Bulls-Pacers Preview

Indiana Pacers Status Check:
Record: 16-20
Division: 3-3
Conference: 10-12
Home Record: 10-9
Last game: Won 102-89 vs. the Mavericks
Last 10 Games: 4-6
PPG: 97.0 (21st)
Opponents PPG: 97.6 (13th)
Offensive Rating: 102.5 (24th)
Defensive Rating: 103.1 (7th)
Pace: 94.3 (8th)
Effective Field Goal Percentage: .483 (24th)
Turnover Percentage: .164 (30th)
Defensive Rebound Percentage: .748 (11th)
Offensive Rebound Percentage: .237 (27th)
Free Throws Per Field Goal Attempt: .180 (29th)
Opp. eFG%: .471 (3rd)
Opp. TO%: .129 (24th)
Opp. FT/FGA: .249 (21st)
Leading scorer: Danny Granger (20.9 PPG)

Stats from Basketball-Reference.com.

Pacers Injury Report:
None.

Overview:
If voting ended today, Derrick Rose would be a starter on the Eastern Conference All-Star Team. And, frankly, he needs to play like an All-Star tonight. Conseco Fieldhouse is has become a Bulls graveyard.

I’m not kidding. The Bulls have lost 20 of their last 24 games there. Which is pretty bad news with the way they’ve been playing on the road lately.

Chicago really misses Joakim Noah. Without him, major flaws are exposed, both offensively and defensively. The Bulls don’t fast break enough. When Keith Bogans and Kurt Thomas are both in the game, it often feels like the Bulls are playing three-on-five. When opposing players get by Derrick Rose or Carlos Boozer, there’s nobody there to intercept them. And, most of all, the team misses his energy and intensity.

The Bulls can overcome these issues at home. Not so much on the road. This is a problem because the Pacers are a strong defensive team and they have players — Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert, Darren Collison, T.J. Ford — who create mismatches.

All I can say is that the Bulls never come out focused and intense from the tip and keep it up until the game is over. If they don’t, if they lose focus or fail to match Indy’s intensity, they’re going to lose.

12 Responses to Bulls-Pacers Preview

  1. alldoneq@gmail.com'
    J January 14, 2011 at 11:55 pm #

    DON”T LET BOGANS PLAYYYYYY.

    Ugh

  2. Jay January 15, 2011 at 1:08 am #

    Bogans benched after two minutes and the Bulls are up by 12 at halftime. Here’s hoping Thibodeau learns something from that.

  3. Luvabull January 15, 2011 at 1:54 am #

    Too Late. Yet another start wasted on Bogans. Matt can’t you get Thibbs to listen to the Fan’s clamour? It is time to put the BOGANs experiment to rest! We’re almost halfway through the season and he’s not getting any better. And as you mentioned, when both Thomas and Bogans are in the game, it sometimes feels like a 5 on 3 contest.
    I was very down on Thomas but even he has proven his worth. At least he’s helping hold down the fort while Noah is out. Bogans is giving us nothing.
    Have you heard of the NBA player’s One trillion line. Well Bogans puts up a 15 trillion line every game.

  4. Taekmkm@hotmail.com'
    Tae January 15, 2011 at 3:00 am #

    These reverse-jinx reports are really working out. Say the Bobcats are going to destroy us next time!

  5. Inception January 15, 2011 at 4:07 am #

    well at least Brewer played 33 mins, but Bogans got into early foul trouble.

    great road win.

  6. TBF January 15, 2011 at 5:31 am #

    Gee whiz, we started out strong tonight. I wonder if it had something to do with Bogans sitting his ass on the bench early and often in the first half. Hmm…..

    Oh, and good job Thibs. We’re playing against of the best SF in the game tomorrow. That means Luol needed 46 minutes tonight. Fuckin’ moron. James Johnson sitting right there, the Bulls with the game well in hand from the 4th quarter onwards and yet Luol continues to play. He got 46…no one else on the team got more than 35! Absolutely outrageous.

  7. reggiemcglory@yahoo.com'
    chitown4life January 15, 2011 at 9:55 am #

    @ Brian ok so you tired to take a swing at me being an under cover cross dresser besides being a bulls hater , if you have seen the games fomr the start of the year and not only listened to our commentators but the un bias ones they all, have a simular understnding that the bulls do not get the calls they should get.Also BRIAN when money is involved if yr not cheating then yr not trying.Bottom line if you think there was only one Ref cheating and gambling then yr lost only one got caught, so get yr facts right besides you ain’t gangers for sure and my guess yr not even from Chicago so say what you want but i know a hater when I see one and Brian yr a big one … but our bulls here in Chi gonna kick a_ _ reguardless if they don’t get the calls they should get. Go Bulls.

  8. Inception January 15, 2011 at 5:03 pm #

    hate to say it, but i’m predicting Deng will sit out down the road due to all these minutes played…i mean, he’s only played a full season ONCE in his entire career…i’d be shocked if he can play at least 80 games this season.

  9. Brian January 15, 2011 at 6:40 pm #

    undercover cross-dresser? what?? i called you a nut-hugger…someone with blind devotion to a team or player, completely incapable of being objective in their analysis. and how am i a bulls hater? i think i clearly stated my position on the team that i love, and have been following since ’90-’91…

    and you’re right, buddy. it’s just a great big conspiracy, and all the refs are currently plotting against chicago. there are no allegations against tim donaghy, or as you referred to him, ‘that one referee’, specifically citing any bulls games that he worked. and yes, there’s the possibility that there are other officials fixing games as we speak. but do i think they’re specifically targeting the bulls? no. their target is to improve their own financial gain, and the gain of others. not to specifically take down one team. to think otherwise is just silly.

    and yeah, asshole. i am from chicago. downersgrove, to be specific. i also have family in naperville and darien. and i guess i’m a hater because i disagreed with the non-sensical drivel that you crudely typed out. although most people would just chalk it up to a difference in opinion, as opposed to me being a “hater”? after all, what am i hating on? illiteracy? whatever.

    and throughout your second post, the only thing i can agree with is that our bulls are going to kick some ass. here’s hoping they make a deep playoff run.

  10. reggiemcglory@yahoo.com'
    chitown4life January 16, 2011 at 6:09 am #

    @ Brian let me first correct you, besides I am sure yr use to it cause yes you are a total asshole and a night walking cross dresser, besides, yr opion and mine may not be the same none the less it makes either of us right just our point of view.you seem as though you might want to take back on the coffee as you know some ppl here in chicago ain’t the kind that does not talk without there walk matching it meaning yr not a tough guy so don’t try me its not a good choice just keep the focus on the comments ok and yes, i want the bulls to go far but at the same time somethings seemingly stand out to me maybe more than they do to you about what goes on when the bulls play …Peace

  11. Brian January 16, 2011 at 11:13 am #

    i love that you’re telling me to keep the focus on the comments, despite the fact that you’re the one calling me a night-walking cross dresser that apparently drinks too much coffee, and isn’t a tough guy. none of which makes any sense, and none of which i claim to be.

    and until this post, all i’ve done is focus on the comments, and responded with specific points, not diverge on some sort of tangent as you seemingly do. and it’s amazing how much you’re projecting, claiming that i’m the tough guy, but telling me not to “try you”. okay, keyboard warrior.

    that being said, tonight’s game was fun. i’m glad the bulls pulled out the win by the skin of their teeth. however, i don’t take much away from a win like this, as both teams were missing key components (bulls – noah, heat – lebron). it didn’t allow us to properly gauge how these teams would fare against eachother, presumably at full strength, if they meet in the playoffs.

    the bulls played well, but the heat buried them from downtown. closing out on three point shots has seemed to be a bit of an issue this season, and something that the bulls will hopefully continue to improve on. despite all my distaste for bogans, he actually played well when he was on the court. props also go to kyle korver for hitting that clutch three, despite being in the middle of a serious slump. and of course, d-rose was d-rose. that shootout against d-wade in the final minutes was ridiculous.

    hopefully the bulls, and especially deng, come in rested for their MLK Day game against the grizz. they don’t have the best record, but the grizzlies are a good team, and certainly not one to look past.

  12. reggiemcglory@yahoo.com'
    chitown4life January 16, 2011 at 8:14 pm #

    @ Brian yes you might try be using appealing big words with small meaning pertaining to what is being discussed here, and you are doing a good job at it I must say but, the game last night is what it is a good solid win reguardless the heat are built to make long range tough shots, ala D wade, Cbosh and L james and company aint gonna continue with the words or short talk cause talk my friend can be less than what is therefore we do agree the bulls are a good team and won a great game. I feel as though this team sometimes does not get up to play the lesser teams when they play them like they do the better teams in the league what they must realize now is they are one of the better teams in the league and every team is gunning for them each game they play cause they too have a bullseye on there back .I’m still gonna stand firm and say the bulls need a shooting guard that can score consistantly and until they address that issue they will struggle sometimes in games to score big time points this is a team game not an I game which means they all must contributue to win on the court…Peace

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