<div align="center"> <font color="DarkRed">Chicago Bulls</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""DarkRed"">PG</font>- Chris Duhon <font color=""DarkRed"">SG</font>- Kirk Hinrich <font color=""DarkRed"">SF</font>-Andres Nocioni <font color=""DarkRed"">PF</font>- Michael Sweetney <font color=""DarkRed"">C</font>- Tyson Chandler</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Scott Skiles</font> ____________________________ <font color="Purple"> Los Angeles Lakers</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""Purple"">PG</font>- Smush Parker <font color=""Purple"">SG</font>-Kobe Bryant <font color=""Purple"">SF</font>-Lamar Odom <font color=""Purple"">PF</font>- Kwame Brown <font color=""Purple"">C</font>- Chris Mihm</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Phil Jackson</font> </div> After careful thought and consideration Ed and I have come to the conclusion that Kirk Hinrich is most likely to be the most valuable player on the Bulls squad tonight. Hinrich will be playing in his first game since receiving a concussion off a hard foul from Dirk, and the Mavericks. We all remember how well Hinrich played after coming back from an ankle injury expect some of the same things you saw in that game to take place tonight. Kirk Hinrich is also one of the Bulls, on the current roster, to have played with Scottie Pippen so he has a little added incentive to perform well for his one time mentor tonight. He will show Scottie how much he helped him ( Hinrich) in the one year he spent with the Bulls before his eventual retirement. Hinrich will be matched up with a pretty good defender in Smush Parker probably, but Smush tends to take a lot of risks on defense something Hinrich might take advantage of. <div align="center"> Predicted Statistics: 19 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists </div> <ul><font color="DarkRed">Shoot well</font> this is a given when the Bulls don?t shoot well they lose. They have the depth to keep them in the game with any team, but that depth means nothing when shots are not falling. The Lakers have gotten back on track lately, but the Bulls still need to take advantage of the Lakers and exploit the Lakers defense.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Hold on to the ball</font> Smush Parker has had a great season up until this point in terms of forcing turnovers. He takes a lot of risks on defense when he goes for the ball, but he often comes up with the ball. Duhon and Hinrich have to handle the ball well this game for the Bulls to have a chance to win.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Focus on Kobe defensively</font> Keep tabs on Kobe. As the center of the Lakers offense, you do not want to let him get going scoringwise.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Transition defense</font> the Lakers have a lot of athletic young players they can score buckets easily in the transition game. A lot of players on their roster have struggled learning/performing in the triangle offense though so if the Bulls can make this a half court game they will be in a great position to win.[/list] <div align="center"></div> <ul><font color="Purple">Get Lamar Odom involved</font> if Lamar is playing well it will give Kobe Bryant some more room to create, and the Bulls defense will not be able to concentrate mainly on stopping Kobe. It does not necessarily have to be Odom, but someone besides Kobe has to step up.[/list] <ul><font color="Purple">Get Kobe going early</font> Kobe has had a rough shooting stretch lately. He needs to get some easy buckets early in transition, and from the free throw line. Though confidence has never been a problem with Kobe. All players tend to struggle if they miss a lot of shots early.[/list] <div align="center"> " target="_blank">http://img103.imageshack.us/img103/6232/pip1kj.jpg"></a></div> <font size=""1"">"It?s the pinnacle for me," said Pippen of tonight's ceremony. "Getting my jersey retired has never happened to me at any level of the game."</font> <font size=""1""><ul> [*]Six-time NBA World Champion (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998) [/list] <ul> [*]Name is scattered across the NBA?s all-time leader board: 40th in total points (18,940), fourth in steals (2,307), tied for 16th in steals per game (1.96), 23rd in assists (6,135), 13th in minutes (41,069), 16th in minutes per game (34.9), 32nd in three-point field goals made (978) [/list] <ul> [*]Participated in postseason play in 16 of his 17 NBA seasons, making the playoffs in each of his first 16 seasons [/list] <ul> [*]Second in NBA history with 208 playoff appearances (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 237) [/list] <ul> [*]Member of the NBA All-Defensive Team from 1991-2000 (First Team member seven times) [/list] <ul> [*]Selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 [/list] <ul> [*]Seven-time NBA All Star (1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997) [*]1994 All-Star Game MVP [/list] <ul> [*]Made All-NBA seven straight years (1992-1998) [/list] <ul> [*]Two-time Olympic gold medal winner [/list] <ul> [*]Has recorded 20 career triple-doubles, including four in the playoffs [/list] <ul> [*]Ranked atop the all-time All-Star Game leader board in 3FGA with 22 (second), 3FG made with 7 (tied for 4th) and steals with 17 (eighth) [/list] <ul> [*]Career highs of 47 points, 18 rebounds, 15 assists, 9 steals and 5 blocked shots [/list] <ul> [*]Ranked first in Bulls history with 664 three-pointers and 2,031 three-point field goals attempted [/list] <ul> [*]Ranked second in Bulls history in: points (15,123), field goals (5,991), field goal attempts (12,444), free throws attempted (3,576), offensive rebounds (1,687), defensive rebounds (4,039), assists (4,494), steals (1,792), seasons played (12), games played (856) and minutes (30,269) [/list] <ul> [*]Ranked third in Bulls history with 5,726 rebounds and 774 blocked shots [/list] </font> Pippen's career can't be summed up with stats alone. His effect on the Bulls franchise is nothing short of amazing. Often left in Jordan's shadow, Pippen is one of the best players of all time, period. People often forget, even when Jordan was gone, Pippen stepped up and led us. His contributions to the Bulls is finally being honored. Tonight, we will see the legendary #33 go up in the rafters, along with Sloan (4), Love (10), and Jordan (23). <div align="center"> </div> The Chicago Bulls cannot come out tonight and give a pathetic performance Pippen did to much for the organization for the Bulls to come out and give a lack luster effort. It was painful to watch the Eagles get blown out on a night they honored the great Reggie White. This better not happen to the Bulls. In this very emotional night, we predict a Bulls victory. Our prediction: Bulls by 12.
Nice preview BKS, I like the tribute to #33 as well. I actually think his celebration is going to be the reason the Bulls lose tonight. The motivation of spoiling Pip's ceremony will be running through the Lakers tonight and I've noticed teams celebrating a player come out flat. The Lakers have been jumping on teams early the last few games, and with plenty of rest for their starters, I expect them to keep this trend going. I'm curious to see who the Bulls use on Kobe, I'm guessing Noc gets a lot of time guarding him. Also I think the Lakers will stick with their small lineup with Smush-Sash-Kobe-Odom-Mihm. They said Kwame won't be playing tonight either. I'm hoping the Lakers win their 4th straight and the Bulls are vulnerable with their banged up roster. I'll take the Lakers in a nail-biter, by 3.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting rookie789:</div><div class="quote_post">what happend to gordon? did he injure himself in practice or something</div> taken from bulls.com... # Bulls guard Ben Gordon (right knee sprain) is doubtful for Friday's home game versus the Los Angeles Lakers. # Gordon did not practice on Thursday.
Despite being down Michael Sweetney and Kirk Hinrich have both played very well the two have combined for 23 points. Tyson Chandler is really struggling due to that shortness of breath thing he is 0-1 and has only played twelve minutes despite starting the game. The reason we are losing right now are due mainly to a horrible field goal percentage of 34% from the field and a disturbing free throw percentage of only 63% from the line. The Bulls have been unable to stop Parker so far this game he is currently leading the Lakers in scoring. The Lakers are doing a good job of getting people involved they have three starters in double figures, but have yet to get one point from their bench. If the Lakers bench does not step it up in the second half the Bulls will take the lead. The real story line of the game is taking place now though, Pippen’s number lifted to the rafters he will never get the credit he deserves from some people from some people, but those who followed him know why he is one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Michau:</div><div class="quote_post">why is espn saying that la won the game its halftime right??</div> I don?t know, but it is third quarter right now the Bulls are making their run now down by six points. Kirk Hinrich like predicted is on fire 20 points already 5 minutes left in the third quarter. Now the Bulls have cut the lead to three and forced the Lakers to fall a time out. Lakers have gotten no production from their bench at all this game it might as well be a five man team. I could not even imagine what the score would be if Kobe Bryant was the only one in the starting lineup playing well.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe Bryant continues to learn that sharing the ball leads to wins. Bryant collected 23 points and eight assists as the Los Angeles Lakers won their fourth straight game and spoiled ceremonies honoring Scottie Pippen with a 93-80 triumph over the Chicago Bulls. Criticized for dominating the ball perhaps more than any player in the league, Bryant has been more of a distributor during the winning streak. The NBA's second-leading scorer had a season-high nine assists - and a season-low 11 points - in Wednesday's win at Toronto. Despite scoring just one point in the opening period Friday, Bryant dished out five assists as Los Angeles took a 33-19 lead into the second quarter thanks to 11 points from Smush Parker. Lamar Odom scored 19 points for the Lakers, who never trailed, ruining a festive atmosphere in the United Center. Bryant also tied his season best with nine rebounds. Kirk Hinrich scored a season-high 26 points for the Bulls, who cut the deficit to 72-68 entering the final period. Michael Sweetney added 22 for Chicago, which was playing without leading scorer Ben Gordon (sprained right knee). Brian Cook, Bryant and Laron Profit scored six points apiece in the fourth quarter as the Lakers pulled away. Cook scored 16 points. At halftime, Pippen, one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players and a key member of Chicago's six championship teams in the 1990s, had his No. 33 retired by the Bulls and hoisted to the rafters. Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who coached those teams, took part in the ceremonies. </div> <div align="center"><font size=""1""> Recap l Box Score l Standings</font></div>
Revenge is sweet, and the Lakers defense was the difference tonight. I got to watch the Knicks and Bulls tonight, I think Sweetney is better than Curry from what I saw of the two players. The Bulls just ran into a very confident Laker team tonight. The Lakers are on a roll and everything is clicking offensively for the team. The Bulls definitely had their opportunities, but those two big misses from 3 pt land sealed their loss. Hinrich missed a wide open one in transition, and Deng missed one from the right side of the court. After that the Lakers went on an 8-0 run and put the game out of reach. Kobe Bryant was brilliant tonight once again and the Lakers got a big night out of Cookie.
