Postgame Comments: Bulls 91, Charlotte Bobcats 82 | 12.05.07

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Skiles

On the fourth quarter:
“We got 38 points in the quarter. We moved the ball very well and made some better decisions in the fourth than we did in the other parts of the game. Our defense was pretty stingy, and we came back and won.”

On the lineup:
“I don’t know anyone who wants to be in the position of always having to search for combinations out there. Unfortunately, that is kind of where we are right now. (Chris) Duhon was very good again and (Andres) Nocioni of course and Joakim (Noah) off the bench. All three of those guys gave us a huge lift.”

On the third quarter:
“I thought, for whatever reason, we came out of the locker room and we didn’t have a lot of life. During one of the early timeouts, we talked about going to the bench, but we thought we would stay with it a little bit longer and we just couldn’t get over the hump. That was a key spot right there because they didn’t pull away from us, we were at least able to keep contact and stay in it even though we weren’t playing very well.”

On Joakim Noah:
“I thought he was very good. When he came in, they tried right away to go to (Emeka) Okafor in the post and Joakim did a nice job of gaining position and getting in front of him. They tried to go to (Okafor) a few times and couldn’t get him the ball and he ultimately went out of the game. I think (Noah) played a nice, simple game tonight, I was happy for him. He got one ball by the basket and he was able to spin and put it in on (Gerald) Wallace, and then he made the big jump shot. He really played well. There’s no question that he can be active around the basket. He’s still learning a lot of things that we are trying to do, but he appears to be getting better with it and for the most part, he has energy out there. When you are that big and long and you play with energy, you can get something done in the pro game.”

On Joe Smith:
“I thought Joe did a nice job early in the game. Unfortunately for him, he hasn’t played as much lately. Sometimes with older players, when they play a lot in the first half and sit at halftime, it is kind of hard to get going again. If I can stick with him in the lineup again, maybe he can get back into the swing of things.”

On getting the win:
“We were 4-11 coming in and (the Bobcats) have been struggling a little bit, but somebody has to win the game. In a game like that when maybe it is a struggle for both teams, all that is going through your mind is trying to get out with a win and doing whatever you have to do to get one, and we did that. We have to take it and be happy about it.”

Nocioni

On the fourth quarter:
“Tonight, we played the way we are supposed to play. We played Chicago Bulls basketball. We shot the ball well. We passed the ball well. We played good defense. We are happy. I think defense was the key, especially in the fourth quarter.”

On the team’s recent success:
“I still don’t think we are playing a lot better. Tonight was a good win, but we have Detroit and Boston coming up. We need to continue to play well in order for us to beat them.”

Gordon

On the fourth quarter:
“We made shots. In the fourth quarter, we went to a lot of our key plays that work for us, and we stuck with them throughout the fourth quarter. I also think we did a good job rebounding tonight.”

On the team’s recent success:
“We are currently playing better. I wouldn’t say that we are all the way back where we need to be. But we are playing better. We shot 48 percent tonight. I think that’s good because at the beginning of the season we were having a tough time making shots.”

Deng

On the fourth quarter:
“Our defense was great tonight. I think that’s what got us going late in the game. We did a good job moving the ball tonight which caused us to have a lot of open looks to the basket.”

Vincent

On team effort:
“I thought the effort was better. I thought during the first three quarters we really played well and executed our plan. We shut it down and controlled their scoring, but in the fourth quarter all the things we did so well early on we did not do. We gave them 38 points in the fourth quarter. Our guys have to understand how to win games. We have to make key decisions and you have to get key stops at key times, and right now that’s where we are falling short.”

On free throws:
“Foul shooting is a problem for us. If you have a lead and you make your free throws, you hold a team off. If you get a lead and miss then you allow the team to creep back in. You have to be able to stand up at that line and make your shots.”

On taking the right shots:
“In four possessions, if you get three turnovers and you take the wrong shots that makes a difference. You don’t take a three-pointer when you are up. We needed to get to the rim. Those things may be just some of the growing pains that we need to learn to become a deeper mental team and understand to get to the next level.”

On Bulls forward Luol Deng:
“He’s tough. Down the stretch he made big plays and that’s what it’s about. I believe our guys will get to that point.”

Felton

On the loss:
“They scored 38 points in the fourth quarter. We gave up too many points and we weren’t hitting.”

On the team’s play:
“We’ve got to look for (Emeka Okafor) more. When you’re in the flow of the game and you’re pushing the ball down the court, sometimes it doesn’t happen. We know we’ve got to do that, but we’re still learning. We’re on a seven-game losing streak, and we’ve got to break that, but at the same time, it’s still early in the season. We’re still getting the feel of each other and we’re still getting a feel for this offense. We’ll get everything together. We’re in a slump right now, and there’s no other way to put it. We’ve just got to get out of it.”

Wallace

On the game:
“We had the game under control and had them right where we wanted them. We were executing and moving the ball the way we wanted to move it, and then all of a sudden, it seemed like the momentum just took a huge swing.”

On if the offense is slipping:
“Our offense was fine (through the first three quarters), and (the Bulls) were just missing shots. In the fourth quarter, we started missing shots and they started making shots. That’s how things go – they got it going and we went cold.”

On how a losing streak can become psychological:
“I think it (can become psychological) because you’re thinking about it, and then when things start to change, it comes to the front of your mind. We just have to keep our focus. We had that game. We were in control, and then a couple of things took our focus away and Chicago was able to capitalize on it.”