Rose on threshold of super-stardom, playing like an MVP
Last year, we celebrated Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose for becoming the first Bulls All-Star since Michael Jordan in 1998. The confetti and blow horn sales will remain high in Chicago because Rose is about to add his name to another accolade: NBA MVP.
I understand this is a brash statement early in the season and the NBA is full of players who are contending for the award, but by the time the trophy has been molded to shape and the name plate inscripted, Rose will clarify himself as the best player in the league.
Rose led the Bulls to a 9-6 record in the first 15 games of the season and was on top of each box score in everything but rebounds and blocks, although he has those on his season stat board as well. Since then, Chicago is the third best team in the Eastern Conference with a 16-9 record, including a seven game win streak.
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Knicks back court and Thunder studs go crazy
Thursday there were only two games on the NBA schedule, so usually it would be reasonable to think I could finish the day with .500 on NBA picks. Nope, not with the New York Knicks shooting 16-of-24 from the three-point line and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scoring 28 points a piece to defeat the Portland Trailblazers in overtime.
I’m disappointed in the Bulls, favorite team, and the Blazers, one of my two bandwagon teams, couldn’t help me out. If they can’t who can, I guess Friday’s games will tell.
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Thursday Results (0-2)
New York Knicks beat Chicago Bulls 120-112…Wrong, the Knicks shot the lights out of the United Center and the Bulls defense didn’t do anything.
Oklahoma City Thunder beat Portland Trailblazers 107-106 in overtime…Wrong, Durant and Westbrook took it to them.
Blazers try to continue Trail through Chicago
The Portland Trailblazers are coming to the United Center Monday for a 7 p.m. central tip-off in attempts of continuing their winning trail through the city of Chicago.
Brandon Roy and the Blazers have started the 2010-11 NBA season in phenomenal fashion and look to have their first 4-0 start in 11 years against the Bulls while the Bulls have began 1-1 without their key summer acquisition, Carlos Boozer who is out with a broken hand.
Can the Bulls end the trail?
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Things Chicago Needs to Look at Before Playing Detroit
Saturday the Chicago Bulls will face their second opponent of the 2010-11 season, central division rivals Detroit Pistons.
In the season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder, some problems with the Bulls were exploited by Kevin Durant and company. Against the Pistons defense, turnovers and getting called for every foul shouldn’t be an issue, but scoring in more than one way, might be.
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Bulls Choke in Fourth Quarter
The first game of the season against the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday showed areas the Bulls have improved in and elements of the game they are not quite complete including closing out a game as the Bulls choke 106-95.
Late in the third quarter, the Bulls had a 82-80 lead. The Thunder tied the game before the end of the quarter and never looked back. In fact, the Bulls never looked ahead.
Chicago scored only 13 points in the fourth quarter and committed four turnovers which three of them led to Thunder points. Derrick Rose had two bad passes Russell Westbrook picked off and Luol Deng was called for a goal tend, which was actually a block. The Thunder took every advantage of the Bulls mistakes as they ran fast breaks, one ending in a nasty dunk by Westbrook.
In one half-court set, Kevin Durant blew by Deng and there wasn’t any help defense to stop him from throwing down a massive dunk. The Bulls played like they didn’t care anymore while the Thunder went in for the kill.
