Game #51 - Bulls vs Nuggets- Game Thread

[bullsger]

vs


Game 51, Home Game 25
Monday, March 26, 2012 – 7:00 PM CT
United Center
Comcast SportsNet / ESPN 1000 AM/WRTO 1200 AM

BULLS VS. NUGGETS ALL-TIME
ALL-TIME ...............Nuggets lead 40-37
BULLS CURRENT STREAK.......1 Loss
BULLS HOME STREAK............... 1 Win
BULLS ROAD STREAK ..........5 Losses

BULLS VS. NUGGETS THIS SEASON
March 26 @ Chicago –


Game Notes



Chicago Bulls (40-10)
Home 20-4
Road 20-6

Bulls Averages:
PPG: 97.6 (Opp: 88.7)
RPG: 46.18 (Opp: 40.06)
APG: 23.0 (Opp: 19.4)
SPG: 7.18 (Opp: 7.30)
BPG: 5.72 (Opp: 5.08)
TO: 13.90 (Opp: 13.58)
FG%: .457 (Opp: .426)
FT%: .727 (Opp: .731)
3p%: .374 (Opp: .330)

Probable Bulls starters


CJ Watson - PG -
Ronnie Brewer - SG -
Luol Deng - SF -
Carlos Boozer - PF -
Joakim Noah - C -

Bulls Stats Leaders
Points:Rose 22.8, Boozer 15.6
Rebounds: Noah 10.0, Boozer 8.2
Assists: Rose 8.0, Watson 3.7
Steals: Brewer 1.06, Deng 1.05
Blocks: Noah 1.29, Gibson 1.26

FG%: Boozer .533, Asik .516
FT%: Korver .839, Hamilton .833
3FG%: Korver .420, Watson .417

Injury report
Richard Hamilton (right shoulder) is out; Luol Deng (left wrist), Derrick Rose (right groin), C.J. Watson (left ankle) are day-to-day.

For a full report and the latest on Bulls' injuries, check out the AthletiCo Injury Report.



Denver Nuggets (26-23)
Home 15-12
Road 11-11

Probable Nuggets starters
Ty Lawson - PG
Arron Afflalo - SG
Wilson Chandler - SF
Kenneth Faried - PF
Timofey Mozgov - C

Injury report
DANILO GALLINARI – Left thumb fracture. Day-to-day.
RUDY FERNANDEZ – Low back strain. Out indefinitely

[Good Hope]

That was rough.

[Denny Crane]

They are healthy, we aren't. This could have been one of the best games of the season.

[rosenthall]

Next.

[Good Hope]

They are healthy, we aren't. This could have been one of the best games of the season.

Weren't they missing Gallinari? :-)

Anyway, I think I'll take an 4/5 winning percentage in any sport. Still, this is an important point in the season where everybody begins to wonder whether its worth all the effort and real pain....Here's hoping they push through this time without too much bitterness or resentment toward their slave master Thibs.

[Denny Crane]

It's more like .667 without Rose.

The good news is CJ is a capable backup and doing well as a starter. Even if Rose is 100% for playoffs, the real concern has to be Deng's subpar play due to his injury, and there's little hope he's going to be near 100% until he gets surgery.

[TomBoerwinkle#1]

^^ I agree with Denny.

[transplant]

Sure looked like Denver wanted this one more and that shouldn't surprise anyone. The Nugs are in a race with 3 other teams for the #8 spot in the West. The Bulls are playing for the #1 seed, but mostly because winning is better than losing. This want-to shows up most in rebounding and who gets to loose balls first. Last night it was the Nuggets.

I'm a little concerned that the Bulls have had to tread water too long. It's gotta be mentally draining. Hell, I'm just watching and I'm kinda wearing down.

[Good Hope]

But Rose and Rip out means Thibs relies even more on Deng. I could hope that even if the minutes do not go down, the burden will, and Deng can take a bit of a breather. But yeah, probably not going to be 100% this year.

And .667 aint bad either. Miraculous, really.

Go Bulls!

^^Oh, and nice analysis, Transplant.

[such sweet thunder]

None of us needs to be talked off of a ledge. But I think it's a good reminder that Rose has missed all but a couple of the games since Deng has returned from injury.

Deng is not the same player without Rose, we know that. Indeed, Deng has reshaped his game over the last few seasons so he works better with Rose. Deng is fighting with the injury, sure, but there are other causes for his struggles.