Andrew's 06 Bulls, Part 2 :: 07/08 (October 2007)

[Fresh8]

Go for 34 wins! Would be lovely. Something MJ and Pippen and Co didn't do!

I'm not ready to see you beat 72 wins though.

[Andrew]

Thanks guys. I'm not sure about breaking 72 either, I've got a feeling I'll let a few too many slip away before the end of the season. Now that I've hit fourteen straight wins, I'm expecting the AI to start getting brutal (or my complacency getting the better of me, whichever it truly is) but I've still got my eye on the all-time streak if nothing else.

[Fresh8]

Does it get harder or are you telling yourself it does?

[Andrew]

As I've said before, I do wonder about that. I think you start putting pressure on yourself to keep the winning streak going or alternatively get a bit lazy/complacent when you're playing the games but at the same it feels like the AI gets ramped up the longer the streak goes on. When the Thunder ended my previous streak at sixteen, they felt a lot tougher but it might've just been me getting off to a bad start and playing panic basketball trying to get back into the game.

[Andrew]

February 5th, 2007
San Antonio (100) at Chicago (127)
Gordon has near triple double as Bulls rout Spurs
[ Boxscore ]


Gordon had his way with Finley and the Spurs

Everything seems to be clicking for the Chicago Bulls as they defeated the San Antonio Spurs for the second and final time in the 2007 regular season, making it fifteen wins in a row. Ben Gordon was once again spectacular as he scored 33 points, handed out a a career high 20 assists, grabbed eight rebounds and made five steals in the win. Kyle Korver also scored 21 points off the bench for the Bulls while Tim Duncan had 20 points and six rebounds for the Spurs.

Led by Duncan, who missed the previous matchup with an injury, the Spurs jumped out to an early lead and had Chicago on their heels, making their first eight shots of the game. Although the Bulls would end the first quarter up by three with Gordon scoring 12 of his 33 in the period, the Spurs did not show any signs of being intimidated by the team that swept them in last year's NBA Finals and defeated them 113-98 on January 9th.

Chicago were unable to shake San Antonio through most of the second quarter with the teams trading baskets and the Bulls lead remaining in single digits, until a late burst saw them outscore the Spurs by ten and rack up a thirteen point lead by the half. San Antonio would quickly recover early in the third quarter however and cut the deficit back to six, while shooting a blistering 11/16 from the field. Their run would be short lived as Chicago seized control of the game and entered the fourth quarter up by fourteen, going on to win the game easily.

A subdued Gregg Popovich was quick to praise Gordon after the game. "He picked us apart tonight. He's on a mission and we got in the way. Tony (Parker) getting into foul trouble didn't help us much either." Parker played just 19 minutes, scoring nine points and handing out six assists. Michael Finley and Brent Barry had strong games off the bench for San Antonio, scoring 18 and 13 points respectively.

Chicago will face Utah on Wednesday night where they will attempt to tie their sixteen game winning streak which was ended by the Oklahoma City Thunder on December 30th.

Notes: Monta Ellis made his return to the Bulls' lineup after missing seven games with an ankle injury. He played six minutes and hit a three pointer...Chicago edged San Antonio 31-29 in rebounding...the Bulls were 12/18 from the free throw line while the Spurs were 7/7...the Bulls have beaten the Spurs in seven straight games including the sweep in last year's NBA Finals...Chicago totaled 37 assists to 18 by San Antonio.

Current Record: 38-5
Next Game: vs Utah Jazz; 23-23 (February 7th)

[Fresh8]

Loving it still Who would ever think I'd be rooting for a team other than the Lakers.

[Martti.]

Gordon looks like a lock for POTM this time round with games like this.

[George7]

Great Game for Gordon Again!!!
He's a monster!!

[Andrew]

It gets better.

February 7th, 2007
Utah (96) at Chicago (107)
Gordon's triple double leads Bulls over Jazz
[ Boxscore ]


Gordon dunks over Devin Brown and draws the foul for a three point play opportunity

The Chicago Bulls have equaled their sixteen game winning streak with a 107-96 victory over the Utah Jazz, as Ben Gordon delivered yet another amazing performance. A night after handing out a career high 20 assists and narrowly missing a triple double, Gordon would go on to register his second triple double of the season with 34 points, a career high 15 rebounds and 17 assists, also making two steals and a block for good measure. His 14 fourth quarter points also helped seal the Bulls' victory.

Gordon completed his triple double with 7:54 remaining in the third quarter when he grabbed his tenth rebound, having already tallied 13 points and 11 assists in the first half. Despite Gordon's strong play in the first half and an 11-2 run to begin the game, the Bulls soon discovered the Jazz would not go quietly into the night as the Jazz came within four points on several occasions before the Bulls ran their lead back out to nine heading into the second half.

Carlos Boozer once again delivered a strong performance against his former team, scoring eight of his 24 points in the first quarter and then a further ten in the third quarter as the Bulls once again withstood a Jazz run to maintain a nine point lead heading into the final period. Despite strong second half performances by Deron Williams and Andrei Kirilenko, the Jazz were unable to gain momentum and trailed by as many as thirteen before ultimately losing by eleven.

Kirilenko led the Jazz with 18 points to go along with three rebounds and five assists. Williams finished with 15 points and five assists while Keenan Pack had a strong first half scoring 14 of his 16 points during the first two quarters, but was limited by foul trouble in the second half. Pack also tallied a team high six assists. For the Bulls, Boozer added 10 rebounds to his 24 points, Tyson Chandler also delivered a double double with 12 points and 13 rebounds and Kyle Korver scored 12 points off the bench.

"Ben's just been amazing these past three games," Kirk Hinrich said of his teammate after the game. "He's doing it all right now; finding us with these pretty passes, creating his own shot, getting to the rim, knocking it down from long range, bailing us out when the play breaks down, playing the passing lanes and even crashing the boards...amazing." Jazz coach Jerry Sloan, himself a former Bulls legend and one of only four Bulls to have their jersey numbers retired, also praised Gordon's performance. "He's sending a message to everyone in the league right now that he is a superstar and a force to be reckoned with. I'm glad we don't have to play them again this season."

Chicago's four game home stand comes to an end on Saturday as they play host to the Philadelphia 76ers. Utah will head to Miami where they will face the Heat on Friday.

Notes: Ben Gordon is now tied with Dirk Nowitzki for the lead in scoring with 26.3 ppg...with three players in double digits for rebounds, the Bulls dominated the Jazz on the boards 44-28 including a 15-5 edge at the offensive end...Chicago were 10/11 from the free throw line, Utah shot just 4/6 from the charity stripe...the Bulls committed just 10 turnovers to 17 by the Jazz...Chicago assisted on 28 of their 45 field goals. Utah assisted on 24 of their 40 field goals.

Current Record: 39-5
Next Game: vs Philadelphia 76ers; 26-18 (February 10th)

[Clutch]

His 14 fourth quarter points also helped seal the Bulls' victory.

wowza not only is Gordon racking up LBJ-type stats nightly, he's also delivering big time during crunchtime... at this rate, they might be replacing that statue outside of United Ctr sometime in the future

[Axel The Great]

Triple-double by BG. Good to see players like Chandler and Boozer are also contributing. One win away from breaking your season record. Hope you succeed.

[Andrew]

Thanks guys. It's definitely a case of so far, so good in terms of putting up Player of the Month numbers. It's also an added challenge on top of trying for a record winning streak. I'll be pretty disappointed if Gordon ends up being snubbed for POTM and an All-Star selection, though if it happens you can bet he'll be taking it out on the rest of the league.

[kibaxx7]

I'll be pretty disappointed if Gordon ends up being snubbed for POTM and an All-Star selection, though if it happens you can bet he'll be taking it out on the rest of the league.

That's the spirit.

[Fresh8]

Kyle Kurver.

[Martti.]

34-17-15? Those are Magic Johnson-esque numbers. Just unbelievable, league's leading scorer has 20 and 17 assists on consecutive nights.

[Andrew]

Yeah, he's putting up some pretty amazing numbers right now. I don't know if I could get him to average a triple double on the month, I think I'll ultimately fall short in rebounds but the aim is to come as close as I possibly can. If that's not enough for Player of the Month then the game is evil.

[Andrew]

Feature article time.

Bulls seek respect, eighth title
by Alan Wolodarsky

Ben Gordon insists that he isn't taking LeBron James' selection as Eastern Conference Player of the Month for January personally. That might not be exactly true.

Gordon, who was named MVP of the last year's NBA Finals in which the Chicago Bulls won their seventh championship and first since 1998, seemed to be a prime candidate for the honour. The third year shooting guard poured in 34.9 ppg, topping the 50-point mark four times in January for a total of five times this season and also added 6.0 apg, 2.2 rpg and 1.2 spg. Not the most gaudy stats beyond his scoring and assist numbers, but Gordon was instrumental in the Bulls going 12-0 last month, entering February with a 13 game winning streak.

"We were all surprised and disappointed," Gordon's teammate Tyson Chandler explains. "We definitely thought Ben should have got it, especially when we went undefeated." Bulls fans were especially vocal about the snub, opining that there is a blind spot when it comes to the team despite being the defending champions and holding the best record in the NBA this season.

Instead the honour went to the Cleveland Cavaliers' superstar LeBron James, who also made an excellent case for Player of the Month. James averaged 26.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 5.8 apg, 1.4 bpg and 2.1 spg in January while leading the Cavaliers out of a slump and into fifth place in the East, as they went 11-5 in January. He's a worthy Player of the Month and few are disputing his pedigree as one of the league's brightest stars, but as talk of his impending free agency dominates the headlines, it's obvious that more than a few people are growing weary of the constant acclaim and attention afforded to LeBron.

While Gordon has expressed appreciation and humility for the support he's receiving, he's elected not to join the mob in calling foul over the snub. Instead, he's been content to let his game do the talking. Through the first three games of February, he's averaging 34.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 16.3 apg and three steals per game, having set a new career high for assists (20), rebounds (15) and in his last game tallied his second triple double of the season with 34 points, 15 rebounds and 17 assists. The Bulls have continued their winning ways, having tied their sixteen game winning streak from earlier this season.

"He's been doing it all for us," Chandler said of Gordon's impressive start to the month. "Everyone knows he can flat out score but the assists, the rebounds...man, it's crazy." No stranger to big rebounding performances himself, Gordon's numbers on the boards have certainly caught his teammate's attention. "I told him he's putting me out of a job," Chandler said with a laugh. "He's making me look good with those lob passes though, so I can't stay mad at him."

The lack of recognition despite their winning ways has only served to bond this group, who have been remodeled twice since winning the championship last year. There seems to be a genuine sense of goodwill and teamwork amongst the Bulls, fierce pride in each other's accomplishments and a dedication to a common goal: bringing another championship to Chicago. "When we got off to that slow start, when we made some trades there, people were calling us fluke champions," Chandler explains. "We came out of nowhere last year so people immediately think we got lucky and we're going to be one and done. We take that personally, we're not one and done. We look at what Michael and Scottie did for this team back in the 90s and we want that too. We're not happy with one ring, that's not our mindset. We're in dynasty mode."

Though bold, Chandler's words are certainly more than just hot air. The Bulls have dominated the league since late November racking up blowout victories including a franchise record 52 point win over the Phoenix Suns last month and Gordon seems poised to make his first All-Star appearance. His teammates are certainly pulling for him. "He's got to make it," Chandler has asserted. "It'll be a crime if he doesn't. The rest of the league better watch out if he's snubbed. I see the guy every day in practice, I know what he's capable of. All those people that said he was just a shooter, a solid sixth man at best, he's going to prove them wrong. And we'll prove that we are the best team in the league.

Who are we to argue?

[Martti.]

If he isn't an All-Star this season either, that would be insane, though not surprising with my past experiences with Live 06.

[Clutch]

It'll be a crime if he doesn't.

'nuff said right there nice article

[Andrew]

Thanks. Couldn't help slipping the Dynasty Mode pun in there.

Big update to close out tonight:

February 10th, 2007
Philadelphia (119) at Chicago (127)
Bulls overcome resilient Sixers for seventeenth straight win
[ Boxscore ]

The Bulls are one win away from tying a franchise best for consecutive wins as they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 127-119. Ben Gordon led all scorers with 35 points on 13/21 shooting (including 6/10 from three point range) as well as grabbing five rebounds, handing out 13 assists and making four steals in a wild shootout that also saw Andre Iguodala score 31 for the Sixers while Allen Iverson also added 30 points to go along with nine assists.

Jamal Mashburn scored the first points of the game after intercepting a pass from Hinrich, which was followed by a Ben Gordon three to get the Bulls on the board. The Sixers soon took control of the game as they jumped out to a 15-7 lead and had the defending champs on the ropes throughout the first quarter. picking off passes and converting turnovers into points. Philadelphia ended the first quarter up by six and stretched their lead out to as many as eleven early in the second quarter.

Chicago was down but far from out, as Ben Gordon scored 14 second quarter points including three three pointers to help the Bulls claw their way back into the game. Kyle Korver added a couple of threes of his own as did Kirk Hinrich, helping the Bulls to pull even with the Sixers. The teams traded the lead for a couple of plays before the Bulls were able to take charge, finishing the half up by nine as Gordon hit a three as time expired.

The Sixers would be unable to wrest the lead away from the Bulls the rest of the way, trailing by as many as nineteen but fought their way back into the game with several spirited runs, however they were unable to come closer than eight points in the second half. Allen Iverson hit a three with a second remaining to cut the final deficit to single digits.

Carlos Boozer added 23 points and six rebounds for the Bulls, who registered their 40th win of the season. Kirk Hinrich had 13 points and five assists while Kyle Korver scored 14 off the bench including four three pointers. For the Sixers, Samuel Dalembert had a double double with 17 points and 15 rebounds, while also blocking three shots. Jamal Mashburn had 13 points and five assists while Chris Webber had a quiet night offensively with just eight points, but grabbed 12 rebounds.

Notes: Ben Gordon has taken the lead in the scoring race, topping the league with an average of 26.5 ppg. Dirk Nowitzki is now in second place with 26.3 ppg...Philadelphia dominated the boards, outrebounding Chicago 45-32 including a 21-8 advantage at the offensive end...the Bulls committed 17 turnovers compared to just 12 by the Sixers.

Current Record: 40-5
Next Game: @ Los Angeles Lakers; 18-30 (February 11th)

February 11th, 2007
Bulls.com Update: Gordon to compete in Slam Dunk Contest, Three Point Shootout

Bulls.com has learned that Bulls star shooting guard Ben Gordon will be participating in the Slam Dunk Contest and Three Point Shootout at the 2007 All-Star Weekend. We wish Ben luck as he attempts to become the first player to both events at the NBA's annual midseason classic!

Check out these clips of Ben throwing it down in a high school dunk contest during his days at Mount Vernon:

phpBB [video]

February 11th, 2007
NBA Announces 2007 All-Star Starters

NEW YORK, NY -- The NBA has announced the results of the fan voting to determine the starters for the 2007 All-Star Game. Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, Steve Francis of the Orlando Magic, Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers and Chris Webber of the Philadelphia 76ers were voted in as the starters for the Eastern Conference. Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom of the Los Angeles Lakers, Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets, Baron Davis of the Golden State Warriors and Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks make up the starting five for the Western Conference.





February 11th, 2007
2007 Rookie Challenge Starters Announced

NEW YORK, NY -- The NBA has announced the starting lineups for the 2007 Rookie Challenge. Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets, Rashad McCants of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Channing Frye of the New York Knicks, Marvin Williams of the Atlanta Hawks and Andrew Bynum have been selected for the Sophomore squad. This year's Rookie team includes Ignatius Tallas of the New Jersey Nets, Mario Beranek of the Detroit Pistons and Sadiku Sato of the Memphis Grizzlies, along with Ayeshi Tam and Malik Marshall of the Charlotte Bobcats.





(I know the NBA doesn't actually do it this way for the Rookie Challenge, I'm just going with the news as it's handled by NBA Live 06)

February 11th, 2007
Chicago (124) at LA Lakers (112)
Bulls overcome nineteen point deficit, win eighteenth in a row
[ Boxscore ]


Kobe Bryant intentionally fouls Ben Gordon late in the game

The Chicago Bulls have tied a franchise record with their eighteenth consecutive win, but it did not come easy. The defending champions trailed by as many as nineteen points in the first half before a furious third quarter rally led by Ben Gordon and Kyle Korver saw them take the lead and eke out a hard fought 124-112 road victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Gordon opened the game by hitting a three and it appeared as though the Bulls might have an early advantage as a couple of reach-in fouls had All-Star Lamar Odom taking a seat a little over two minutes into the game. Chicago were unable to take advantage however as they found themselves in a dogfight with the Lakers, who were 18-30 entering tonight's game. Strong offensive rebounding by the Lakers and defensive lapses by the Bulls saw the home team shoot 14/20 (70%) from the field and race out to a thirteen point lead by the end of the first quarter, much to the delight of the Staples Center crowd.

Things went from bad to worse for the Bulls in the second as they struggled to put points on the board while the Lakers scored off turnovers and second chance opportunities. Kwame Brown had an amazing first half with 26 points and 13 rebounds, scoring most of his points off his seven offensive boards. The Bulls found themselves down nineteen and struggling to make a dent in the deficit as they ultimately matched the Lakers' 37 second quarter points to cut the lead back to thirteen at the half.

After a slow start in the third, the Bulls began mounting a comeback. Gordon scored 10 points in the period while Kyle Korver, who had knocked down three three pointers in the second quarter, made four threes in the third and finished with 12 as Chicago slowly but surely clawed their way back into the game. Chicago shot 16/25 (64%) in the third quarter, outscoring Los Angeles and took an 89-88 lead on a dunk by Carlos Boozer, ultimately heading into the fourth quarter with a slim 94-90 lead.

Los Angeles rattled off four quick points to begin the fourth quarter to tie the game but Korver would give the Bulls the lead for good with a three pointer. Boozer then scored on a layup to extend the Bulls lead to five before Gordon returned to score 11 points in the quarter, as well as grabbing three rebounds and handing out four assists as the Bulls would go on to lead by as many as fifteen. Gordon finished with 39 points, five rebounds and 11 assists along with two steals. Kobe Bryant did his best to keep the Lakers in the game, scoring 12 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and at one point cutting the lead to seven, but Chicago would hold on and run the lead back out to twelve by the final buzzer.

"We should've won this game," a frustrated Bryant told reports after the game. "Give them a lot of credit. They showed a lot of heart, they brought it to us in the third and we didn't rise to the challenge. We had them, we didn't come through." After his stellar first half, Kwame Brown finished with a team high 30 points and 21 rebounds for the Lakers, while Bryant added three rebounds and four assists to his 28 points. Lamar Odom scored 14 points despite playing only 20 minutes due to foul trouble while Andrew Bynum had a double double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Rookie Voshon Toure scored 13 points in 13 minutes including three three pointers, while Smush Parker handed out ten assists.

For the Bulls, Carlos Boozer had a double double with 24 points and 13 rebounds as well as handing out four assists. Kirk Hinrich scored 13 points and handed out nine assists, also making two steals. Kyle Korver finished with 30 points off the bench, making 8/15 from downtown while also dishing out three assists and making three steals.

Notes: Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom were both voted in as starters for the Western Conference while Andrew Bynum was selected to represent the Sophomores in the Rookie Challenge. Ben Gordon will be competing in the Slam Dunk Contest and Three Point Shootout...the Lakers prevailed 42-37 on the boards, outrebounding the Bulls 20-15 at the offensive end...Chicago were 13/18 from the free throw line, Los Angeles shot 9/10...the Lakers 19 point lead is the largest deficit the Bulls have overcome to win a game this season...four players registed double-doubles (Gordon and Boozer for Chicago, Brown and Bynum for Los Angeles).

Current Record: 41-5
Next Game: @ Cleveland Cavaliers; 24-22 (February 13th)

[kibaxx7]

Great wins, specially over the Lakers. Coming from 19 points behind

[Fresh8]

Awesome updates. Good game against my boys. Next time they won't let you win so easily.

BG3 snubbed by the fans, it's prob cause he's gonna be a pom one day (I take it he isn't one yet in your virtual reality!).

Hoping to see Gordon win Slam Dunk, Three Point and All-Star MVP.

[Axel The Great]

Gordon snubbed... again! He's still strong!

Good to see you killed the Lakers. Kwame Brown's huge performance is highly unlikely. Congrats on tying the franchise record of win streaks.

[Andrew]

Great wins, specially over the Lakers. Coming from 19 points behind

Thanks, it definitely wasn't easy. I was playing panic basketball trying to get back into the game after the lousy first quarter and that certainly didn't help but once Korver started knocking down threes in the third and I got the deficit back to double digits, I knew I was in with a shot.

Awesome updates. Good game against my boys. Next time they won't let you win so easily.

BG3 snubbed by the fans, it's prob cause he's gonna be a pom one day (I take it he isn't one yet in your virtual reality!).

Hoping to see Gordon win Slam Dunk, Three Point and All-Star MVP.

He's a Pom here too, he was born in England and had dual citizenship from the time he entered the league. Wade's fanbase is just too big. I'm hoping I can at least take out the Three Point crown, if Gordon's selected as a reserve then I'll definitely be trying to get him the MVP award. Thanks for checking in!

Gordon snubbed... again! He's still strong!

Good to see you killed the Lakers. Kwame Brown's huge performance is highly unlikely. Congrats on tying the franchise record of win streaks.

Thanks! I was certainly muttering about Kwame's performance in the first half, the offensive rebounds were a big reason for it but there were a couple of plays he made that the real Kwame probably would not. It's definitely one of the hardest games I've played in a while and I did think the streak was going to come to an end until things finally started to come together in the third.

[lefisto]

Good to see the winning streak continues. Is Ben Gordon going to play in the Eastern All Stars? If yes, then it will be one very busy weekend for him