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

Nice job holding Joe Johnson nearly scoreless in the second half. That game sounded frustrating, but you gained the lead in the fourth quarter when it counted most. It looks like your team is in such a relaxing situation, having a lot of cap space, and being able to contend for the championship. I hope you sign a big name in the offseason, starting another Bulls era. Who said the Bulls couldn't be successful without MJ?

The Bulls would probably prefer James or Anthony to replace Deng at small forward, though it's not inconceivable that they would try to play Chris Bosh at center alongside Carlos Boozer at power forward, or move a re-signed Hinrich to the bench in favour of a Wade-Gordon backcourt. The Hornets would likely target either James or Bosh, both of whom would no doubt find themselves on the receiving end of several lob passes from Chris Paul.

Should Chicago miss out on one of the top names this year, rumour has it they might attempt to position themselves to make a run at the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard or even Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks come 2008, though even if they ultimately use their cap room to round out the roster with solid role players they would still appear to be in tremendous shape moving forward.

nice write up also great to have so many high-caliber names in the mix when pondering the team's future

Nice job holding Joe Johnson nearly scoreless in the second half. That game sounded frustrating, but you gained the lead in the fourth quarter when it counted most. It looks like your team is in such a relaxing situation, having a lot of cap space, and being able to contend for the championship. I hope you sign a big name in the offseason, starting another Bulls era. Who said the Bulls couldn't be successful without MJ?

I'm really hoping that at least one big name will decide not to re-sign and I'll have a shot at signing them. Kind of hoping for LeBron or even Melo as they'd be the better fit without changing my lineup too much but I don't think I could pass up Bosh or Wade as I could definitely make that work.

nice write up also great to have so many high-caliber names in the mix when pondering the team's future

Thanks. As I said I'm hoping I get a shot at signing one of them, it's cool that the opportunity is there for a big offseason to mirror what's happened this year so I'll be able to experience that in my "reality" as well.

Wow, Dwight or Dirk would surely help you in the future. Great write, 'Drew.

If it goes that way, I'd probably prefer Howard since Boozer's under contract for another four years (meaning I'm set at power forward) and Howard would of course be easier to develop. But we'll have to wait and see who re-signs, I'll be disappointed if everyone does.

December 10th, 2006
Chicago (113) at Detroit (105)
Bulls prevail in the Palace
[ Boxscore ]

Luol Deng scored a season high 26 points and Kirk Hinrich turned in a fine performance with 14 points, 15 assists and 6 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls withstood some cold stretches on offense and a couple of runs by the Detroit Pistons to come up with a 115-103 victory. Ben Gordon added 20 points and Carlos Boozer had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who have now won nine games in a row. Rasheed Wallace top scored for the Pistons with a game high 28 points while Richard Hamilton added 19 to go along with a team high five assists.

Chicago once again struggled out of the gate, with Wallace scoring the first two baskets of the game and the Pistons getting out to an early lead. Gordon in particular struggled during the first quarter for the Bulls; the reigning Finals MVP missed his first attempt of the game, a layup, and had several long range shots spin out of an unfriendly rim. Detroit took the lead at the end of the quarter on a layup by Darko Milicic and would lead by as many as seven in the second quarter until a late run sparked by the deft hands and crisp passing of Hinrich allowed the Bulls to erase the deficit and take a five point lead into halftime.

It appeared as though the defending champions were set to blow the game wide open in the third quarter, quickly extending their lead to ten and finally knocking down some long range shots, with four of their seven three pointers coming in the third period. With four minutes left in the third and a thirteen point lead, the Bulls rested their starters for the beginning of the fourth quarter, which proved to be the opportunity that the resilient Pistons were waiting for. Playing without 2004 Finals MVP Chauncey Billups for most of the third quarter, Detroit clawed their way back into the game and trailed 82-80 in the waning seconds of the quarter before a layup by former Piston Mike James gave the Bulls a four point lead heading into the final period.

The fourth quarter opened with a determined Bulls team extending their lead back to fourteen but the Pistons once again rallied as Billups returned and knocked down two three pointers late in the game that cut the lead to six at 104-98. Korver would answer with a three at the other end however and the lead would not be seriously challenged again as the Pistons found themselves in the penalty and forced to foul, allowing Gordon to seal the game at the free throw line. Wallace, who scored 20 first half points, would be held to just eight in the second half.

"We didn't play our game for the full forty-eight minutes," Hinrich said after the game. "The last couple of games we've had stretches where our shots aren't falling and we've gotten a bit out of control. Fortunately we've been able to overcome that, but we've had some close calls. We need to play better." Carlos Boozer was a little more upbeat. "That's the mark of a great team, even when things are tough and everyone thinks you're down, you come right back and you win." He then explained "We've been at about eighty, maybe eighty-five percent these last two games. We can do better, but we're still a great team at eighty, eighty-five percent."

Due to a scheduling mix-up that somehow evaded the eagle eye of the league office, the two teams will meet again in the Palace in three nights time. "We'll be ready for them, Wednesday is going to be a lot different," Rasheed Wallace promised. "Guaranteed. They're not coming in here and winning two straight."

Notes: Chicago edged Detroit 42-41 on the boards, though Detroit grabbed 17 offensive rebounds to Chicago's 15...Chauncey Billups played just 28 minutes due to picking up his fourth foul during the third quarter...six Bulls scored in double figures after only Boozer and Gordon reached double figures last night against the Hawks.

Current Record: 16-4
Next Game: vs Detroit Pistons; 13-9 (December 13th)

December 13th, 2006
Chicago (118) at Detroit (75)
Bulls rout Pistons for tenth straight victory
[ Boxscore ]

Rasheed Wallace's exasperated gesture after Kyle Korver blocked his layup attempt in the fourth quarter said it all. Sheed's guarantee did not come to fruition as the Pistons dropped their second straight home game to the Bulls this season by 43 points, three nights after keeping pace with the defending champions and threatening their winning streak, which now stands at ten games. Ben Gordon scored 22 points and Kirk Hinrich added 13 points and 10 assists as the Bulls cruised to another victory, at one point leading by as many as 49.

No doubt mindful of Wallace's comments after their previous game and dissatisfied with their erratic play as of late, the Bulls opened the game with a three pointer by Ben Gordon and never looked back. Struggling slightly from downtown in their last two games, Chicago attempted a very conservative five three point attempts all game, making all of them. "That won't happen too often," said Gordon, who along with Mike James made two of the five Bulls threes in the game. "We haven't been shooting the ball well from three lately so we made it a point to take a step inside the line and get to the hoop a little more. It paid off."

Also paying off was an impressive display of stifling defense by the Bulls, which held the Pistons to just ten first quarter points and quietened a rowdy Palace crowd. Although the Pistons would bounce back in the second quarter with a 26 point effort, the Bulls poured in 23 and continued the defensive pressure throughout the game, allowing just 39 points in the second half. Chauncey Billups managed to avoid the foul trouble that plagued him in the previous game and dished out eight assists for the Pistons, but shot a dismal 3/12 from the field including 1/7 from downtown.

As a team, the Pistons shot 37.3% for the game including just 26.7% in the first quarter and 36.4% in the fourth. In contrast the Bulls shot at least 50% in every quarter, including a blistering 73.7% in the third quarter during which Gordon scored 15 of his 22 points and the Bulls outscored the Pistons 33-19. Chicago would finish the game shooting 60.7% from the field while avoiding many of the careless turnovers they racked up in their previous two games.

The Bulls will now head back to Chicago where they will face the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The Pistons will host the New Jersey Nets tomorrow night.

Notes: Chicago were a perfect 5/5 from three point range, while Detroit shot 3/21 from downtown...six Bulls (Boozer, Deng, Gordon, Hinrich, James and Collison) and four Pistons (Wallace, Prince, Hamilton and Billups) reached double figures in scoring...Detroit had more offensive rebounds than defensive rebounds (17-13), with Chicago winning the battle of the boards 34-30...the Bulls shot at least 60% from the field, three point range and free throw line...every Bulls player scored, making at least one field goal.


Tyson Chandler sends back a shot by Rasheed Wallace


A dejected Pistons team leaves the court

Current Record: 17-4
Next Game: vs Golden State Warriors; 11-11 (December 16th)

Alright, one last game for this evening...most likely. This one turned out to be one of my favourites so far this season, the final score doesn't quite tell the whole story.

December 16th, 2006
Golden State (94) at Chicago (120)
Gordon has triple double as Bulls outgun Warriors in the fourth
[ Boxscore ]

The Chicago Bulls demonstrated their best and their worst against the Golden State Warriors, who at one point threatened to end the defending champions' winning streak at ten on their home floor. However, Ben Gordon had other ideas as he turned in a triple double with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Bulls to their eleventh straight victory after a dominant fourth quarter performance.

Gordon scored 10 first quarter points as the Bulls raced out to an early lead and the Warriors struggled to put the ball in the basket, at one point missing 11 consecutive field goal attempts and shooting just 25% for the quarter as Chicago went up 30-13. The Bulls would lead by as many as 24 in the second quarter before Jason Richardson sparked a 10-2 run that sent the Bulls back on their heels and allowed the Warriors to start chipping away at the lead. Richardson scored eight of his 25 points during the second quarter which saw the Bulls limp into halftime with a ten point lead and the momentum against them heading into the second half. Golden State shot 65.4% from the field in the second quarter and outscored Chicago 35-28.

Richardson's onslaught continued in the third quarter as he scored nine points with Baron Davis adding eight and Mickael Pietrus also scoring seven of his own. The Warriors outscored the Bulls 32-27 in the quarter and briefly took a three point lead before Gordon returned to score seven of his 11 third quarter points in the final three minutes including a three pointer that put the Bulls up 85-80 with three seconds remaining in the period. Chicago shot a dismal 40% from the field during the third quarter while the Warriors shot a respectable 45.8%.

It was clear that Chicago were not about to let their winning streak come to an end however as they began the fourth quarter at a lightning pace, quickly putting points up on the board on route to scoring 35 points in the period. Their defense also held the Warriors to 36.8% shooting and a 14 point quarter as the game soon turned into a blowout, with Gordon tallying his tenth assist with just over three and a half minutes remaining to register a triple double. Mike James scored 11 of his 13 points in the quarter and also finished with 10 assists and 5 steals. Carlos Boozer had a solid game with 15 points while tying Gordon with a team high 11 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich added 16 points, 11 of which came in the second quarter.

For the Warriors, Ike Diogu turned in a good performance with 17 points, second highest on the team behind Richardson, while also adding 6 rebounds. Richardson had 3 rebounds and 4 assists to go along with his 25 points while Baron Davis had a rough night shooting 4/19 from the field and was 0/6 from three point range, finishing with 12 points and 4 assists.

"We didn't play our game in the second and third, but I'm proud of the way we took care of business in the fourth," commented coach Andrew Begley following the game. We got into foul trouble which didn't do us any favours, we couldn't buy a basket for a while there and we were too relaxed on defense. Fortunately we shot ourselves out of the slump, started getting some stops and stepped up in the last twelve minutes." The Bulls were in the penalty from the 8:52 mark of the third quarter and were forced to sit Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich for most of the period, as both picked up their fourth fouls early on.

The Bulls will now travel to Sacramento to face the 11-13 Kings tomorrow night. The Warriors will host the Denver Nuggets, currently 10-15, on December 20th.

Notes: After shooting 5/5 from downtown in their last game, the Bulls were 5/19 tonight. The Warriors made just 1/16 from beyond the arc...Chicago decisively won the rebounding battle 52-37 including 16-12 at the offensive end. In the first quarter alone, the Bulls grabbed 18 rebounds to just six by the Warriors...Chicago assisted on 30 of their 49 field goals while the Warriors tallied 18 assists on 40 made baskets.


Ben Gordon scores two of his 32 points on a reverse layup

Current Record: 18-4
Next Game: @ Sacramento Kings; 11-13 (December 17th)

I love reading your recaps. Good fun. Wish you could get through the season quicker.

I (heart) Mike James in Lv06... capable scorer, hard-nosed defender; trying to think of his modern-day NBA equiv. so i can sign him... awesome set of wins to keep the streak alive (even if one came at the expense of my boys )... nice pics too btw

Good to see you extending your winning streak. You really took care of business against the Warriors and in that second game against Detroit. You are now halfway in tying the second longest winning streak in NBA history.

Great triple-double by Gordon.

I love reading your recaps. Good fun. Wish you could get through the season quicker.

Thanks for the kind words. Given my renewed enthusiasm for the game and my ability to set Fallout 3 aside for a moment, I'm hoping to get through the season before NBA Elite 11 comes out and then hopefully play/sim the third season.

I (heart) Mike James in Lv06... capable scorer, hard-nosed defender; trying to think of his modern-day NBA equiv. so i can sign him... awesome set of wins to keep the streak alive (even if one came at the expense of my boys )... nice pics too btw

He's still around, so I guess his modern-day equivalent is himself. Unless of course he's already retired in your Dynasty; he's currently a free agent but probably would've been with the Wizards when you started your game.

Good to see you extending your winning streak. You really took care of business against the Warriors and in that second game against Detroit. You are now halfway in tying the second longest winning streak in NBA history.

I was a little disappointed I couldn't win that one by 50+, gave it a shot but I was resting my starters so the offense wasn't quite as potent. Most importantly, I didn't give up the lead as they made a little run when I subbed out the starters but I managed to quell that before it got out of hand. Aiming for the all-time record as far as the win streak is concerned.

Great triple-double by Gordon.

Thanks. It was organic for the most part but when I noticed he was getting close, I was doing my best to grab a few extra rebounds with him. Obviously the assists come a lot easier for a guard, though a couple of opportunities to get that tenth assist before it finally happened didn't pan out as Boozer was fouled during layup attempts and sent to the line for two.

Two blowouts in a row, it doesn't get much better than that. You made those reigning Eastern Conference champion (in real life at least) Pistons look worse than their modern-day rebuilding selves.

Ah, but they weren't the reigning Eastern Conference champs, in real life (last season was 2006, so in reality it would've been the Heat) or in this reality. On top of everything else their defense seems to have fallen apart without Ben Wallace, who ultimately signed with Charlotte (that was not a transaction I was willing to repeat!). Sheed was able to pretty much abuse his Inside Scorer FSS abilities, especially in the first half of the December 10th game.

Anyway, thanks for checking in.

Unless of course he's already retired in your Dynasty

Actually i just looked and Mike James is not yet retired but in fact a free agent in my dynasty; though at 36 yrs old, his $3.59M/1 yr asking price was too rich for my blood

That's a shame. His overall is kind of low in the roster I started the Dynasty with but his offensive ratings are pretty good so he's still proving to be much more effective than Chris Duhon.

December 17th, 2006
Chicago (125) at Sacramento (93)
Bulls stampede over Kings in Sacramento
[ Boxscore ]

For the first eight minutes of the game, it looked as though the Sacramento Kings might stand a chance of being the team to break the Chicago Bulls' winning streak. Any such aspirations were soon quashed however as an 11-2 run beginning late in the first quarter saw the Bulls capture the lead and never look back, at times leading by as many as 36 points and resting their starters for the final eighteen minutes of the game.

Ben Gordon scored all 25 of his points in the second quarter and was 5/7 from downtown in the period as the Bulls quickly positioned themselves for another blowout victory after a shaky start to the game. Mike James added 19 off the bench with 15 coming during extended garbage time in the fourth quarter, while also handing out seven assists and making five steals. Kyle Korver had his finest game of the year off the bench for the Bulls, scoring 20 points while shooting 8/13 including 3/3 from downtown and grabbing five rebounds to go along with two assists. Chicago also received solid performances from Tyson Chandler (8 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks) and Carlos Boozer (12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) while Kirk Hinrich led the team with a game high eight assists.

It was a long night for the Kings, who were outscored 43-20 in the second quarter and struggled to contain Gordon, who capitalised on wide open looks as the defense collapsed on Boozer in the low post. "I was getting some great looks out there," Gordon told reporters after the game. "Kirk and Booz were getting me the ball right where I needed it. Some of those shots haven't been falling lately, it feels like my rhythm is back." Three players scored 20 or more for the Kings led by Shareef Abdur-Rahim who had 22 along with 11 rebounds. Mike Bibby and Peja Stojakovic scored 20 apiece and Bibby added 4 assists and 3 steals but they received little help from their teammates. Rookie Pascal Grant was the only other player to come close to double digits in scoring, totaling 9 points in 24 minutes off the bench.

Chicago has now won twelve straight and will try for lucky number thirteen against the Detroit Pistons at home on December 21st.

Notes: Chicago, who have struggled at times from three point range this season, shot 10/19 from downtown for the game. Sacramento were just 3/17 from beyond the arc...the Kings held a slight edge in rebounding, totaling 35 to 33 by the Bulls...the Bulls assisted on 35 of their 52 field goals while the Kings had 19 assists on 42 field goals...the Kings were whistled for 20 fouls while the Bulls were called for just eight. Chicago attempted 12 free throws, making 11 of them while the Kings were 6/8 from the charity stripe...all twelve Bulls players scored, making at least one field goal attempt. Eleven Kings players scored at least one point, with rookie big man Niklas Schneider the only King to go scoreless, missing all four of his field goal attempts.


The Kings join a growing list of teams blown out by the Bulls

Current Record: 19-4
Next Game: vs Pistons; 15-10 (December 21st)

December 21st, 2006
Detroit (97) at Chicago (100)
Bulls eke out narrow home win over Pistons
[ Boxscore ]

If winning twelve straight games had lulled the Chicago Bulls into a sense of security, the Detroit Pistons may have served a wakeup call. The Bulls won their thirteenth game in a row in a scrappy affair that saw them down by as many as nine in the third quarter, during which they shot just 27.5% from the field and were outscored 27-13. Leading scorer Ben Gordon was held to just eight points in the game, shooting a dismal 3/14 from the field but contributed eight assists in the victory.

After Tayshaun Prince banked home a three pointer to give the Pistons their first lead of the game at 3-2 in the opening minute, the Pistons would have the upper hand early racing out to a 12-4 lead. Chicago stormed back with a 10-0 run but the teams would continue to trade the lead back and forth during the first quarter until Darko Milicic's layup gave the Pistons a one point lead at 27-26 heading into the second quarter. The Bulls would dominate the second quarter however, holding the Pistons to just sixteen points while extending their lead to nine by the end of the period.

The Bulls came out uncharacteristically flat in the third quarter though as it was the Pistons who pushed the ball, forced turnovers and three second violations and deftly played the passing lanes. Chicago struggled to score and seemingly watched helplessly as their nine point lead evaporated before turning into a nine point lead for the Pistons. The Bulls scored the last four points of the quarter to cut the deficit to five, but the momentum seemed to be against them heading into the fourth.

Chicago's shots began to fall in the fourth quarter as Carlos Boozer muscled his way to the hoop, scoring 12 of his team high 17 points in the final period. Detroit would staunchly hold onto the lead through most of the quarter until a Ben Gordon layup put the Bulls up 82-81. Rasheed Wallace then split a pair of free throws to tie the game at 82. A layup by Boozer put the Bulls up 84-82 but then Chauncey Billups made a three pointer to put the Pistons back up 85-84. The lead would change hands twice more before Luol Deng's layup gave the Bulls an 88-87 lead which they would ultimately hold onto the rest of the way, though the Pistons would keep the game close and would have a chance to tie the game at the buzzer. Rookie Lloyd Respert's three point attempt was off target however, allowing the Bulls to prevail 100-97.

"We were lucky tonight," Bulls coach Andrew Begley said of the game. "We got it together long enough in the fourth but even then we left it awfully late to take charge. Still, we got the win, even if it wasn't pretty." Starting center Tyson Chandler contributed a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds while Kyle Korver scored 12 points off the bench, making 3/5 from three point range.

Rookie Mario Beranek, starting in place of Antonio McDyess who broke his nose in the Pistons' 91-77 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on December 17th, led the team with 19 points to go along with 8 rebounds, two steals and a block. Rasheed Wallace scored 17 points including 11 in the second half and had a team high 9 rebounds while Richard Hamilton scored 15 points despite only playing 23 minutes due to foul trouble and Tayshaun Prince added 14 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Chauncey Billups had 9 points on 3/12 shooting and 8 assists in a losing effort.

Notes: After shooting 10/19 from downtown against the Kings, the Bulls struggled from beyond the arc shooting just 4/23 against the Pistons. The Pistons were 7/19...both teams made 41 field goals, with the Bulls taking 87 attempts to 77 by the Pistons...all twelve Pistons scored. Only Monta Ellis and Eddie Gill were scoreless for the Bulls...with the win, the Bulls have won the season series with their longtime rival...Ben Gordon had scored in double digits in each of the first 23 games of the season. He currently leads the Bulls with 20.7 ppg.


The Pistons have lost to the Bulls three times this season, within the span of two weeks

Current Record: 20-4
Next Game: vs Portland Trailblazers; 12-12 (December 23rd)

One last game for tonight.

December 23rd, 2006
Portland (88) at Chicago (105)
Bulls look more comfortable in win over Blazers
[ Boxscore ]

The Bulls have had plenty of opportunities to adjust to life on the road, having played games away from the United Center so far this season compared to eleven on their home floor. Perhaps eager to put on a show for the hometown crowd, the Bulls have often looked tight and not played their best basketball in the Windy City, coming close to dropping a game to the Detroit Pistons two nights ago. Tonight however, they looked right at home as they cruised to a 105-88 victory over the Portland Trailblazers, their fourteenth win in a row.

Held to just eight points against the Pistons, Ben Gordon made his first two field goal attempts of the game, a midrange jumper that went in off a friendly bounce and a layup after a crisp pass from Kirk Hinrich, but picked up his second foul just two minutes into the game. Although the Bulls offense was temporarily stymied, Mike James entered the game and scored nine of his 14 points in the first quarter including a buzzer beating three at the end as the Bulls took a seven point lead into the second period and never looked back. Gordon returned in the second to score 11 points as the Bulls built an 11 point lead by halftime, punctuated by another James three at the buzzer.

In the third and fourth quarter, Carlos Boozer paced the Bulls with eight points in each period, finishing the game with a team high 22 points. James once again finished off the quarter in style, this time dishing to a cutting Nick Collison for a layup which narrowly beat the third quarter buzzer. The Bulls then withstood an 11 point quarter from power forward Zach Randolph in the fourth as they rested their starters from the eight minute mark, having led by as many as 22 since early in the third. Randolph finished with a game high 30 points to go along with 8 rebounds. Tyson Chandler tallied another double-double for the Bulls with 11 points and 11 rebounds and Luol Deng provided 16 points along with 3 rebounds. Martell Webster scored 15 points for the Blazers shooting 3/6 from downtown, while Juan Dixon had 13 off the bench connecting on 6/8 from the field.

The Bulls will attempt to pick up their fifteenth straight win as they host the Los Angeles Clippers, currently 12-17, on Christmas Eve.

Notes: Kirk Hinrich led the Bulls with nine assists. Rookie Jermaine Best, drafted eighteenth overall out of high school by the Blazers, also tallied nine assists for Portland. Hinrich also picked up five steals...Chicago attempted just nine free throws, making seven. The Blazers were 7/10 from the charity stripe...eight players scored in double figures in the game (Boozer, Gordon, James, Deng and Chandler for the Bulls, Randolph, Webster and Dixon for the Blazers)...the Bulls' all-time record for consecutive wins is 18, set during the memorable 1996 championship season during which they won a record 72 regular season games.

Current Record: 21-4
Next Game: vs Los Angeles Clippers; 12-17 (December 24th)

Around the League: Injury Update

A rundown of the latest injuries around the NBA:

• Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks (thumb injury on December 19th, 2006; out for two weeks)
  
• Antonio McDyess, Detroit Pistons (broken nose on December 17th, 2006; out three weeks)
  
• Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets (broken toe on December 22nd, 2006; out four weeks)
  
• Walter Audet, Houston Rockets (minor knee sprain on December 21st, 2006; out two weeks)
  
• Chris Kaman, Los Angeles Clippers (hyper-extended knee on December 14th, 2006; out four weeks)
  
• Shane Battier, Memphis Grizzlies (torn achilles tendon on November 20th, 2006; out nine weeks)
  
• Mike Miller, Memphis Grizzlies (minor elbow sprain on December 21st, 2006; out six days)
  
• Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee Bucks (hyper-extended knee on December 1st, 2006; out five weeks)
  
• Eddie Griffin, Minnesota Timberwolves (sprained ankle on December 12th, 2006; out two weeks)
  
• Richard Jefferson, New Jersey Nets (back pain, December 20th, 2006; day-to-day)
  
• Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic (mild shoulder strain, December 21st, 2006; out six days)
  
• John Salmons, Philadelphia 76ers (surgery to remove bone spurs, December 9th, 2006; out four weeks)
  
• Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs (mild lower back strain, December 21st, 2006; out six days)
  
• Danny Granger, Utah Jazz (dislocated shoulder, December 14th, 2006; out five weeks)

Congratulations on extending the streak to 15! I couldn't get this many wins in a row in my dynasty. That Pistons game sounded like a nail-biter, but your team always pulls through when it counts the most. You are now 4 wins away from breaking the Bulls' record of winning streaks, and once you do that, you're on your way of winning 72+ games.

Who knows? I'll give it a shot, though I reckon I'll fall short. Barring injuries, I reckon I'll definitely be able to top the sixty win mark and finish well ahead of last year's record.

The Pistons game certainly was one of the more challenging games of late, which was actually refreshing.

Great winning streak Andrew. And also great to see Chandler posting a double-double almost every night.

Thanks. Chandler's playing well, what I'm really liking at the moment is that he's blocking more shots as of late. As I said before, that's kind of been a weakness for this team.

Just wondering if you are using a edited aiact Andrew? Hope I can follow more this time around. Good luck on keeping the streak alive (and hoping the Mavs will end it )

I'm using the one that's included in the PC Project. Thanks for checking in!