vs Game 20, Home Game 9 Wednesday, January 25, 2012 – 7:00 PM CT United Center CSN/NBA-TV / ESPN 1000 AM/WRTO 1200 AM BULLS VS. PACERS ALL-TIME ALL-TIME ................... Bulls Lead 84-73 BULLS CURRENT STREAK.......1 Loss BULLS HOME STREAK..............7 Wins BULLS ROAD STREAK ............... 1 Loss Game Notes Chicago Bulls (16-3) Home 8-0 Road 8-3 Bulls Averages: PPG: 96.8 (Opp: 85.8) RPG: 45.42 (Opp: 38.74) APG: 23.1 (Opp: 18.8) SPG: 7.32 (Opp: 7.16) BPG: 6.16 (Opp: 4.63) TO: 14.00 (Opp: 14.42) FG%: .464 (Opp: .425) FT%: .744 (Opp: .702) 3p%: .380 (Opp: .361) Probable Bulls starters Derrick Rose - PG - Richard Hamilton - SG - Ronnie Brewer - SF - Carlos Boozer - PF - Joakim Noah - C - Bulls Stats Leaders Points:Rose 20.9, Deng 15.9 Rebounds: Boozer 8.5, Noah 8.4 Assists: Rose 8.6, Watson 4.4 Steals: Watson 1.30, Deng 1.22 Blocks: Gibson 1.41, Asik 1.32 FG%: Asik .532, Boozer .528 FT%: Rose .880, Watson .828 3FG%: Brewer .500, Watson .483 Injury report Taj Gibson (left ankle sprain) is day-to-day. Luol Deng (left wrist) is day-to-day. For a full report and the latest on Bulls' injuries, check out the AthletiCo Injury Report. Indiana Pacers (11-5) Home 5-1 Road 6-4 Probable Pacers starters Paul George - PG Darren Colligson- SG Danny Granger - SF David West - PF Roy Hibbert - C Injury report Jeff Foster, sore lower back, out
This is a tough match up for us, even healthy. They have a very quick PG, a tall two-way C, a top SF, etc. they're young and deep, too.
I'm not watching the game, but judging from the box score the Pacers plan is to let Ronnie Brewer take as many shots as possible.....and he's been doing an excellent job.
Boozer's made 3 passes to Brewer along the baseline that turned into scores. It's not like they're completely letting him take as many shots as possible, but they are losing track of where he is.
You know, fuck Miami -- that's how you win a game on the road. Tough interior play, establishing your big men, offensive rebounding, strong defense, physical play, and clutch scoring. I like this Indiana team now even more than I liked them last year. Miami hasn't won jack shit yet and everyone is fawning over them because they are the SportsCenter darlings. I'd like to see this Indiana team in a playoff series against Miami, just like I'd like to see how the Bulls fair. The East is more wide open than people let on.
Our front court let us down last night. But it was close, and games like these happen. Bulls were a bit too happy. Thibs found a reason to be very unhappy.
Frankly, the Pacers D'd the Bulls up pretty well. The Bulls' ball movement wasn't very good and a lot of that was on the Pacers. Shame to waste a brilliant game by Brewer.
I think a line up with Asik or Taj, Deng, Brewer, Rip and Rose would have done us some good last night. Hope Deng isn't making a mistake by playing through this, though.
My feeling is that we should sit Deng until the all star break and really give him the chance to heal. A healthy Deng for playoffs is far more important than seeing him play hurt so we can have a better record.
Tendon injuries don't heal without surgery right? It seems like Deng has some kind of variant of Kobe's injury. I wouldn't be surprised if they're just waiting for some of the swelling to go down, and that's why he's coming back on Sunday. I have to agree with everyone here. You respect the will of the warrior and I'm sure the Bulls wouldn't let Deng play if playing on the injury would invariably jeopardize his career. That being said, how can playing with a severed tendon for forty to fifty-five games possibly be safe?
