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.
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