cap space in order to give Forte a much needed new contract.

Well done Phil Emery. Your first move as GM was perfect, and the team is infinitely better after your first major move.

Bulls Defeat Knicks 104-99

Sometimes all it takes is hustle, physicality, and luck. The Bulls came into this game without two starters and a key bench player. The Knicks were out for revenge after being embarrassed by the 76ers. Then Chicago crashed the boards with relentless intensity and two young players stepped up when called upon: Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler.

Let's focus on Butler first. Coming into this game he averaged 8 minutes per game and just 2.6 points. Because of injuries to Richard Hamilton and Luol Deng the young was thrust into the fray and performed admirably, contributing 8 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists. Most importantly though is that the Bulls had enough confidence in his game to utilize him very similarly to Deng, the regular starter at the position.

Chicago relies upon Luol Deng to be the glue that holds the team together. He plays exceptional perimeter defense and can make shots from anywhere on the floor. Granted, Jimmy Butler's play was not all-star caliber, but as a rookie who has not seen the floor much this season, his play was encouraging. He was good moving without the ball off screens, and had a bit of success creating his own shots, but was most impressive on the defensive end. Butler played the majority of his second half minutes guarding Carmelo Anthony in iso situations (Melo's forte) and prevented him from scoring on most occasions. For what many consider to be the deepest team in the league, Butler's emergence could spell trouble for any team in a condensed season where everyone seems exhausted.

Taj Gibson played within himself on the offensive boards in this game. One of the best backup forwards in the league, Gibson added such ferocity off the bench that the Knicks will have nightmares of him hauling in rebounds in front of them. The Bulls had multiple second, third, and 4th shot opportunities, and Gibson was responsible for many of them with his eight offensive rebounds.

The Bulls' success on the glass came from their energy and physicality, and the Knicks' lack of both. Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler were incredibly outmatched and could not keep up. The Bulls did not do anything fancy. They were simply the stronger team down low and powered through the Knicks weak front line.

Kings top Blackhawks 3-2 in Shootout

How can a team with so much team speed be late on so many opportunities?

The Chicago Blackhawks are one of the fastest and most talented teams in the NHL. Their problems come though when they get over-aggressive and are unable to get back well enough on defense.

The first goal came just a minute and 17 seconds into the game. The Blackhawks started their shift poorly after letting up a scoring chance right off the opening faceoff, but eventually got great pressure in the Kings' zone. Four of their players crashed the net and were unable to knock it in. This turned into a long rebound and a 4-1 for LA. Though they had an extra 2 players, the Kings would only need two as Justin Williams got it to Slava Voynov for the quick goal.

This came as a result of the Blackhawks' defense not staying home under the circumstances. The forwards were able to create a scramble at the front of the net leaving Duncan Keith as the only player to retreat into the defensive zone. At this moment the Kings' players recognized the potential for an early chance and put it home to get on the board almost immediately.

The Blackhawks first goal came in the second period and is exactly the way they need to be playing moving forward. Viktor Stalberg benefitted from a neutral zone turnover, got an odd man rush with Patrick Sharp and Marcus Kruger, and made a great pass. Drew Doughty blocked Sharp's first attempt but Kruger was able to lift in the easy rebound. The Blackhawks at this point had been playing patient, but were aggressive enough when it mattered to cause a score.

In general, the Blackhawks are no patient enough on the back end to play dump-and-chase right now. Their forwards have not been able to get to pucks to set up an extended possession in the offensive zone which forces the defense to play up and out of position far too often. Chicago is athletic enough and fast enough to be able to cause offense in other ways, and therefore must play smarter and more conservative hockey if they want to be successful in the latter stages of this season.

Special National TV Lakers/Celtics Bonus Post Time!

I want to take a page from Sesame Street's book for today's post about the Lakers/Celtics game. For years and years they have been educating our youth with their "word of the day" segment. Today's word(s) of the day? Execution.

In the latter stages of the 4th quarter, the Lakers decided to shift their offense from general iso/post looks on the baseline to more of a two-man create game between Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. To begin the set, Gasol would get the ball right side near the top of the key. He would then hand off to Kobe and in the process set a pick on Bryant's defender. They would alternate this look with Kobe having the ball at the top of the key and Pau setting a screen on either side. This freed up more space into which Kobe could not only drive, but create for the rest of his teammates. This seems like it would be an effective process, but the rest of the Lakers could not get themselves into the right positions to allow for open baskets.

Andrew Bynum, clearly a post player, clogged up the lane by setting up on the left block instead of the right one and took up space where he was not in the position to be getting the ball. Neither Derek Fisher nor Metta World Peace moved along the perimeter without the ball to get into open catch and shoot situations. That said, Kobe still made 4-6 shots (many of which being contested) for 10 points and 2 assists in the 4th quarter though, and, as the best closer in today's NBA, kept it close and gave the Lakers their best chance to win.

On the other side of the ball, the Celtics don't have nearly the same shot creators from which their counterparts benefit. Throughout the game Paul Pierce, they're best shot creator, shot just 4-13 from the floor and provided just two 4th quarter points (both from the free throw line). Instead of constantly trying to go to him though, Boston's focus shifted giving touches to their entire team, hoping their ball movement would propel them to a victory.

Boston's unselfish style of play was apparent from their assist numbers. They registered assists on 33 of their 39 shots made, but were unable to come up with a point in the last 2:20 of the 4th. This was due to the way the Lakers closed out on the perimeter shooters and stopped Boston from getting open looks.

The Celtics intended to swing the ball inside-outside from their posts to the perimeter to get open looks on baseline/elbow jumpers. They understood that the overwhelming size combination of Bynum and Gasol prevented them from being able to go to a post game, so they relied on their athleticism and intelligence to get shots to their excellent mid-range shooters. Primarily this would result from a dribble drive from Rondo and then a kick out on an off-ball screen to either Kevin Garnett or Brandon Bass. Unfortunately for the C's, however, their shots would not fall in the final moments of the half and they finally came away with the loss.

Bulls Lose 99-94

I've felt the past couple posts have started to stagnate. Therefore, instead of just writing recaps, I want to start thinking more about individual strategy analysis. This game vs. the Orlando Dwight Howards featured 3 very formidable post players with one rising (sometimes literally) above them all (Howard).

Carlos Boozer provided an interesting study. In this game he shot 12-20 for 26 points, and kept the Bulls in the game with his clutch elbow and baseline jump shooting throughout the 4th. One play that was run with particular perfection in the contest was a pick and pop with the primary ball handler. Boozer would set up his pick on either side of the dribbler, would slip the screen and take the jumper from either elbow. This extended Orlando's defense and allowed for more open lanes to the basket or 3-point shooting opportunities from the guards. Not only that, his 20 shots taken was second only to Rose's 22. This involvement in the offense increased his motivation to play defense as can be seen by his 4 steals.

It's no secret that Dwight Howard is the best center in the league. When push comes to shove, he's just bigger, stronger, and more athletic than the other bigs. On three different occasions, Jameer Nelson (averaging just 5.5 assists on a team with a dominant big and knock-down shooters) had enough faith to just throw the ball up to Howard and have him jump over everyone and throw it down. What I'm more interested in is how the Bulls tried to defend him and how the Magic then adapted to (and eventually bested) Chicago's efforts.

Orlando's basic set featured Howard on either block with the other 4 players flanking him behind the 3 point line. When Howard posts up, the Bulls tried to run what was almost a triangle defense. Howard's primary defender would play behind him on the post, and whichever perimeter defenders were on his side would alternate and swipe in at him as he backed in. This resulted in 2 turnovers over the course of the game as Howard was unable to predict from where the double was coming and resulted in easy transition points for the Bulls.

The Magic realized quickly the strategy the Bulls were using on Howard and tweaked their sets to get him into more 1-1 situations. In these cases, it was rare that either Noah or Boozer would be able to stop him and these cases were instrumental in extending their lead. Instead of extending on all sides of the perimeter with Howard on the block, the Magic instead went to more of a baseline iso set. The other 4 players would spread on the other side of the court while Howard worked baseline with whomever was guarding him. This allowed him to post up easily and either turn baseline or drive middle with a baby hook. By putting Howard in a place where the Magic were able to maximize his versatility, the Magic then opened up other shots for their 3 point shooters to put the Bulls away.

Bulls Win 92-72

"Get your hard hat an lunch pail Taj Gibson," exclaimed Bulls color commentator Stacey King with about three minutes left in the third quarter.
Let's back up a second. Gibson had just converted a tough tap-in after a Derrick Rose miss to extend the Bulls' lead to 13 in the midst of a 20-4 Chicago run. This workman-like, blue-collar effort was indicative of their entire game performance.

Chicago's 92-72 win over Indiana was not as easy as the score suggests. the Pacers maintained a one-point lead at halftime and were holding the Bulls to 39% shooting. Then in the third quarter, the Bulls made 12 of their 21 shots to build a 19 point lead.

Though the starters built their lead in the third, Chicago's bench mob had to keep them in the game before halftime. John Lucas III, backing up Derrick Rose in place of injured CJ Watson, scored 13 points off the bench, including nine in the first two periods.
Taj Gibson, for whom the Bulls ran multiple baseline iso plays, rendered starter Carlos Boozer's lackluster performance inconsequential, finishing with ten points and nine rebounds.
Ronnie Brewer, was forced to resume his role as a spot starter after Richard Hamilton injured his shoulder just two minutes into the game. He finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.

Tonight, the team with the best record in the NBA defeated the current third seed in the Eastern Conference. It was a close game in the first half. But the White Mamba's entrance late in the fourth quarter displayed the abyss present between those two seeds.

Rutgers Falls to Villanova 77-71

When you come out losing 28-9 and are allowing the other team to shoot 10-11 from the field, it's tough to expect to come out with a win.
Then when the second half starts with a 20-2 run to cut the lead to one, Rutgers had hope.
Then... what happened?
Villanova went to a 2-3 zone. Mack, Carter and Seagears couldn't penetrate the way they had been early in the game. Nova began making shots again and breaking Rutgers' press. Rutgers lost the rebounding battle 36-27. Though they forced 21 turnovers, they committed 25 total fouls.
Rutgers, once again, lost to a lesser team. They had a chance to improve their seeding for the upcoming Big East tournament, and once and again let it get away. As has been the story for the entire season, Rutgers' youth was apparent. They won't be going anywhere. They might win one, maybe two games on a big stage. Right now though, Scarlet Knight fans should look to next year. One that promises development, maturity, and some semblance of consistency.
Final note - what is Myles Mack thinking on the offensive side of the ball? Prior to tonight, he was shooting 34% from behind the arc. In this game, he shot 10 three pointers and only made 3 of them. This is a consistent issue. If this team is going to grow, Mack needs to learn that his best asset is not as a shooter who stops offensive flow by jacking up wild threes. He needs to facilitate more, drive to the basket and kick out to open shooters, or just spot open for the occasional open look. He's not consistent enough to take this many shots, and it drastically hurts the offense.

Bulls Take Win in San Antonio 96-89

Sometimes your stars perform and give you the win. Sometimes one of the role players steps up and and surprises everyone. For the Bulls earlier tonight, it was both.
Derrick Rose stopped settling for jumpers and attacked the rim to hang onto the lead. Luol Deng, a guy that had been 1-7 from the floor before hitting two huge 3's late.
Jeff van Gundy said in the broadcast earlier that Ronnie Brewer is primarily a defensive guy and doesn't really provide much shooting. Then Ronnie Brewer scored 6 straight points in the 4th to keep the lead going.
Great win for the Bulls. Some guys stepped up, but it was by no means easy. Only 2 starters (Jo and DRose) scored in double figures until it came down to fouls. Lu, Boozer, and Rip combined for 8-29 from the floor and just 20 total points. Rip and Boozer were benched for most of the 4th quarter in favor of Brewer and Taj Gibson, respectively. These were the 2 guys who are supposed to take the load off Derrick Rose when the going gets tough. This can't happen again. This team is too good to succumb to those kind of pitfalls.
With 2:44 left in the 1st quarter, Bulls fans saw their season flash before their eyes with Rose clutching his knee after an incidental collision with Tony Parker. Who stepped up? None other than CJ Watson. I don't know if that speaks to the depth the Bulls bring to the table or to the fact that the bigger scorers (more specifically Boozer and Hamilton) couldn't pick up the slack. It might be both.
One way or another, Chicago went into super-hot San Antonio and came away with a win against a team that had only one home loss on the season prior. Some games can be chalked up to just being another regular season game. This was not one of them. There were too many trends, both scary and encouraging to write this off. The Bulls showed that they can beat one of the best teams in the league despite lackluster performances from their stars. They'll need to win this kind of game in the playoffs, should they be on the horizon.

Blackhawks Win 5-4

You need 60 minutes of ice time for a full shutout. 39 doesn't get you quite there, but sometimes, it's just enough.
Corey Crawford let up 3 goals in the first 20. The Blackhawks scored two themselves and didn't allow the game to get out of hand.
Then enter Ray Emery. 25 shots seen, 24 shots saved. He had some help though. Something about his entry encouraged actual defensive play from a team that some nights seem allergic to physicality.
The 'Hawks aren't getting consistent play from most of their lines. That said, the Brunette/Hossa/Kane line contributed goals 3-4-5 in this game, brought energy and athleticism, and saved this game from getting out of hand.
I'm still not satisfied though. The Blackhawks traded John Scott, a big guy who created havoc around the net, and didn't get much in return. Then in this game they score their goals by creating traffic in front and forcing rebounds and stuffs from the slot. What am I missing? Scott brought toughness, the team needs toughness. This team still plays shallow defense and doesn't block shots and do the dirty work. Maybe Oduya will help that defense. Maybe he'll help them  stiffen up and they'll realize that based on pure talent, they're still one of the best.
Either way, this was a good comeback win, and props need to go out to Emery for keeping it close

Bulls defeat Hornets 99-95

Great teams find a way to win.
This was by no means an easy game for the Bulls. They let one of the worst teams in the league hang with them for far longer than they should have to the point where it was tied with 25 seconds left in the game.
If not for Derrick Rose's 4th quarter heroics the Bulls would've dropped their first game of the 2nd half to a team with just 8 wins.
In the grander scheme of things, this was a regular season home win. But the implications are a little more intense.
Rip Hamilton played 17 minutes off the bench in his first action in several games coming off injury. He looked a little slow coming off screens and wasn't totally back in shape. That said, he still did some things well, so look for him to play back into game shape as the rest of the second half rolls along.
Of their eight losses, 3 have been to teams sub-.500. Including tonight's game, there were another 3 games that could have gone either way that again were against teams with losing records.
I don't know if the schedule is getting to them at all. The Bulls' heads might just not be in it against lesser competition.
Sometimes there are games when the other team just plays harder than you do. That's what it seemed like tonight. Derrick Rose willed his team to victory, was helped by double-double efforts from Jo and Lu, and they were still able to chalk another up in the win column. That said, if they expect to beat the Heat, they need to put efforts like this behind them and play the kind of basketball they've shown to be capable of playing.

Blackhawks fall to Dallas 3-1

What happened?
The Blackhawks were winning 1-0 going into the third period and looked really good in the process.
Seabrook, Hjalmarsson and the defense had been solid throughout and weren't letting anything through.
Then, with about 10 left in the period, Dallas started capitalizing on mistakes.
Primarily, Blackhawk forwards stopped getting down to block shots. Crawford wasn't able to contain rebounds, and Dallas took advantage.
Chicago did a lot of good things in this game. For about 50 minutes, they looked like they were finally going to come away with their first shutout of the season. The line of Hayes, Brunette and Frolik was energetic and proficient throughout, with Frolik assisting on the only goal.
The Blackhawks' winning streak is snapped at 4, and they remain at 6th in the conference. Again though, there are still many things to improve on from this game. They'll continue to build this Saturday with the first of a quick two-game road trip against Los Angeles.

Bulls Defeat Milwaukee 110-91

Good teams figure out how to put things together before it's too late.
The Bulls didn't look great at first and their defense was loose and late on their rotations.
Then the Bulls remembered that they're one of the best defensive teams in the league, and Joakim Noah dominated all phases of the game. They got to the free-throw line, won the rebounding battle by 20, and it was just business as usual from the 2nd quarter on.
Did I mention that Jo dominated the game? He brought a level of energy unmatched by anyone else on the court, and was instrumental in putting the team back on track after a questionable 1st quarter. He recorded the first triple-double of his career, with 13 points, 13 boards (5 offensive) and 10 dimes. At one point he even showed his range hitting a corner jumper, and flashed his soon-to-be infamous finger guns. Some might call him an obnoxious showboat... actually I think everyone would call him an obnoxious showboat. But this showmanship brings a swagger and confidence that boosts the team's chemistry and performance.
The Bulls are a great team. This was just another player stepping up and filling his role against a much weaker team.
Now with 6 days off for the all-star break, they'll get some much needed rest before coming back and playing New Orleans at home on the 28th.

Rutgers Falls to (10) Marquette

Coaches are important, home court is important, recruiting is important. While these are true, the ultimate asset for a team is talent. Is was pretty obvious in this game that Marquette was the more talented team.
Rutgers didn't play poorly. Seagears, Biruta, Carter, and Miller all scored in double-digits. The Scarlet Knights ultimately won the rebounding battle. In the end though, they just couldn't stop the stars from Marquette.
Jae Crowder had 27-7-4-3-3
Darius Johnson-Odom had 21 points.
The Golden Eagles scored an inordinate amount of fastbreak points, and their press was impenetrable.
Look, no one expected the Scarlet Knights to win this game. Marquette is the 10th best team in the country for a reason. Rutgers held with them for a little while before falling, which is encouraging in some regard.
Finally, Gil Biruta continued to build off his strong performance against Syracuse and showed that he has the potential to be a force down low. He shot 66% from the floor with 12 points and 4 rebounds, and showed the energy and hustle that is now expected of him. If he is able to cut down on the turnovers and silly fouls, he will be a much needed stabilizing force in the post.
The Scarlet Knights' next game takes place on Saturday at the Rock for their final meeting of the season vs. Seton Hall.

Blackhawks Win 2-1

Boy it feels good to beat an evil team, doesn't it?
The Blackhawks have now rolled off 4-straight coming out of their 9-game slump, yet no win was as big as this last one.
In a previous post I wrote about how important it was that the Hawks' starts stepped up in big moments, but this game was just the opposite.
With team captain Jonathan Toews out with the mysterious "upper-body" injury, everyone knew coming in that this would be a struggle. The young guys though performed their roles admirably though and the Hawks pulled it out. Rookie winger Jimmy Hayes tied the game in the 2nd period on a rebound. He later added an assist on Kruger's early 3rd period goal.
Most importantly though, Corey Crawford only let up 1 goal despite seeing over 30 shots. The Blackhawks still have yet to record a shutout this season, but if Crawford is able to consistently play as well as he has on this winning streak then it might not matter. His performance is key. The team steps up when he does, and wilts when he doesn't. As long as he's stopping shots and the defense is playing, well, defense, then this team will be much scarier come playoff time.
These Hawks are inconsistent. The same team let up 18 goals in two games in Edmonton this year and went on a 9-game skid, and now haven't given up more than 1 in any of the last 3.
Whatever Q is doing now is working. The question is, how long before the team tunes him out again and he needs to switch everything up?

Bulls defeat Atlanta 90-79

Hey Lu, how's that back feeling?
No, I'm not asking Derrick, though I hope his is feeling pretty good too.
I ask Luol Deng because in submitting close to a double-double, he put the team on his back.
Yes, D-Rose submitted a nice 23 point performance, and it was good to see him return to action, but with 3 minutes left in the 4th, who knocked down the dagger 3 to put the Bulls up 9?
This game was both energizing and disconcerting. The Bulls seemed to feed off Rose's play, and he was back to recklessly throwing his body around the same way he did before the spasms. John Lucas III and Mike James filled in for injured CJ Watson and helped bridge the gap between Rose's visits to the bench.
However, with a comfortable 20 point lead in the 3rd, the Bulls let up. The Hawks started getting to the foul line. They entered a full court press that no one was able to break up. Tracy McGrady (really? T-Mac? Really?) knocked in a 3-pointed to cut the lead to 5. The Bulls looked defeated, that's not a good sign.
Yes, in the end, the Bulls beat one of the better teams in the league. They were ahead for most of the game, and made shots when it counted. They will be in more situations like this though, and it will be incumbent upon them to perform for the full 48 minutes.
Luol Deng deserves to be an all-star. He's the glue. He's the 2nd guy. And he's the one picking up the slack when Rose is hurting. Right now the Bulls are not the best team in the NBA because of their depth or their talent. They're the best because they know who they are. Rose is the star. Deng is the glue. Noah is the energy.
Ronnie Brewer gives you a spot start wherever he's needed. When a team knows their roles, they can go places. Let's see where these Bulls go.

Blackhawks Win 3-1

With about 4 minutes left in the 2nd period, I turned to my girlfriend Sarah and said "I'm going to be really pissed if they lose this game 1-0."
Then the 3rd started. Defense continued to be a little loose, execution was a little off.
Then the talent that had been such a letdown for the Blackhawks during their 9-game losing streak showed up. Sharpy gave a nice pass to the point to Duncan Keith who ripped it home to tie the game at 1.
Davey Bolland knocked a wrister home off Blues' captain David Backes later in the period to increase the lead to two.
Corey Crawford, a guy that has faced a ton of adversity so far this year, saved 29-30 shots and submitted a dazzling performance.
This was a great win. The St. Louis Blues were rolling at the time, the Blackhawks are trying to recover from a terrible month, and things just fit together the way I was hoping. The defense gave Craw some support, blocked a couple of shots, but there's still room for improvement, especially on the defensive end.
Shout-out finally to John Scott. He's a beast by the net, a huge force of nature, and he gets down and dirty to give this team a physicality that they sorely need. He'll be a big help for the rest of the season as the Blackhawks look to make that push for the postseason.
Great win for the Blackhawks who continue their season against evil Detroit on Tuesday.  Hopefully they'll keep this streak rolling.

Could it be 3?

Could it be 3?
I don't understand Rutgers basketball right now. Wins against  8th ranked Florida, and 10th ranked UCONN, competing with 10th ranked Georgetown and earlier today they pushed 2nd ranked Syracuse to the limit.This is Rutgers at their best. Something about Mike Rice's coaching techniques causes them to play up to their competition, especially at home.
Losses against DePaul and Providence though blur any judgment lines possible. The come out sloppy, tired, and play generally bad basketball.
So what is it? Eli Carter and Jerome Seagears can score. Gilvydas Biruta showed earlier today that he can be a force down low. They can play good defense if they're inspired.
I could talk about how they blew the chance to beat one of the best teams in the country. But that would be expecting too much. For right now I'll settle with knowing that soon Rutgers will put it together. With an inconsistent Dane Miller as their leader right now, they'll figure it out. Great effort and a great performance, and this team is showing sign of life like this school has never seen before. I'm now, more than earlier in the season, incredibly excited to see this team perform in what will be a much more watered down Big East. Go RU!

Bulls Lose 97-85

This is not the way I wanted to start this blog off. I was expecting an easy win over a crummy Nets team, and the Bulls would improve to 8-2 without Derrick Rose. But then the game started.
The Nets got out to an improbable 19-3 lead and were hitting everything. The Bulls, on the other hand, couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Turnovers kept mounting, and the Nets kept making them pay.
Sure, the Bulls crept back into the game a little bit, cutting the lead to 7 in the 2nd quarter. The Nets though kept pouring it on and that led to a pretty easy win against the best team in the NBA.
Am I still talking about the Bulls here? This is the deepest team in the league, one that in no way be losing to the 8-win Nets. Luol Deng shouldn't be shooting 5-14 from the floor. Kris Humphries shouldn't be able to go for 24-18-5 against anyone, let alone the best defense in the league.
The most important part though, is the play of the point guard position. Between CJ Watson, John Lucas III, and newcomer Mike James, I never got the sense that they were in control of the offense. Luol Deng, an all-world defender and great leader, cannot be expected to accrue 10-11 assists per night. It's up to those veterans, along with the front-court tandem of Boozer and Noah to pick up the slack. This was a pathetic effort from most of the team.
Luckily though, in the grand scheme of things, this game doesn't really mean much. The Bulls still have the best record in the NBA, and the Nets still suck. Hopefully they'll be able to put it together on Monday against Atlanta and I'll be able to get this terrible taste out of my mouth.