CHICAGO (AP) – Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose will miss Friday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers because of a strained groin.

Rose sat out his 12th game of the season. The Bulls are 8-3 without him, including a 106-102 victory over Miami on Wednesday night. Rose has also been limited by back and toe problems this season.

C.J. Watson started at point guard in place of Rose.

© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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CHICAGO — Derrick Rose had 24 points and 13 assists, Carlos Boozer scored 27 and the Chicago Bulls pounded the Utah Jazz 111-97 on Saturday night.

Kyle Korver scored a season-high 26 points, and the Bulls got back to winning after their season-high eight-game streak ended with a loss to Orlando on Thursday. They turned a seven-point halftime lead into a 16-point advantage going into the fourth quarter and came away with a lopsided victory on a night when both teams were short-handed.

The Bulls were missing All-Star Luol Deng, who was out because of pain brought on by a torn ligament in his left wrist. Joakim Noah sat out with an illness, and guards Richard Hamilton (right shoulder injury) and C.J. Watson remained sidelined.

The Jazz were without starting guards Devin Harris (stomach virus) and Raja Bell, who was away from the team for unspecified reasons. Coach Tyrone Corbin called it “an internal matter” that he expects to be resolved soon.

Utah had no answer for the Bulls, though.

Rose perked up after a slow start and Boozer and Korver dominated their former team, leading Chicago to an easy win. The Bulls still haven’t dropped back-to-back games this season, and that wasn’t about to change on a night when they shot just under 56 percent.

Boozer made 13 of 17 shots. Korver was on target, too, nailing 6 of 11 3-pointers, and had seven rebounds and six assists in his best game of the season.

Paul Millsap led Utah with 26 points. Al Jefferson scored 16 and Josh Howard added 15 points, but the Jazz simply were overwhelmed, losing for the second time in as many nights.

Rose scored seven points over the final 3:24 of the first half to help the Bulls build a 48-41 lead after Utah pulled within two at 39-37, and Chicago dominated the rest of the way.

The Bulls scored 31 in the third quarter, and led by as much as 18 in the final minute of the period.

The crowd was roaring after John Lucas III stole the ball from Jamaal Tinsley and fed Taj Gibson for a hard two-handed dunk. Ronnie Brewer then stole a pass from Al Jefferson and hit two free throws to make it 79-61 with 12.8 seconds left, before Tinsley nailed a short turnaround jumper.

NOTES: Asked before the game if Bell’s situation would be a distraction, Corbin said: “No distraction, no. I wouldn’t expect so. We’ve got the Bulls, and that’s enough distraction for everybody.” … Watson appears close to returning after missing his fourth straight game. “He did some running, some shooting today,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “The swelling’s down. We’ll see where he is (Sunday).”

Derrick Rose had 24 points and 13 assists, Carlos Boozer scored 27 and the Chicago Bulls pounded the Utah Jazz 111-97 on Saturday night.

Kyle Korver scored a season-high 26 points, and the Bulls got back to winning after their season-high eight-game streak ended with a loss to Orlando on Thursday. They turned a seven-point halftime lead into a 16-point advantage going into the fourth quarter and came away with a lopsided victory on a night when both teams were short-handed.

The Bulls were missing All-Star Luol Deng, who was out because of pain brought on by a torn ligament in his left wrist. Joakim Noah sat out with an illness, and guards Richard Hamilton (right shoulder injury) and C.J. Watson remained sidelined.

The Jazz were without starting guards Devin Harris (stomach virus) and Raja Bell, who was away from the team for unspecified reasons. Coach Tyrone Corbin called it “an internal matter” that he expects to be resolved soon.

Utah had no answer for the Bulls, though.

Rose perked up after a slow start and Boozer and Korver dominated their former team, leading Chicago to an easy win. The Bulls still haven’t dropped back-to-back games this season, and that wasn’t about to change on a night when they shot just under 56 percent.

Boozer made 13 of 17 shots. Korver was on target, too, nailing 6 of 11 3-pointers, and had seven rebounds and six assists in his best game of the season.

Paul Millsap led Utah with 26 points. Al Jefferson scored 16 and Josh Howard added 15 points, but the Jazz simply were overwhelmed, losing for the second time in as many nights.

Rose scored seven points over the final 3:24 of the first half to help the Bulls build a 48-41 lead after Utah pulled within two at 39-37, and Chicago dominated the rest of the way.

The Bulls scored 31 in the third quarter, and led by as much as 18 in the final minute of the period.

The crowd was roaring after John Lucas III stole the ball from Jamaal Tinsley and fed Taj Gibson for a hard two-handed dunk. Ronnie Brewer then stole a pass from Al Jefferson and hit two free throws to make it 79-61 with 12.8 seconds left, before Tinsley nailed a short turnaround jumper.

NOTES: Asked before the game if Bell’s situation would be a distraction, Corbin said: “No distraction, no. I wouldn’t expect so. We’ve got the Bulls, and that’s enough distraction for everybody.” … Watson appears close to returning after missing his fourth straight game. “He did some running, some shooting today,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “The swelling’s down. We’ll see where he is (Sunday).”

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Derrick Rose and Tony Parker didn’t see much of each other during the All-Star game last weekend, but they got close enough Wednesday night to give the Chicago Bulls a scare.

Rose, last year’s NBA MVP, says his knee is fine after crashing into Parker — and the Eastern Conference leaders are still rolling along.

Shaking off a scary-looking collision with Parker in the first quarter, Rose scored 29 points and Chicago cooled off the streaking Spurs 96-89. The Bulls won for the 11th time in 13 games while becoming only the second visiting team to win in San Antonio this season.

Rose writhed on the floor for several minutes after banging knees with Parker, who stood unfazed after the impact. Bulls trainers rushed to the star’s side, but Rose got up slowly and walked back to the bench. He never left the game.

 ”When I first hit him, there was a lot of pain in there,” Rose said. “But after laying down there for a little bit, I got up and was good.”

Gary Neal led the Spurs with 21 points off the bench, scoring 15 in the fourth. He sank two big 3-pointers in the quarter, one knotting the score at 75 and the second putting the Spurs within three, but San Antonio floundered late and had its homecoming spoiled after going 8-1 during the winningest nine-game road trip in NBA history.

Joakim Noah added 10 points and 13 rebounds for Chicago. Rose scored six in the fourth, including two crucial shots on back-to-back possessions in the final 2 minutes.
“It’s very tough,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of trying to stop Rose. “He’s a great player.”

Tim Duncan had 18 points and 10 rebounds. He brought the Spurs back from an 11-point deficit in the third quarter after starting out rusty following the longest midseason break of his career. The 35-year-old wasn’t at All-Star weekend for the first time but relished the rest in the compressed, lockout-shortened schedule.

Duncan scored 12 in the third while Parker — who was an All-Star but played only sparingly in Orlando on Sunday night — struggled to keep pace with Rose. Parker finished with 11 points on 5-of-16 shooting, had nine assists and stumbled through his lowest-scoring game in a month.

“I thought the whole team was rusty,” Parker said. “I was rusty, too. I didn’t do nothing for four days, five days.”

In fact, Parker’s most memorable play may have been the one that nearly took out Rose. But after getting hurt, Rose immediately proved he was OK by darting toward the basket and finishing a tough layup on the very next possession.

After scoring 32 points and sinking a crucial jumper with 19.4 seconds left to beat lowly New Orleans on Tuesday night, Rose delivered late again. He scored 13 in the second half and hit a 9-foot bank shot with 1:46 left that put Chicago up 87-82.

Duncan quickly answered, but on the next possession Rose all but finished off the Spurs. This time it was a tough 18-footer over Duncan’s outstretched hand that put the Bulls up 89-84, and Luol Deng’s 3-pointer with 39.6 seconds left stretched the lead to six and sealed a winning start to Chicago’s three-game road swing.

“I told you, playing every point guard on the planet is fun, where I love the challenge,” Rose said of his matchup with Parker. “He’s a veteran point guard, knows all the moves, plays great for that team.”

San Antonio has been practically invincible at home. But the Spurs, now 13-2 at the AT&T Center, aren’t going anywhere soon: They’ll play their next six at home as amends for spending the last month on their most successful Rodeo Road Trip ever.

Danny Green added 11 points for the Spurs. C.J. Watson scored 12 off the bench for Chicago, and Deng finished with 10.

Richard Hamilton started again for the Bulls after returning from a monthlong absence Tuesday against the Hornets. Hamilton has been bothered by a sore thigh and played just 15 minutes, scoring two points on 1-of-8 shooting.

Notes: The Spurs and Bulls won’t play again this season. … Chicago has played an NBA-high 37 games, but its schedule gets somewhat lighter in the second half. The Bulls will play their remaining 29 games over the next 57 days.

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

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Finally – a game Chicago Bulls fans can be pleased with, even if coach Tom Thibodeau isn’t.

Led by a spectacular effort from reigning MVP Derrick Rose, the Bulls on Friday knocked off Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers, 114-101, to close out what this die-hard fan is calling a wildly successful four-game West Coast road trip to open the season.

As expected, the Clippers provided some great highlight reel material with impressive dunks by Griffin – what a move to open the game! – and DeAndre Jordan, but Rose stole the show, and in a pretty big way. He finished with 29 points, 16 assists and eight rebounds, and generally did exactly what a point guard is supposed to do – get everyone involved and make them better.

And involved they were. All five Bulls starters finished in double figures, and all five had at least five rebounds and one assist. Luol Deng turned in his usual 19-point, 8-rebound performance, Joakim Noah had 19 and eight, and Rip Hamilton, looking smoother every game, chipped in with 16 points, five rebounds and a pair of assists.

It was the second straight game the Bulls showed across the board improvement after looking rough and ragged in an opening season win over the Los Angeles Lakers and an ugly loss to the Golden State Warriors. Ball movement was crisp and clean (29 assists on 39 buckets), turnovers (12) were down, the Bulls dominated the boards (45-31), and the D, while allowing the Clippers to shoot .51 percent from the field, made another baby-step forward.

The successful road trip should help soothe fans who were growing anxious after the team’s subpar showings to open the season, and it puts the Bulls in a great position to turn a sluggish start into something more.

Last season, the Bulls lost three of their first four road games, then five of their first nine, en route to compiling a 9-8 overall mark. And then boom!, things really took off, the team won 14 of its next 16 games and never looked back. In other words, it took the team about 17 games to find its rhythm, and they played roughly .500 ball while doing so.

This season, the Bulls have already won three of their first four road games, and the upcoming schedule is not overly intimidating (although they do play seven of the first nine on the road). The way I see it, the Bulls could be, say, 12-5 or even 13-4 through its first 17 games. How huge would that be in a 66-game season?

Sure, there are plenty areas that still need improved – just ask Thibs, there always will be – but this fan will take a .750 winning percentage on any road trip, let alone a West Coast road trip to open the season.

Notes: Rose made Paul’s 15 points, 14 assists and four steals seem somewhat pedestrian….. Noah said Rose’s showing was “one of the best performances I’ve ever been a part of.”….. Speaking of Jo, it was good to see him hitting the offensive boards (5), getting put backs and drawing fouls (10 of 11 from the line)….. The Bench Mob had 21 points and 10 rebounds to just 11 points and five rebounds from their counterparts….. Ronnie Brewer is now 7-for-7 from the field with three threes the past two games….. Rose and Deng both played 42 minutes; don’t know how sustainability that is this early in such a compressed season….. Someone should tell Griffin that chest pounding after a dunk – when your team is down by 13 – just isn’t cool.

Sources: Chicago Bulls at LA Clippers box score, ESPN; Bulls pull away in 4th to beat Clippers 114-101, Associated Press/Yahoo! Sports; Bulls finish 3-1 trip with 114-101 win, Chicago Tribune.

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.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Sacramento Kings lost their second straight game to fall to 1-2 on the season. The Chicago Bulls defeated Sacramento at home by the score of 108-98. The two losses have been disappointing after the team started strong with an opening game victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. The team has still played well and shown the potential that they have this season.

Sacramento was again led by shooting guard Marcus Thornton who led the team with 20 points. It’s become evident that if this team is going to win, Thornton is going to have to play well.

One of the biggest difficulties for Sacramento was the lack of depth on the frontcourt. Both starting big men, DeMarcus Cousins and Chuck Hayes, fouled out in the game. Cousins had his third double-double in three games but only made four out of 16 shots in the game. Fans have to enjoy seeing Cousins rebound better so far but will still have to live with the up and down play of the young center.

Jimmer Fredette had his best game on the young season. Fredette finished with 14 points and three assists in the game. He made five out of 10 shots on the game and made two three point baskets. It will be exciting to see just how good Jimmer will get this season. Watching the first three games has made it evident that Jimmer will only get better and will be a major contributor before the season is over.

Troubling for fans has been the start of Tyreke Evans so far. Evans finished with 19 points but had just two rebounds and two assists in the game. He also made just five out of 12 free throw attempts. Evans will need to play much better than he has to start the season if Sacramento is going to be successful this year. As the point guard, he is the key to the offense and needs to become more of a leader this season.

The best thing about the start to the season for Sacramento fans has been the excitement surrounding the team. Fans are excited that the team is improved and about the new players on the team. Both home games have sold out so far and this is a big improvement over the crowds the team played in front of last season. Hopefully the team will begin to play more consistent and more victories will come with it.

Kyle Rapoza is a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and a lifelong fan of the Sacramento Kings. He started going to Kings games at age six and has attended hundreds of games since. Follow him on twitter @kyler11.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Chicago Bulls finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference
last season in large part because of the defensive schemes installed by
first-year coach Tom Thibodeau.

For Thibodeau and the Bulls to live up to the high bars they set last
season, they’ll need to knock the rust off of that defense.

The Bulls look to bounce back from their first loss Thursday night when they
visit the Sacramento Kings.

After rallying for an 88-87 win in their season opener against the Los
Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day, the Bulls (1-1) could not overcome an early
deficit Monday against Golden State. Chicago gave up 20 fast-break points and 42
points in the paint in the 99-91 defeat.

“We let them get easy looks,” reigning MVP Derrick Rose said. “In the first
quarter, we’ve got to find a way to stop people. Guys that we know can score the
ball, they’re getting too many easy looks.”

Rose also struggled on offense, going 4 for 17 from the field and finishing
with 13 points. But the Bulls’ primary focus is recommitting to their defensive
mindset from last season, when they led the league in opponents’ field goal
percentage (43.0) and ranked second in opponents’ scoring (91.3 points per game)
en route to 62 wins.

The Bulls’ first two opponents this season have shot 47.1 percent.

“We’re not going to get to where we want to get to playing defense like
that,” center Joakim Noah told the team’s official website after the Bulls
committed 20 turnovers and forced only 10 against the Warriors. “We have to
improve. It’s frustrating. Our defense was just bad.”

The Bulls will try to better execute their defensive plan against a young
Sacramento team coming off a poor offensive showing. After beating the Lakers
100-91 in their opener Monday, the Kings (1-1) were outscored 55-33 in the
second half of a 101-79 loss at Portland on Tuesday.

Sacramento’s starters went 17 for 49 (34.7 percent) from the field in the
game, and the Kings were 9 of 38 (23.7) in the second half.

“We had our moments in the first 16, 18, 20 minutes, then we fell apart,”
coach Paul Westphal said. “This was a step in our development that was painful.
We got taught by a more experienced team that is far above us now.”

The Kings could have similar struggles against the Bulls, who have won five
of the last six meetings including a 132-92 rout in the most recent matchup
March 21. Eight Chicago players scored at least 11 points in that game as the
Bulls shot 61.3 percent and recorded their highest point total since April 14,
2008.

Bulls forward Luol Deng scored 17 points while making 5 of 9 shots in that
game. He has averaged 20.2 points and shot 55.1 percent in his last five
contests against Sacramento.

Kings guard Marcus Thornton, coming off a 5-for-15 performance against the
Trail Blazers, has averaged 23.0 points and shot 58.5 percent in his last three
games against the Bulls, going 10 for 15 from 3-point range.

Since being traded to the Kings in February, Thornton has averaged 25.1
points and shot 50.3 percent in 11 Sacramento wins. He has been held to 18.8
points and shot 42.3 percent in 18 losses.

Chicago Bulls fans, mark your calendars, as there are some great nationally televised games coming up in January. Here’s a rundown of games you won’t want to miss.

January 6 at Orlando Magic: It’s the first meeting of the two teams since Dwight Howard “spurned” – thank goodness – the Bulls and the city of Chicago. The Bulls beat the Magic three times last season, but were also embarrassed in a 107-78 early season pounding. Where to watch: ESPN, ESPN3.

January 13 at Boston Celtics: The Bulls split four games with the Celtics last season, and will meet four times in 2012. Based on Boston’s aging core and slow start – they were 0-2 at this writing – the Bulls should have the upper hand this season. Where to watch: ESPN, ESPN3.

January 16 at Memphis Grizzlies: The Bulls took two games from Memphis last season, but that was before the Grizzlies took Oklahoma City to seven games in a second-round playoff series. That experience will give the Griz some much-needed confidence to start the season. Where to watch: ESPN, ESPN3.

January 25 vs. Indiana Pacers: If you didn’t already have a reason to sign up for NBA-TV, this game, and series, ought to be enough. Despite a quick exit from the playoffs, the Pacers played the Bulls tough last season, and will be one of the East’s most improved teams. Where to watch: NBA-TV.

January 29 at Miami Heat: Drumroll…..This is the matchup that everyone, Bulls and Heat fans alike, are looking forward to. The Bulls swept three games from the Heat last season by a cumulative nine points, and four contests this season should be just as close and exciting. Where to watch: ABC.

The Bulls will also play a nationally televised game against the Washington Wizards on January 30.

All told, the Bulls also will appear on national television 36 times this season: 10 times on ESPN, seven times on TNT, five times on ABC, four times on NBA-TV and 10 times on WGN-America. Chicago area fans can also tune in on ComcastSportNet-Chicago, WGN and WCIU-TV, which share local broadcast duties.

Notes: The Bulls-Lakers matchup on Christmas day was the third most-watched regular-season game ever on ABC, trailing only last year’s Heat-Lakers showdown and a 2004 meeting between Miami and LA…..Sam Smith had a great article on his blog yesterday, Bulls defenseless and offensive to watch vs. Warriors.

Sources: Bulls 2011-12 Schedule, ESPN; Bulls to bask in national-TV limelight, Chicago Tribune.

YCN featured sports contributor Steve Merritt is – for better or worse – a lifelong Chicago Bulls, Bears and Cubs fan. If you have a question about the Bulls, a story idea or just a general comment, let me know!

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The season is just two games old, but fan forums and message boards are already abuzz about what’s “wrong” with the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls are 1-1 so far, with a come from behind, last second win over the Los Angeles Lakers and an it-wasn’t-as-close-as-it-looks 99-91 loss to the Golden State Warriors. They didn’t look great in either game – far from it – and now face the task of closing out their season-opening four-game road trip with contests against the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers.

No, the Bulls of 2011-12 have not looked like the Bulls that captured – that demanded – our attention last season. Reigning MVP Derrick Rose appears too passive. Rip Hamilton, who’s had his hands full guarding two of the league’s most prolific scorers, has failed to impress on the offensive end. Carlos Boozer has just 21 points and nine rebounds in two games. And it doesn’t stop with individual play, either – the Bulls have given up 34 turnovers and allowed 22 steals…in…just…two…games.

No, those aren’t shortcomings you’d expect to see from a 62-win team, but it is after all still early in the season. Let’s not forget that the Bulls started out last season with a crushing loss to Oklahoma City and a 9-8 record; they responded with a 14-2 spurt to close out December and never looked back.

Be that as it may, splitting a west coast road trip is not necessarily a bad thing, and the Bulls can do just that by getting a win over the Sacramento Kings on Thursday (December 29) or the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday (December 30). Given the way the Bulls have played, a 2-2 road trip suddenly doesn’t look all that bad.

Here’s a closer look at the Bulls’ next two opponents.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings are 1-1 with a season-opening a win over the Lakers and a blowout loss on the road to the Trailblazers. They’ve added Chuck Hayes, Travis Outlaw and rookie Jimmer Fredette, and should be more competitive than last season’s 24-win team. Shooting guard Marcus Thorton – a player the Bulls showed interest in last season – blossomed after being traded to the Kings and becoming a starter; he leads the team with a 20.5 ppg average.

What to watch: Expect reigning MVP Derrick Rose, who was 1-of-8 on treys and 4-of-17 overall in a 99-91 loss to Golden State, to be aggressive early, and to look for his missing mid-range game. Boozer has a clear advantage over Hayes at the 4, and should bounce back from a dismal 6-point, 3-rebound (those aren’t typos, six points and three stinkin’ rebounds) game against the Warriors. It will be the Bulls’ third straight game against an elite scorer at the 2; Hamilton was quite ordinary against Kobe Bryant (28 points) and Monta Ellis (26 points), and might have an easier go with Thorton.

Prediction: This is a game the Bulls should, and will, win – Bulls 96, King 83.

On the air: Local coverage and the NBA’s League Pass.

Los Angeles Clippers

As you may have heard, the Clippers added Chris Paul, and big things are expected. But the Clippers didn’t stop there – they also added Chauncey Billups, who starts at shooting guard (21 points in his debut), and forward Caron “Hope I Don’t Have to Leave” Butler (11 points, 10 rebounds in his debut). The Clippers beat the Lakers twice in the preseason, then won for real by thumping Golden State, 105-86 (Golden State then beat up on the Bulls); they play at San Antonio tonight. The Clippers, 32-50 last season, will almost certainly be one of the league’s most improved teams, and should be headed for the playoffs.

What to watch: Rose versus Paul is a matchup I hope to be watching for a long time to come – Rose generally plays well against Paul – but this game will be decided at other positions. Boozer versus Blake Griffin at power forward is a frightening matchup made in hell for the Bulls; Griffin had 61 points and 25 rebounds in two games against the Bulls last season.

Prediction: Other than the Boozer-Griffin mismatch, the Bulls line up well against the Clippers, but this will still be a tough win to get on the road against a newly energized team. Clippers 105, Bulls 96.

On the air: Local coverage and NBA-TV.

Notes: Do you have a top 10 moment from the 2020-11 season? Let me know!….Twenty years ago today, the Bulls knocked off the Sacramento Kings, 127-118; Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen combined fo 60 points.

Sources: Chicago Bulls team page, Yahoo! Sports; Sacramento Kings team page, Yahoo! Sports; LA Clippers team page, Yahoo! Sports,

Other Articles By This Contributor:

Despite 62-Win Season, Chicago Bulls Drop in Preseason Power Polls (December 22)

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. Follow the Bulls’ 2011-12 season from a die-hard fan’s perspective on his blog, A Fan’s Take: The 2011-12 Chicago Bulls.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Stephen Curry had 21 points and 10 assists, Monta Ellis scored
26 points and the Golden State Warriors beat the Chicago Bulls
99-91 on Monday, giving rookie coach Mark Jackson his first victory
at any level.

David Lee added 22 points and seven rebounds and Dominic McGuire
made three free throws in the final 47 seconds to seal the win for
Golden State.

Luol Deng, whose block of Kobe Bryant as time expired sealed
Chicago’s season-opening 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, had
22 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who trailed by as much as
19 before making a late surge to get within 96-91 with 36.3 seconds
remaining.

Derrick Rose had an off night shooting and finished with 13
points for Chicago.

Rose went 4 of 17 from the floor and missed badly on a pair of
3-pointers in the final moments, including an airball with 25.9
seconds left.

It was similar to a year ago when the Warriors, playing at home,
held Rose to a quiet 14 points and 10 assists and beat the Bulls
101-90.

Ellis drew the assignment against Rose in that game. This time
it was almost exclusively Curry, who followed Rose closely
throughout the night and prevented the league’s reigning MVP from
getting settled in.

A day after making series of late-game breakdowns against Chris
Paul and the Clippers in a 105-86 loss, the Warriors built a
double-digit lead in the first quarter then had to hold off the
Bulls.

Chicago, which is in the midst of a season-opening four-game
road trip, has lost nine of its last 10 games in Oakland.

Ellis, held to 15 in the season-opening loss to the Clippers,
got the Warriors going with 13 points in the first quarter but it
was Curry who provided the biggest lift.

He scored 12 straight points and drove past three Chicago
defenders in the key to cap a 16-5 run and give Golden State a
46-27 lead. Curry also shadowed Rose and helped hold him to seven
points in the first half.

Rose, who hit the game-winner in the Bulls 88-87 win over the
Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, took only three shots in the first
quarter when Chicago committed eight turnovers.

The Warriors increased their lead to 17 after three before the
Bulls made their late push to get within 93-85 with 1:44 left.

Kyle Korver made a pair of 3-pointers in a 14-second span to
pull Chicago within 96-91 but the Bulls couldn’t get closer than
that.

Notes: Chicago’s 14 first-half turnovers equaled their total
from the previous night. … It was the first time in 10 years the
Warriors have opened the season with games on consecutive nights.
Golden State also plays its next two at Oracle Arena. … The
sellout crowd included New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who
grew up 30 miles north of Oakland, Raiders owner Mark Davis and San
Francisco 49ers running back Anthony Dixon.

OAKLAND — Stephen Curry had 21 points and 10 assists, Monta Ellis scored 26 points and the Golden State Warriors beat the Chicago Bulls 99-91 on Monday, giving rookie coach Mark Jackson his first victory at any level.

David Lee added 22 points and seven rebounds and Dominic McGuire made three free throws in the final 47 seconds to seal the win for Golden State.

Luol Deng, whose block of Kobe Bryant as time expired sealed Chicago’s season-opening 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who trailed by as much as 19 before making a late surge to get within 96-91 with 36.3 seconds remaining.

Derrick Rose had an off night shooting and finished with 13 points for Chicago.

Rose went 4 of 17 from the floor and missed badly on a pair of 3-pointers in the final moments, including an airball with 25.9 seconds left.

It was similar to a year ago when the Warriors, playing at home, held Rose to a quiet 14 points and 10 assists and beat the Bulls 101-90.

Ellis drew the assignment against Rose in that game. This time it was almost exclusively Curry, who followed Rose closely throughout the night and prevented the league’s reigning MVP from getting settled in.

A day after making series of late-game breakdowns against Chris Paul and the Clippers in a 105-86 loss, the Warriors built a double-digit lead in the first quarter then had to hold off the Bulls.

Chicago, which is in the midst of a season-opening four-game road trip, has lost nine of its last 10 games in Oakland.

Ellis, held to 15 in the season-opening loss to the Clippers, got the Warriors going with 13 points in the first quarter but it was Curry who provided the biggest lift.

He scored 12 straight points and drove past three Chicago defenders in the key to cap a 16-5 run and give Golden State a 46-27 lead. Curry also shadowed Rose and helped hold him to seven points in the first half.

Rose, who hit the game-winner in the Bulls 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, took only three shots in the first quarter when Chicago committed eight turnovers.

The Warriors increased their lead to 17 after three before the Bulls made their late push to get within 93-85 with 1:44 left.

Kyle Korver made a pair of 3-pointers in a 14-second span to pull Chicago within 96-91 but the Bulls couldn’t get closer than that.

Notes: Chicago’s 14 first-half turnovers equaled their total from the previous night. … It was the first time in 10 years the Warriors have opened the season with games on consecutive nights. Golden State also plays its next two at Oracle Arena. … The sellout crowd included New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who grew up 30 miles north of Oakland, Raiders owner Mark Davis and San Francisco 49ers running back Anthony Dixon.

Luol Deng, whose block of Kobe Bryant as time expired sealed Chicago’s season-opening 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who trailed by as much as 19 before making a late surge to get within 96-91 with 36.3 seconds remaining.

Derrick Rose had an off night shooting and finished with 13 points for Chicago.

Rose went 4 of 17 from the floor and missed badly on a pair of 3-pointers in the final moments, including an airball with 25.9 seconds left.

It was similar to a year ago when the Warriors, playing at home, held Rose to a quiet 14 points and 10 assists and beat the Bulls 101-90.

Ellis drew the assignment against Rose in that game. This time it was almost exclusively Curry, who followed Rose closely throughout the night and prevented the league’s reigning MVP from getting settled in.

A day after making series of late-game breakdowns against Chris Paul and the Clippers in a 105-86 loss, the Warriors built a double-digit lead in the first quarter then had to hold off the Bulls.

Chicago, which is in the midst of a season-opening four-game road trip, has lost nine of its last 10 games in Oakland.

Ellis, held to 15 in the season-opening loss to the Clippers, got the Warriors going with 13 points in the first quarter but it was Curry who provided the biggest lift.

He scored 12 straight points and drove past three Chicago defenders in the key to cap a 16-5 run and give Golden State a 46-27 lead. Curry also shadowed Rose and helped hold him to seven points in the first half.

Rose, who hit the game-winner in the Bulls 88-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, took only three shots in the first quarter when Chicago committed eight turnovers.

The Warriors increased their lead to 17 after three before the Bulls made their late push to get within 93-85 with 1:44 left.

Kyle Korver made a pair of 3-pointers in a 14-second span to pull Chicago within 96-91 but the Bulls couldn’t get closer than that.

Notes: Chicago’s 14 first-half turnovers equaled their total from the previous night. … It was the first time in 10 years the Warriors have opened the season with games on consecutive nights. Golden State also plays its next two at Oracle Arena. … The sellout crowd included New York Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia, who grew up 30 miles north of Oakland, Raiders owner Mark Davis and San Francisco 49ers running back Anthony Dixon.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Good news, Chicago Bulls fans – Derrick Rose and crew are headed back to the Eastern Conference finals.

Oh, there’ll be plenty of drama and excitement en route, but there’s little doubt that the Bulls and Miami Heat will repeat as the East’s top dogs. It’s as sure a thing as there can be: The two teams will once again meet in the conference finals, mano-a-mano, with the winner going on to win the NBA title.

And so, with nothing further ado, here are your eight Eastern Conference playoff teams – two genuine contenders and the rest of the crowd.

#1 – Chicago Bulls (62-20): The Bulls upgraded their offense by adding veteran Rip Hamilton, and with youth, athleticism and depth, appear well-equipped for the season’s compressed schedule. While Hamilton was added primarily to take pressure off Derrick Rose, he’ll make everyone’s offense better. Team chemistry will also benefit the Bulls – it’s basically the same group of guys coming back more focused and determined than ever; some teams are still making trades and juggling rosters. If the Bulls play D, rebound and stay healthy, they’ll repeat as the East’s top regular season team.

#2 – Miami Heat (58-24): The Heat added Shane Battier and Eddy Curry but otherwise return their core, which includes, obviously, the best 1-2-3 punch in the league. If LeBron James and Dwayne Wade figure out a way to compliment one another rather than taking turns running the offense, look out NBA. Like last year, the Heat still lack depth and are weak in the middle and at the point, but those deficiencies didn’t much matter come playoff time; just ask the Celtics or Bulls.

#3 – New York Knicks (42-40): In an effort to build their own big three, the Knicks signed defensive stalwart Tyson Chandler to play alongside Carmello Anthony and Amare Stoudemire; if ‘Mello or Amare knew how to play D, it’d be a frightening lineup. As it is, it’ll free Amare up from having to play center. One problem for Mike D’Antoni is who to play at quarterback – he has three point guards to choose from, and none are great choices. Look for Landry Fields to follow up on a solid rookie year with improved numbers.

#4 – Boston Celtics (56-26): Can the Celtics make one final run? Simple answer: No. They just aren’t built for such a grueling schedule – Doc Rivers will need to rest his aging starters, but doesn’t have the depth to safely do so. Two starters – Rajon Rondo (sprained ankle) and Paul Pierce (heel) – have already suffered potentially nagging injuries, and backup Jeff Green (13 ppg on 23 mpg last season) is out for the season. I actually wanted to put the Celts lower, but kept them in the No. 4 slot out of respect for my elders.

#5 – Indiana Pacers (37-45): Yup, that’s right – the Pacers will jump from an 8-seed to a 5-seed. Then-interim coach Frank Vogel turned the team around last season, and the addition of All-Star forward David West gives the Pacers a formidable front line that includes Roy Hibbert, Danny Granger and Tyler “Crazy Eyes” Hansbrough. If point guard Darren Collison can hit 40 percent of his threes, like he did as a rookie, and improve his turnover-to-assist ratio, the Pacers will be tough. With loads of young talent and $15 million in cap space, the Pacers have a very bright future.

#6 – Orlando Magic (52-30): The Magic are such a mess with so many unknowns that it’s difficult to predict how well they’ll do. The big question, of course, is whether Dwight Howard stays or goes; the saga will generate more headlines than anything the team does on the court, and will inevitably become a major distraction. Off-season moves include trading Brandon Bass for Glen Davis (a wash), adding an aging Jason Richardson (yawn) and dumping Gilbert Arenas (a no-brainer). I’d be surprised to see the Magic finish much north of the .500 mark.

#7 – Philadelphia 76ers (41-41): The Sixers return all nine members from last year’s rotation, which played surprisingly well at times despite a down year by Andre Iguodala (14.1 ppg average, the lowest since his rookie year). Keep an eye on Jrue Holiday; he had blossomed last season as a full time starter and appears poised to take the next step. One thing the Sixers can do to improve is win close games; they were 7-18 in contests decided by five points or less.

#8 – Atlanta Hawks (44-38): The Hawks didn’t do anything to improve their lineup during the offseason, and it’s difficult to imagine them holding serve with last season’s record. Point guard Jeff Teague is a rising star, but can Tracy McGrady replace Jamal Crawford’s instant offense off the bench? Crawford’s departure will put more pressure on Joe Johnson, who is about 47 years old and making $16 million this season; if the Hawks don’t find a reliable second scoring option, they might miss the playoffs.

Sources: Yahoo! Sports team and player profiles; BasketballReference.com team and player profiles; Eastern Conference Team Previews, NBA.com; Bulls, Heat no surprise as East’s best, ESPN Insider; East Forecast: Ranking worst to first, ESPN Insider.

Other articles by this contributor:

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

Despite 62-Win Season, Chicago Bulls Drop in Preseason Power Polls (December 22)

YCN featured sports contributor Steve Merritt is – for better or worse – a lifelong Chicago Bulls, Bears and Cubs fan. Follow the Bulls’ 2011-12 season from a die-hard fan’s perspective on his blog, A Fan’s Take: The 2011-12 Chicago Bulls.

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