Game Thread: Hawks @ Bulls (12/28) The Chicago Bulls try to match their longest winning streak of the season when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. CT | WGN Superstation/ESPN Radio 1000). The Bulls (19-23) have won three straight games, including Friday's 90-79 home win over the Washington Wizards. Their formula has been solid defense and big contributions from Tyson Chandler, who appears to be coming out of a season-long funk. During their streak, the Bulls have allowed an average of 85.7 points. Meanwhile, the 7-1 Chandler is averaging 12.7 points and 14.0 rebounds in his last three games. Chicago won four straight games from Nov. 20-29. The Bulls are playing on consecutive nights at the United Center for the first time this season but are just 9-13 at home. Atlanta (11-30) has lost two in a row, four of five and eight of 10. The Hawks are coming off Friday's 110-106 home loss to Phoenix in which they held the lead in the last minute but made a series of mistakes on both ends of the floor, wasting 27 points by Joe Johnson. The Hawks had not lost the season series for six straight years until dropping all four meetings in the 2005.06 campaign. Tune in to watch this evening's game on the WGN Superstation and listen to it on ESPN Radio 1000 (both pregame shows at 7:00). Visit Bulls.com or click here now for a complete preview of this evening's contest. Probable Bulls Starters Guard 12 Kirk Hinrich 6-3 | 190 Guard 7 Ben Gordon 6-3 | 200 Forward 9 Luol Deng 6-9 | 220 Forward 50 Michael Sweetney 6-8 | 270 Center 24 Othella Harrington 6-9 | 235 Probable Hawks Starters Guard 36 Royal Ivey 6-3 | 200 Guard 2 Joe Johnson 6-7 | 230 Forward 5 Josh Smith 6-9 | 225 Forward 3 Al Harrington 6-9 | 245 Center 27 Zaza Pachulia 6-11 | 265 Injury Report Bulls Eric Piatkowski (left foot inflammation) is questionable. For a full report and the latest on Bulls' injuries, check out the AthletiCo Injury Report at Bulls.com. Hawks Atlanta has no significant injuries to report. Series Notes The Bulls have won four-straight over the Hawks after sweeping the four-game series last season ... it was the Bulls' first sweep of Atlanta since going 4-0 in 1995.96 ... in the series-finale last season, Chris Duhon buried eight-of-nine three-pointers on his way to a then career-high 24 points ... Chicago outscored Atlanta in the series last season by an average of 105.3 to 90.8. Block Party Fifth-year Bull Tyson Chandler is once again leading the team in blocked shots, a feat he has accomplished in three of his first four seasons with Chicago as well (not in 2003.04 because of injury). So far this season, Chandler is averaging 1.11 bpg (42 total) and he currently ranks 30th in the League. He now has 425 career rejections and ranks seventh in team history, behind David Greenwood's 529. The franchise record holder for blocks in a career is Artis Gilmore with 1,029 in 482 games as a Bull (2.13 bpg).
Tyson Chandler has 10 points and nine rebounds at half time! He has been the key to the Bulls turn around averaging 14 rebounds a game and 12 points during this win streak. He is finally starting to play well and prove he deserves his contract. Way to go Tyson!
Yes, we are just running all over them tonight. I had a feeling we would loose tonight as well. Of course it is only half time, but we seem to be playing well.
It's all good we still have a double digit lead with less than two minutes left. Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich have been holding it down on the offensive end, 39 points combined. Mean while, Tyson Chandler has 10 points and 14 rebounds in only 24 minutes of action.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">[IMGL] http://www.nba.com/media/bulls/bengordon_200_060128.jpg[/IMGL]Joe Johnson did everything he could to help erase a 24-point deficit, but the Atlanta Hawks could not stop Ben Gordon down the stretch. Gordon scored 10 of his 23 points in the final 2 1/2 minutes as the Chicago Bulls held off the Hawks, 111-99, for their season high-tying fourth straight victory. Johnson produced a career-high 40 points for the Hawks, who absorbed their ninth loss in 11 games. Kirk Hinrich scored 18 of his 22 points in the first half to help the Bulls take a 62-39 lead into the break. Chicago held an 84-60 advantage after a jumper by Luol Deng with 2:41 left in the third quarter before Johnson led a furious comeback. Atlanta pulled within 86-72 entering the fourth quarter, then whittled the deficit to five points twice, including 97-92 on a layup by Johnson with 5:24 to play. But Darius Songaila countered with a layup and Hinrich a jumper. After Johnson nailed a runner to make it 101-94 with 3:15 to go, Gordon made three straight baskets, giving Chicago a 107-94 cushion on a teardrop in the lane with 1:16 remaining. Deng finished with 18 points and the resurgent Tyson Chandler added 10 and 14 rebounds for the Bulls, who shot 54 percent (46-of-85) from the field as they defeated the Hawks for a fifth straight time. Al Harrington and Zaza Pachulia scored 13 points apiece for Atlanta, which shot 40 percent (38-of-95). </div> <div align="center"><font size=""1""> Recap l Box Score</font></div> Ever since being made a starter Ben Gordon has quickly put an end to the misconception that all he does is score. Tonight was no different as he grabbed eight boards to go along with 23 points. Ben Gordon and Tyson Chandler have proved that the Bulls did not make a mistake by investing their future into these two young players during the last four games. The Bulls are fighting their way back to .500 only three games below sea level right now, and rising. As we all know in the eastern conference just being at .500 will get you a seventh/eighth seed.
We are a game behind #8 and 2 or 3 behind 6 and 7th. We could easily pass the Bucks and the Pacers in the Division.
