GAME NIGHT FROM ORLANDO:
Bulls: (24-51, 9-29 on the road) At Magic: ( 22-52, 15-22 at home)
TV: NBC Sports Chicago: Neil Funk and Stacey King: 6PM CT
Radio: 560 AM WIND: Chuck Swirsky, Bill Wennington and Steve Kashul. 5:45 CT pre.
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: LaVine: 16 ppg. Orlando: Gordon: 18ppg.
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Markkanen: 7. Orlando: Vucevic: 9
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Dunn: 6 Orlando: Augustin: 3
CCI 24 SECONDS COMMENTARY: The Bulls roll in to Orlando in the second game of a back to back having dropped seven straight games.The Magic have been once again hit with numerous injuries. It’s the same old song for Orlando every season; that and waiting on youth to develop. The Magic do have some pieces, that is, if they can keep them on the floor. The Bulls have had similar issues this season and the hope is with an off season of rest and the proper amount of training and lifting, the Bulls will head in to camp in good health. Take in to account what’s going on with the Warriors. Great players. All Star players. But you can’t win games when your top players are sidelined. They have to be on the floor. It changes the dynamics of everything. When Kris Dunn went down against Golden State it was a major setback for this team. Next year Zach LaVine will have a full training camp and that’s all very positive.
FINAL FROM MIAMI: Heat 103 Bulls 92 ( 24-51, 9-29 on the road)
LEADING SCORERS: Bulls: Nwaba 15 points. Heat: Richardson: 22 points
LEADING REBOUNDERS: Bulls: Portis: 16. Heat: Winslow:9
LEADING ASSISTS: Bulls: Payne: 5 Heat: Dragic: 5
CCI 24 SECONDS COMMENTARY: Frustration set in early in the fourth quarter as the Heat pulled away and with it, calls going against Robin Lopez. “Rolo” had enough and was ejected for the second time this season. Despite the loss, two bigs, Bobby Portis and Noah Vonleh played well together on the floor. Both had double-doubles and combined for 27 points and 29 rebounds. However, the Bulls shot only 36% and 23% from 3 point range.
NBA NEWS AND NOTES:
Bucks 116 Golden State 107. Kevin Durant returned to the lineup...briefly. He was tossed, his fifth ejection of the season with 2.4 seconds left in the second quarter. He’s got 14 technicals on the season.
Detroit 103 Washington 92. Too little, too late for the Pistons who have won 5 of 6 but Blake Griffin missed the game with an ankle contusion. Andre Drummond loves those 20-20 games. 24 points 23 boards against the up again/down again Wizards who desperately need the return of John Wall. Otto Porter Jr had to be helped off the court after spraining his right ankle...not good news for Washington.
Indiana 106 Sacramento 103. The Pacers improved to 45-31 and no, I didn’t see this coming. I didn’t think the Pacers would be this good nor the Kings this bad.
San Antonio 103 OKC 99. The hot/cold Spurs climbed back in to the fourth seed in the WC. Aldridge with a 25-11 game.
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid is in concussion protocol and needs surgery to repair an orbital fracture and is out indefinitely. Needless to say, this is a major loss for the 76ers as he could miss the opening round of the playoffs.
Isaiah Thomas of the Lakers underwent arthroscopic surgery to his right hip and expected recovery time is four months.
According to published reports, former Bulls’ GM Rod Thorn will be inducted in to the Hall of Fame along with Maurice Cheeks, Grant Hill, Steve Nash and Jason Kidd among others. While working at WGN Radio during Thorn’s tenure in Chicago, I found him to be consistently professional, accommodating and respectful of the job we had to do as reporters. Remember, this is pre cell phone, social media days. Thorn returned phone calls and always sought you out at Chicago Stadium if you had a question about the team. A very classy man.
Congratulations to the White Sox and Cubs on opening day victories.Plenty more to come!
Thanks for reading CCI. E mail me at cswirsky@bulls.com or Twitter: @ctsbulls.
Always a pleasure!