<div align="center"> <font color="Red"> Atlanta Hawks (13-25)</font> at <font color="DarkRed"> Chicago Bulls (23-19)</font> Game Date: Tuesday, Jan. 23, 7:00pm at Bulls TV: NBALP, CSN-Chicago <font size=""1""> The Bulls will be looking for their seventh straight win against Atlanta when these two teams meet in the Untied Center later tonight. Both teams come in trying to break out of losing slumps, both teams are on two game losing streaks having lost their last two contests in a row. Will the Bulls come in and get their act together or will the young Hawks fly high? Hawks?.Bulls?.its going down! </font> </div> [div=50%] <font size=""1""> <font color="Red"> Atlanta Hawks</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""red"">PG</font>- Royal Ivey <font color=""red"">SG</font>- Joe Johnson <font color=""red"">SF</font>- Josh Smith <font color=""red"">PF</font>- Marvin Williams <font color=""red"">C</font>- Lorenzen Wright</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Mike Woodsen</font> <font size="3">Season Stats</font> Leading Scorer: Joe Johnson - 24.3 PPG Leading Rebounder: Josh Smith - 10.4 RPG Assist Man: Speedy Claxton - 4.8 APG The 'X' Factor: Marvin Williams (11.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.1 APG) [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/royal_ivey.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Royal Ivey </font> PPG: 4.1, RPG: 1.2, APG: 1.1 Ivey, normally the third string point guard, has been thrown into the due to injuries to both starting point guard Tyronne Lue and backup Speedy Claxton. Ivey started 66 games last season, but has seen limited playing time this year. The former Texas Longhorn will be looking to show the world he deserves every minute he gets out on the court, now that he is the teams starter once again. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/joe_johnson.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Joe Johnson </font> PPG: 24.7, RPG: 3.9, APG: 3.9 Joe Johnson has been having a career year thus far in his second season in the ATL. Johnson is averaging career highs in minutes, points, field goal percentage, and three point percentage. However some critics have said that Johnson has sort of regressed in terms of being a great overall player, both his assists and rebounds have declined juristically. Can he prove his critics wrong? Well winning cures everything. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/josh_smith.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Josh Smith </font> 12.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.2 APG The former slam dunk champ has been showing some different skill set this year, that we have not seen from him in the past. He has improved in the areas that no one looks at. His steals per game have increased by a large margin as well as his rebounding and shot blocking. Smith has struggled finding his shot again this season, only shooting 42%. Can Smith perform well against an air tight Bulls defense? [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/marvin_williams.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Marvin Williams</font> PPG: 11.9, RPG: 4.7, APG: 2.7 Williams came in to this season with a lot to prove. After being the second overall pick in last years, star studded draft, Williams was a none for the better part of the season. Despite being a project and putting together some solid numbers. Being drafted over rookie of the year Chris Paul, Deron Williams, etc. put him under heavy scrutiny. Williams has rebounded nicely this year, averaging 12 points a contest since returning from an injury. His shot has been none existent, but is a work in progress. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/lorenzen_wright.jpg[/imgl]<font color="red">Lorenzen Wright </font> PPG:3.2, RPG: 3.5, APG: 0.6 Wright will be making his fourth straight start tonight against the Bulls. Since being placed in the starting lineup by coach Woodsen, Wright has done an admirable job. His numbers don?t look good on paper, but considering he has been averaging under 20 minutes a night it is understandable. He is still a viable offensive weapon with the ability to rebound well. [/div] <font color="Darkred"> Chicago Bulls</font> <font size=""1""><font color=""DarkRed"">PG</font>- Kirk Hinrich <font color=""DarkRed"">SG</font>- Ben Gordon <font color=""DarkRed"">SF</font>- Luol Deng <font color=""DarkRed"">PF</font>- PJ Brown <font color=""DarkRed"">C</font>- Ben Wallace</font> <font size=""1"">Coach: Scott Skiles</font> <font size="3">Season Stats</font> Leading Scorer: Ben Gordon- 21.3 PPG Leading Rebounder: Ben Wallace- 9.9 RPG Assist Man: Kirk Hinrich- 6.2 APG The 'X' Factor: Luol Deng (17.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.2 APG) [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/kirk_hinrich.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkRed">Kirk Hinrich</font> PPG: 15.1, RPG: 3.1, APG: 6.2 Hinrich had a solid shooting performance last night against the Pacers, going 5-8 from the field. However, he was in foul trouble all night, and was limited to 28 minutes because of this. There is no question the Bulls are a better team when Hinrich is on the court. So he will need to stay out of foul trouble. Hopefully, the resent trade rumors have sparked a fire under him to step his game up. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/ben_gordon.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkRed">Ben Gordon</font> PPG: 21.3 PPG, RPG: 2.7, APG: 3.4 Madison Square Gordon went off yet again yesterday against the Pacers. One thing Ben has struggled his entire career with has been consistency. Can he be that guy night in and night out for the Bulls? This is yet another opportunity for him to go about proving he can be the guy. Gordon?s name has popped up yet again in Gasol rumors. How will he respond? [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/luol_deng.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkRed">Luol Deng</font> 17.9 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.2 APG Deng has been doing his ?deng? all season and last night was no different. Deng dropped 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds. However, it was not enough to get the Bulls the win. Can he develop into one of the leagues top tier players? One thing he will need to do in the future if he plans on being an all star in having the killer instinct to attack and step up when his team needs him. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/pj_brown.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkRed">PJ Brown</font> PPG: 4.5, RPG: 4.2, APG: 0.5 Ignore the stats when talking about Brown. What Brown brings to the table is something that does not show up on the box score. A veteran leader, locker room presence, and tenacious defender. Brown is finally beginning to understand his role amidst a young upstart Bulls squad. Despite some early season turmoil Brown is back in the starting lineup and looking better than ever. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/ben_wallace.jpg[/imgl]<font color="DarkRed">Ben Wallace</font> PPG: 6.6, RPG:9.9, APG: 2.2 Big Ben was anything but big in the loss to the Pacers. He was abused all night long in the post by O?Neal and was unable to dominate the game defensively grabbing only three boards in less than 25 minutes of action. How will Wallace rebound against the Hawks smaller, but more athletic front court? We will have to wait and see? </font> <div align="center"> </div> <ul><font color="DarkRed"><font size=""1"">Defend the Paint</font></font> <font size=""1"">the bulls were man handled last night down low by O?Neal and Granger, both going for around 20 points. The Bulls need to cut down on easy points allowed in the paint. The Bulls acquired Brown and Wallace to shut things down, down low, so lets see it happen. </font>[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed"><font size=""1"">Rebound</font></font> <font size=""1""> the bulls were held to only 36 rebounds last night, and physically overpowered. When the Bulls rebound the ball they win, they don?t they lose. Like Charles Barkley says ?you cant win without the ball?. </font>[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed"><font size=""1"">Cut down on fouls</font></font> <font size=""1""> the Bulls were in the penalty for the majority of the game yesterday which resulted in 32 free throw attempts by the Pacers. The Bulls have to do a better job managing their team fouls. That?s on everybody from the players to Skiles.</font>[/list] <ul><font color="DarkRed"><font size=""1"">Don?t play down to competition</font></font> <font size=""1""> this is going to be a reoccurring key, until the Bulls decide they want to listen to me. It?s pretty self explanatory. The Bulls are better than any team in the Eastern Conference, not my opinion, just a fact. They have the best conference record. So play like it! </font>[/list] <div align="center"></div> <font size="1">If the Bulls want to be considered an elite team they cannot lose to a team like the Atlanta Hawks. It just cannot happen. Its pretty simple, play defense, control team fouls, shut down Johnson, win the game. Bulls by double digits. </font>
<div class="quote_poster">Bulls=Amazing Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">what's with Duhon not playing again?</div> The Bulls commentary team has mentioned Duhon having mental problems .. likely depression or something else, we don't know. Nor should we really ever know that is private I believe. I hope it won't ever be leaked. Anyway the Bulls are playing pretty shotty basketball in my opinion. Missing many easy unchallenged shots. They really need to step up their game.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Chris Duhon didn't play by coach's decision for the first time this season. Thabo Sefolosha passed him in the rotation and played a season-high 34 minutes. "I was ready to go," Duhon said. "But there's nothing you can do about it. [Skiles is] the boss."</div> Read more...
It has something to do with his mental health, they've been discussing it around here ever since I returned home. Hopefully he will get over the issue soon enough. RIght now the Bulls have a demanding lead, but it could blow back in their face the way they let the Hawks run the floor the last few plays. Not impressive for the Bulls defensively.
They've been saying he hasn't been smiling as much as he used too at other events and stuff. Good game for the Bulls and actually got a win. Got a nice lead in the fourth. Duhon didn't play again. Just noticed, we only had 3 guys off the bench, unusual.
I think the commentary team said it best that this game was good for a win, but the performance was poor.
Man I hope Du gets better, whether it is mental or not. I like him as a player and he seems to be a good guy.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Skiles said his decision to bench Chris Duhon on Monday at Indiana was based on performance and nothing else. Duhon was suspended for one game after he skipped a mandatory shootaround recently. "I've been in a position like that," Skiles said in reference to his days as a player. "Sometimes it's best to take a game (off) and step away. I also want to give Thabo more minutes. At some point, I have to find out if he can be a factor for us." Entering Tuesday's game, Duhon connected on only two his previous 30 field-goal attempts. "It's a slump, that's all," Duhon said. "This is no time to be passive about it. I have to be aggressive and take the shot when it's there."</div> Read more...
