If you hype something and it succeeds,
you’re a genius – it wasn’t a hype. If you
hype it and it fails, then it was just a hype.
-Neil Bogart
CHICAGO — A matchup two years in the making proved more ragged than explosive. The juxtaposition of two all-star point guards trying to spark flint in a game both cities wanted if just to feel something catch and burn for a night, resulted in a sloppy – and at times lackadaisical – demonstration of a faux showdown. Turns out, Chicago was the better team Monday – and Derrick Rose wasn’t necessarily the catalyst. Lead down the stretch by Carlos Boozer and Mike Dunleavy Jr. who combined for 33 points on 65 percent shooting, the Bulls pulled away from the Cavaliers late, 96-81 on Monday night.
Carlos Boozer continued his display of methodic fade-away jumpers, pivoting lay-ins, and fourth quarter masochistic screams en route to his fifth game this season shooting above 56 percent from the field (only shot above that percentage twice in his career, so let’s all just wait for Carlos to be…Carlos sometime soon). The hyper-dispersed offensive production can found in the stat line, with each of Chicago’s starters in double-figures for points. Derrick Rose play didn’t exceed expectations but it was enough to keep Cleveland at bay and Chicago in the half-court preying on the Cavaliers’ 18 turnovers (most this season).
Rose also had BY FAR his best game defensively, holding Irving to a 0-6 start from the field and forcing countless turnovers and fast breaks with his lateral stability and improved positioning in Tom Thibodeau’s defensive system. DRose did leave late in the game however, as a result of a “minor sprain…nothing really bad.” Hopefully this is more truth than optimistic outlook from the Bulls training staff.
Kirk Hinrich and Luol Deng played like men ready to head out of town at season’s end, after a wretched 22 percent combined shooting night from the two veterans. This doesn’t even indicate how poorly Hinrich was defensively, particularly in the half-court, refusing to stop Irving or Dion Waiters when prompted. Both will have to pick up their play if they want the Bulls to re-sign them at the end of the year.
Andrew Bynum played with shades of the fortress Cleveland desired when they signed the 7-footer, frustrating Joakim Noah and producing reasonable numbers considering restricted minutes (21) – finishing with 11 points and 6 rebounds.
Tristan Thompson also had a balanced game – relentlessly driving and overwhelming the defensive liability that is Carolos Boozer – finishing with 14 points and 13 rebounds (5th double-double this year). However it was the dawdling start of Kyrie Irving that kept most of those salivating before tip dry throughout the entire first half. Scoring just two points in the first twenty-four minutes, Irving brought the game within catching distance in the fourth quarter before Chicago counteracted the surge.
Game Ball: Mike Dunleavy Jr. As painful as his transparent skin appears on camera and any jump shot he takes inside of 23-feet, he found the bottom of the net when his team needed him most, connecting on a multitude of three-pointers and long jumpers throughout the fourth quarter when Chicago was struggling to hammer in the final nails of the proverbial coffin. We haven’t seen Mike Dunleavy Jr. that animated since:
Although he and Kirk Hinrich were arguably the worst defenders on the court Monday night, caught flat-footed on a variety of occasions, his offensive game and team interlocking took a significant step forward as he embraced the bright lights for the first time in his new city.
Josh Planos
Contributor @ Sportswunderkin | Contractor @ Tomorrow’s Online Marketing |
| Intern @ Rivals.com |
| Email: jplanos1@gmail.com |
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