Even though the Chicago Bulls were facing an inferior opponent in the Memphis Grizzlies when the teams played on January 1^st, I was concerned that Chicago might not play so well following their successful west-coast road trip. However, not only did the Bulls jump on the Grizzlies early, they continued to impose their will for the entire game, resulting in a 104-64 victory. This was by far the their best performance of the season and here are a few keys as to why the Bulls were so dominant against the Grizzlies.

Defense and rebounding:

The Bulls were up by as much as 46 points at one juncture and a lot of that was because of the solid defense they played. Chicago limited Memphis to just 27 percent shooting in the first half and 31 percent for the game. Chicago was also more aggressive on the boards, posting a 55-40 advantage. This would mark the second straight contest in which the Bulls out-rebounded their opponent by a double-digit margin.

Carlos Boozer:

Boozer had another solid outing, scoring 17 points along with 11 rebounds, including 11 points during a second-quarter run that gave the Bulls a 54-28 lead and put the game out of reach early. What I liked about Boozer’s game was he scored a lot of his points around the basket, rather than hoisting up rainbow jumpers from 15 feet out. Even more to the point, Boozer was 7-of-10 from the field and did his damage in just 24 minutes of action. Being that I’m critical of his game when he is not playing well, it is only fair that I give him credit when he does live up to expectations.

Ronnie Brewer:

Ronnie Brewer did a great job starting for Rip Hamilton, who had to sit out because of a groin injury. His stat line was 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. I realize that it’s early in the season to offer too much praise, but Brewer’s game has improved a lot from last season. He has always been able to finish around the rim, but now he is showing that he can be a reliable mid-range shooter as well.

Before Chicago acquired Rip Hamilton, a lot of people felt Brewer had the potential to be the starting two-guard if the Bulls decided to stand pat. I didn’t agree with that assessment because his game seemed somewhat limited coming into the season. However, he is raising a lot of eyebrows and he could be a huge difference-maker if he continues to play at this level.

James Tillman is a resident of the Chicago-land area who has been a Bulls’ fan since the 1987-1988 season. James is currently a fan blogger on Yahoo Sports and sports contributor for Sports Rantz magazine. For interesting discussions about the NBA, NFL and MLB, follow him on Twitter @jtillman9693.

Sources:

Comcast Sports Net Channel 37

“Home Is Where Rout Is”, Neil Hayes, Chicago Sun-Times

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The Chicago Bulls could do no wrong Sunday in their season debut at the United Center, crushing the Memphis Grizzlies in a lopsided, 104-64 affair to open the New Year with a bang and send a simple message to visitors: This is our house, baby.

While there are plenty of positives from which to choose, the story of the night was the Bulls’ suffocating defense. It was, in a word, brutal: The Grizzlies managed just 12 first quarter points, and shortly before the end of the third quarter, were shooting 23 percent from the field with twice as many turnovers (12) as assists (6). Yikes.

On the other end of the floor, the Bulls were led by Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer.

Boozer played like a man possessed: He double-doubled before halftime and finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds in just 24 minutes of action. He showed some of the explosiveness he’s recently lacked, and even made some decent defensive plays. He’s now averaging 15.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per 36, which is close to what the Bulls want, need and expect from their $70 million man.

Brewer, however, gets player of the game accolades. Starting for the sidelined Rip Hamilton (sore groin), Ronnie had 17 points (the most he’s ever had with the Bulls) with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Brewer was, well, vintage Brewer: Always around the ball making something good happen.

Overall, the Bulls’ offense was good but never great, which may sound strange for a 40-point win. They overcame a slow start shooting by sharing the ball (24 assists), using the fast break (33 points) and dominating the paint (+20). The Bulls have now averaged 108.7 ppg the past three games, and are averaging 101 ppg on the season, good for sixth best in the league (bet you didn’t expect that).

Not only did the Bulls get the win, they got it while getting a chance to rest their starters. Only two starters – Luol Deng and Brewer – played more than 30 minutes, as the Bench Mob closed out the game.

A win is a win, who cares if the Grizzlies were missing a couple of players, but this was a win at home, and a rather convincing one at that. The Bulls were a league-best 36-5 at home last season, and absolutely must win home games during this short NBA season.

Winning your home opener by 40 is a good way to get started.

Notes: The Bulls are 4-0 in home openers during the Derrick Rose era….. The +/-’s from last night’s game were utterly ridiculous. Brewer was +48, no other starter was less than +35….. Brewer is 4-for-4 on three’s this year; he made just six all of last season on 22 percent shooting….. Deng has held Rudy Gay, a career 18 ppg scorer, to 14 points on 3-of-22 shooting the last two times he played against the Bulls….. The win moved the Bulls to 4-1 for the franchise’s best start since 1996-97, when…well, you know….. The Bulls last played on New Year’s Day in 2005; Eddy Curry had 22 points in a 105-90 win over the Orlando Magic….. The Miami Heat may be 5-0, but the teams they’ve so far played are a combined 4-10.

Sources: Boozer leads Bulls past Grizzlies 104-64, Associated Press/Yahoo! Sports; Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls recap & box score, ESPN.com; Bulls win 40-point laugher in home opener, Chicago Tribune;

Other Articles By This Contributor:

Chalk One Up for Chicago Bulls Coach Tom Thibodeau (December 31)

Bulls, Heat Will Meet in Eastern Conference Finals: Fan Forecast (December 23)

Top 10 Moments of Chicago Bulls’ 2010-11 Season (December 22)

YCN featured sports contributor Steve Merritt is – for better or worse – a lifelong Chicago Bulls, Bears and Cubs fan. He’s followed the Bulls since 1969, when he tuned in after bedtime on a cheap dime store radio tucked under his pillow.

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CBSSports.com wire reports
Jan. 1, 2012

CHICAGO — Carlos Boozer isn’t interested in winning over his critics. He’s interested in something else.

“To win,” he said.

The Chicago Bulls figure to do plenty of that, particularly if he keeps playing like this.

Boozer scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Bulls coasted in their home opener, pounding the Memphis Grizzlies 104-64 on Sunday night.

Derrick Rose finished with 16 points even though shots weren’t falling for him in the early going. Ronnie Brewer scored 17 with Richard Hamilton a late scratch because of a groin injury.

The game was so lopsided that fans started calling for backup Brian Scalabrine in the third quarter, with the outcome clearly in hand. It was, easily, the most dominant performance of the young season for a team with soaring expectations.

With their eyes on a championship, Bulls took three of four out West, beating Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the opener and capping the trip with a victory over the Clippers. This time, they dismantled the Grizzlies.

“It’s a major step back,” Memphis’ Rudy Gay said. “This is the NBA. The game definitely shouldn’t have gotten out of hand like that. We’re all professional athletes. We need to come up with a better showing than that.”

Boozer led the way with 15 points and 11 rebounds as Chicago built a 54-28 halftime lead, scoring down low and hitting mid-range jumpers as if they were breakaway layups. He had 11 points during a 13-3 second-quarter run that bumped Chicago’s lead to 48-27. Not a bad home debut for a guy who heard his share of boos there last season, particularly down the stretch.

“I’m not even worried about it, honestly,” said Boozer, who missed the first month a year ago because of a broken right hand after signing with Chicago and was limited by a turf toe injury in the postseason. “I don’t know which story you guys are trying to write, but I’m going to tell you this – we’re just worried about getting better every day.”

At 4-1, the Bulls are off to their best start since the 1996-97 team won its first 12, and they won this one easily even though Luol Deng (11 points) had a quiet night and the ball wasn’t falling for Rose early on.

He missed his first five shots and was 4 of 10, but he was aggressive from the start and helped set up his teammates. That’s why coach Tom Thibodeau his statistics didn’t really reflect his performance.

“He gives you whatever the team needs,” Thibodeau said. “He got us off to a really good start — defense, pushing the ball up the floor. When you push the ball like that, it gets everyone moving.”

The only downer for Chicago was Hamilton getting scratched from the lineup and C.J. Watson leaving with a sprained left elbow injury in the fourth quarter after a scramble for a loose ball with Josh Selby near midcourt. He had his arm in a sling afterward and was scheduled for an MRI on Monday.

Hamilton, who tweaked his groin against the Clippers, is day to day.

Those injuries aside, it was a good night for the Bulls. They outrebounded the Grizzlies 55-40, outshot them 46.4 percent to 31 percent and outscored them 33-13 on the break.

It was simply a brutal night for Memphis, which got just five points from Gay. Zach Randolph bruised his right knee and scored only two points in 11 minutes.

Josh Davis and Sam Young were the only Grizzlies to score in double figures, with 10 points apiece. Jeremy Pargo, who grew up near Rose on Chicago’s South Side, hit only 2 of 13 shots and finished with four points filling in for Mike Conley, who missed his second game with a sprained left ankle.

“It was embarrassing and humiliating,” coach Lionel Hollins said.

Notes

• Conley participated in the morning shootaround and did some pregame work. He said the ankle is improving, but he remains day to day. “I’m going to try to get some more rest for it and get it stronger with a couple of extra days of rehab before I get back on the court.”
• Pargo, who is two years older than Rose, deflected questions about their matchup before the game, saying, “I’m excited to play with my teammates and do our best to get a win.”

CHICAGO (AP)—Carlos Boozer scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls easily won their home opener, pounding the Memphis Grizzlies 104-64 on Sunday night.

Derrick Rose finished with 16 points after a slow start. Ronnie Brewer scored 17 with Richard Hamilton a late scratch because of a groin injury. But with Boozer dominating, the Bulls simply put this one away early.

This game was so lopsided that fans started calling for backup Brian Scalabrine in the third quarter, with the outcome clearly in hand. It was, easily, the most dominant performance of the young season for a team with soaring expectations.

With their eyes on a championship, Bulls took three of four out West, beating Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the opener and capping the trip with a victory over the Clippers.

Boozer led the way with 15 points and 11 rebounds as Chicago built a 54-28 halftime lead, scoring down low and hitting mid-range jumpers as if they were breakaway layups. He had 11 points during a 13-3 second-quarter run that bumped Chicago’s lead to 48-27.

At 4-1, the Bulls are off to their best start since the 1996-97 team won its first 12, and they won this one easily even though Rose shot just 4 of 10 and Luol Deng finished with 11 points.

The only downer for Chicago was Hamilton getting scratched from the lineup and C.J. Watson leaving with a left elbow injury in the fourth quarter after a scramble for a loose ball with Josh Selby near midcourt.

They out-rebounded the Grizzlies 55-40 and outshot them 46.4 percent to 31 percent.

It was simply a brutal night for Memphis, which got just five points from Rudy Gay. Zach Randolph bruised his right knee and scored only two points in 11 minutes.

Josh Davis and Sam Young were the only Grizzlies to score in double figures, with 10 points apiece. Jeremy Pargo, who grew up near Rose, hit just 2 of 13 shots and finished with four points filling in for Mike Conley.

Notes: Conley participated in the morning shootaround and did some pregame work. He said the ankle is improving, but he remains day to day. “I’m going to try to get some more rest for it and get it stronger with a couple of extra days of rehab before I get back on the court.” … Pargo, who is two years older than Rose, deflected questions about their matchup before the game, saying, “I’m excited to play with my teammates and do our best to get a win.” … The Bulls honored the late Maggie Daley with a moment of silence and video tribute before the game. The wife of former mayor Richard M. Daley, she died in November after a lengthy fight with breast cancer.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

In the Chicago Bulls final four-game road trip, they came out strong and beat the Los Angeles Clippers, 114-101 on Friday, Dec. 30.

Derrick Rose led the team offensively and everything seemed to come together for them.

The Bulls got off to a slow start as the Clippers jumped to a 7-0 lead. They maintained seven-point leads throughout most of the first quarter but within the last minute, the Bulls tied it up and ended with a 29-28 lead.

In the second quarter, the pace picked up and the teams exchanged leads when it wasn’t tied. The Bulls found success from the line and within the quarter’s last minute, Joakim Noah showed up and pulled the Bulls ahead to enter halftime with a 57-52 advantage.

Returning from the break, the Bulls maintained a small lead but the Clippers weren’t going to give up that easily. Blake Griffin kept hitting free throws for Los Angeles but Luol Deng and Rose kept the Bulls ahead. The Bench Mob took over and helped the team see an 83-77 lead as it entered the final quarter.

The Bulls kicked it into gear in the fourth quarter as Rose extended the lead from his successive free throws. Throughout the quarter, the Bulls led. Around the seven-minute mark, they began hitting three-pointers while the Clippers’ Griffin kept making shots to tighten the Bulls’ lead but it wasn’t good enough on this night.

Rose was on a mission to beat the highly-touted Clippers and Chris Paul. He was very successful.

Scoring…Rose led the team with 29 points,16 assists and eight rebounds. Playing against his first NBA coach for two seasons, Vinny Del Negro said of his former player, “Derrick is just a handful and we all know that. I didn’t think we ganged up on him enough. He got too many free throws, but he also hit some tough shots in the fourth quarter, stepping behind the line and hitting some 3s.”

Deng and Noah both added 19 points with Rip Hamilton contributing 16 points.

Next up? The Bulls host Memphis on Sunday, Jan. 1.

As a lifelong Chicago Bulls fan and Chicago resident, the Derrick Rose era has been an enjoyable one.

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