vs Game 46, Home Game 26 Friday, January 28, 2011 – 7:00 PM (CT) United Center Comcast SportsNet / ESPN 1000 AM / WRTO 1200 AM BULLS VS. MAGIC ALL-TIME ALL-TIME ...................... Bulls trail 37-41 BULLS CURRENT STREAK .. 3 Losses BULLS HOME STREAK ......... 2 Losses BULLS ROAD STREAK .......... 5 Losses BULLS VS. MAGIC THIS SEASON Dec. 1 @ Chicago – MAGIC WON 107-78 Jan. 28 @ Chicago – March 4 @ Orlando – April 10 @ Orlando – Game Notes Chicago Bulls (31-14) Home 21-4 Road 10-10 BULLS CURRENT STREAK .. 3 Wins Bulls Averages: PPG: 97.8 (Opp: 92.1) RPG: 44.2 (Opp: 40.3) APG: 21.6 (Opp: 19.0) SPG: 7.49 (Opp: 7.16) BPG: 6.38 (Opp: 5.96) TO: 14.7 (Opp: 15.2) FG%: .459 (Opp: .423) FT%: .723 (Opp: .758) 3p%: .360 (Opp: .334) Probable Bulls starters Derrick Rose - PG - 24.6 ppg, 8.1 apg, 1.07 spg Keith Bogans- SG - 3.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg, .47 spg Luol Deng - SF - 17.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.3 apg Carlos Boozer - PF - 19.9 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.2 apg Kurt Thomas - C - 4.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.04 bpg Bulls Stats Leaders Points: Rose 24.6, Boozer 19.9 Rebounds: Noah 11.7, Boozer 10.0 Assists: Rose 8.1, Noah 2.7 Steals: Brewer 1.44, Noah 1.17 Blocks: Gibson 1.63, Noah 1.63 FG%: Boozer .550, Noah .514 FT%: Korver .846, Rose .819 3FG%: Korver .405, Rose .378 Injury report Joakim Noah- right thumb surgery - Out For a full report and the latest on Bulls' injuries, check out the AthletiCo Injury Report. Orlando Magic (30-16) Home 17-6 Road 13-10 Probable Magic starters Jameer Nelson - PG Jason Richardson - SG Hedo Turkoglu - SF Brandon Bass - PF Dwight Howard - C Injury report Malik Allen – sprained left ankle…Probable Daniel Orton – arthroscopic surgery, left knee…Out ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Active Bulls career highs (Click here) Bulls Season Highs (Click here)
Clearly, the Magic have owned us...been about a year since we've beaten them. On the bright side, we're due. IMO, we can't over-help on Howard...it sets everything else up for Orlando. And of course, DRose's stomach needs to cooperate.
What is it with the Magic? I don't think any of us can honestly say we expect anything other than a relatively bad loss. And then you look at the Magic's record, and it's really not that good. I know Derrick doesn't fair well when you take away his options at the hoop, and that probably has a lot to do with it. But if he is an MVP caliber contributor, and I think that's right, it's strange that he struggles so much with one player. Regardless, I hope Kirk Thomas delivers a cheap shot against Howard at some point in the game. I'm nonplussed with the cheap shot he gave Rose earlier this season.
Whoa there, big fella. I expect a close game as long as DRose is good to go. If it's any consolation to you, it's not just my silly homer butt that thinks so. Just checked the Vegas line and the consensus is the Magic by 1 point. http://www.covers.com/sports/nba/nba_lines.aspx
Malik Allen will miss the game, we have it in the bag! Seriously, they have owned us because of very good 3 pt shooting. We do not defend the 3 all that well. That was with the previous Magic team. Hopefully we can handle this team. No one other than Howard concerns me.
Don't mean to argue...just want to keep things positive. Since the Bulls are dead square on the NBA average in opponents' 3-pt% allowed and are 12th best in opponents' 3-pt FG allowed, I conclude that the Bulls 3-pt defense doesn't totally suck. However, in the interest of full disclosure, since the Bulls are statistically the best defense in the NBA, these otherwise OK 3-pt defensive stats do, as trueblue stated, indicate that 3-pt defense, in relative terms, is a weakness. The real problem in terms of trying to build confidence for this game is that the only time we played the Magic this year the Magic made 48% of their 3-pt shots and beat us by 29. Having written this last part, I'm thinking that my post may not have the optimistic and inspirational effect I intended. Uh, Go Bulls!
The days off seem to have the Bulls playing a bit lazy. Orlando is getting to the loose balls, and the Bulls aren't looking great on defense. Rose just hit a 3 after Orlando played great defense the whole play.
