<div align="center"> <font color=""DarkRed"">Chicago Bulls </font> @ <font color=""Purple"">Toronto Raptors </font> Time: Wednesday, 6:00pm at Raptors TV:NBALP, RTV+RSNO, CSN-Chicago <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>- Luol Deng <font color=""DarkRed"">PF</font>- Andres Nocioni <font color=""DarkRed"">C</font>- Michael Sweetney</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Scott Skiles</font> ____________________________ <font color=""Purple"">Toronto Raptors</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""Purple"">PG</font>- Jose Calderon <font color=""Purple"">SG</font>- Mike James <font color=""Purple"">SF</font>- Morris Peterson <font color=""Purple"">PF</font>- Chris Bosh <font color=""Purple"">C</font>- Rafael Araujo</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Sam Mitchell</font> </div> <ul><font color="DarkRed">Personnel</font> one problem the Bulls have had this season has been having the wrong personnel in at key stages of the game which generates to mismatches often in favor of the opponent. The Raptors have some good young players on their team despite their record if they have a mismatch they can take advantage of it. This is all on Scott Skiles after getting a big extension last summer he has made some questionable calls this season during certain stages of the game. No criticism has arisen yet, because despite those mistakes the Bulls are still in a better position currently then they where last year. They will only end up as a .500 team if they do not learn from their mistakes however.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Quick Start</font> the Bulls need to get off to a quick start in tonight's contest and show everyone they are better than average. Playoff teams should win games against teams who are struggling as much as the Raptors have been so far this season, but then again the Pacers did lose to the Hawks, and so did the Spurs and Cavaliers so you never know. This is the NBA, and who ever plays with more heart can win on any given night. Be that as it may the Bulls can not fall behind early, and waste all their energy getting back into the game, like they did last night.[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed">Control Tempo</font> the Bulls have been at their best this season when they play a steady half court game. Despite their inability to find inside scoring they have managed to always find an open shooter when they run their offensive set correctly. They have also done well when they have generated several turnovers that have allowed them to run and get easy buckets. They need to decide what type of tempo they want to play tonight, and play that way all night.[/list] <div align="center"></div> <ul><font color="Purple">Bench Scoring</font> I feel that the Raptors bench will play a bigger part in tonight?s game then their starting lineup. Villanueva is really a tough match up for the Bulls to keep up with. Chandler has been getting tired quickly due to his hernia so having to guard a guy who goes outside and inside, and has the ability to make any shot from any area on the court, will get him tired even quicker.[/list] <ul><font color="Purple">Go inside early, and often</font> guys like Chris Bosh and Villanueva can both have big games tonight due to the lack of size the Bulls have in their starting lineup. However, you can?t score if you don?t have the ball so it?s up to the Raptors coaching staff to call plays for them.[/list] <div align="center"></div> We lost to the Heat last night, but some good could be drawn from that game the Bulls played with one of the powerhouses in the NBA. If they put forth that effort once more tonight they should easily win tonight's game. With that said, the Raptors might surprise the Bulls tonight, and make this game closer than it really should be but I will take the Bulls in tonight's contest by ten.
To say the Bulls are not looking good right now would be putting it in good terms. They look awful trailing the Raptors by seven points, and have already committed eight turnovers, as of 5:31 seconds left in the second quarter. Turnovers have been our Achilles heel thus far if the Bulls can have some better ball control from this point forward they should get back in control of this game. They are still shooting a better field goal percentage than the Raptors I will post a game update as the game progresses.
Chandler is really playing well in my opinion, with 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals. Bulls leading at the end of 3, 76-68
Damnit. Just as things were lookin good for Chandler, he just fell on his knee, or twisted it. He's out of the game.
Darius Songaila has really played well off the bench for us recently 16 so far tonight. We are playing very well after getting off to a slow start turnovers are the only thing keeping the Raptors in the game we are shooting 57% if we did not have 19 turnovers this game would be on lock down. Unfortunately, that is not the case we are only leading by five points, and heading for another close finish. If anyone s surprised by this then you have not watched the Bulls play this year. We tend to pull off games we are suppose to win down the stretch.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting rookie789:</div><div class="quote_post">why did gordon only took 6 shots he needs to get the ball more</div> I don?t care if Eric Piakowski gets 15 shots as long as we win. To tell you the truth though it s probably because everyone was playing very well tonight we had seven players in double figures would have been eight if Tyson Chandler did not go down with the injury, because he was having a great game. Ben Gordon only played 20 minutes so he shot around 15 shots if you translate that to shots per 48 minutes. It would not have been a good match-up to play him a lot tonight, because the Raptors have a lot of big guards and swing men Morris Peterson, Jalen Rose, and Joey Graham just to name a few. Skiles is a big match-up guy he tends to vary players playing time depending on the match-ups.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Every time the Chicago Bulls needed to execute, Chris Duhon made a play. Duhon scored 16 points to lift the Chicago Bulls to a 105-94 victory over the Toronto Raptors, their 10th straight in the series. With the shot clock running down and Chicago nursing a three-point lead, Duhon found Darius Songaila in the lane for a hook shot and a 97-92 bulge with 3:21 left. That triggered a 10-2 closing surge by the Bulls. Duhon made 6-of-11 shots, including a 3-pointer in the third quarter that was part of a 13-1 run. The shot gave Chicago the lead for good at 62-61. Songaila led seven Bulls in double figures with 18 points off the bench. Luol Deng had 13 points and nine rebounds, Kirk Hinrich added 13 points, Andres Nocioni 12 and Michael Sweetney and Ben Gordon 10. Chris Bosh scored 25 points, Mike James added 16 and rookie Joey Graham 11 of his 15 in the first half for Toronto, which has not beaten Chicago in nearly three years. </div> <div align="center"><font size=""1"">Recap l Box Score l Standings</font></div>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting I-Miss-MJ:</div><div class="quote_post">Any word on Chandler's injury.</div> confrats on the win, and does his fatigue situation make it worse?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting I-Miss-MJ:</div><div class="quote_post">Any word on Chandler's injury.</div> <ul> [*]Bulls forward/center Tyson Chandler (left knee contusion) is probable for Friday's away game at the Detroit Pistons. [/list] <ul> [*]Chandler suffered the injury in his team's road victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. [/list] <ul> [*]Following the game, Chandler told reporters that he expects to play on Friday. [/list] <ul> [*]"I was going for a block," Chandler said. "I didn't see Darius [Songaila] underneath me and came down funny. I banged it and it kind of twisted. I'm fine. I'm starting to feel like my old self. The medication they gave me is really helping me out. I'm starting to feel more lively. ? I'm happy, excited." [/list]
