First Indiana, and now Atlanta. Both teams have used their athleticism, energy, and underdog status to make the first two rounds of the playoffs difficult for the Bulls. But while the Pacers and Hawks surely deserve credit, the Bulls’ struggles are arguably largely self-inflicted. What were the primary strengths that led the Bulls to a […]
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Round 2 Game 3: Bulls 99, Hawks 82
The Bulls needed this. They needed to prove they’re still the team that won a league-best 62 games during the regular season. The Bulls controlled Game 2, but even after Chicago won that one to tie the series, Jamal Crawford seemed unconcerned. Said Crawford: “If that’s their best shot, we’re in good shape.” I think […]
Round 2 Game 3 Preview and Open Thread
Game Two Stats: Chicago: Joakim Noah: 19 points (6-8 FG, 7-8 FT), 14 rebounds, 3 steals Luol Deng: 14 points (6-13 FG), 12 rebounds Atlanta: Jeff Teague: 21 points (7-14 FG), 3 steals, 2 blocks Joe Johnson: 16 points (7-15 FG), 5 rebounds, 5 steals Overview: Chicago pulled even in game two, but now they […]
Boozer needs Korver: Follow-up
Editor’s note: The following comment was written by By The Horns reader uber_snotling in response to the Carlos Boozer needs more Kyle Korver post. Two person +/- comparisons are flawed in some ways, but can be very informative. For another stat backing up the argument, look at the five-man units from Basketball Value. Two units have played […]
Carlos Boozer needs more Kyle Korver
During the Pacers-Bulls series, Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau called Boozer a “lightning rod.” When things are going poorly, Booz gets the boos. That’s life. Derrick Rose can go 11-for-27, miss seven of eight three-pointers and commit 8 turnovers but get a pass. He’s already earned respect from the fans. Boozer? Not so much. He can’t […]
Round 2 Game 2 Recap: Bulls 86, Hawks 73
Now that’s the Chicago defense we know and love. The Bulls held the Hawks to 73 points on 33.8 percent shooting and forced them t miss 10 of their 13 three-point attempts. Atlanta finished with a miserable Effective Field Goal Percentage of 35.7 and an Offensive Efficiency of only 81.1 (as in points per 100 possessions). The Hawks missed 11 […]
Round 2 Game 2: Game Preview and Open Thread
Game 1 Stats: Chicago: Luol Deng: 21 points (8-12), 6 rebounds Atlanta: Joe Johnson: 34 points (12-18), 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals Jamal Crawford: 22 points (8-16) off the bench Overview: Maybe we’re waiting for something that isn’t going to happen. Maybe the Bulls maxed out their potential in the regular season. Chicago played […]
Game 1 Recap: Hawks 103, Bulls 95
A few Bulls fans got irritated with me for something I wrote in a recent ESPN 5-on-5. One fan even suggested I shouldn’t even be covering the Bulls after what I wrote. The question: “On a scale from 0 to 100, what are the Hawks’ chances?” My partial answer: “My gut says 50 because the […]
Second Round Game 1: Hawks-Bulls Preview
Season Series: Chicago won series 2-1 Game 1: Atlanta won 83-80 (Al Horford: 31 points, 16 rebounds) Game 2: Chicago won 94-76 (Derrick Rose: 34 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) Game 3: Chicago won 114-81 (Derrick Rose: 30 points; Luol Deng: +39 plus/minus) Injuries: Kirk Hinrich: hamstring strain (doubtful for entire series) Overview: After four […]
Update: Fan Night Canceled
Upate! The proposed fan night has been canceled due to a lack of response. I’ll try to plan things further in advance next time. Okay, everybody. I’ve been talking about this for a while. Fan night. It’s happening this Wednesday night: Stocks & Blondes Bar & Grille 36 N. Wells St. Chicago, IL 60606 7 […]