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The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Chicago Bulls. All opinions expressed by Sam Smith are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Chicago Bulls or its Basketball Operations staff, parent company, partners, or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Bulls and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media. 

By Sam Smith | 11.06.2014 | 2:03 a.m. CT | asksam@bulls.com | @SamSmithHoops

There’s been this narrative about Pau Gasol, a sort of don’t confuse me with the facts thing that he is a tentative player, someone who fades from the fight, soft in the detractive vernacular of professional sports. This, of course, for the second leading man on a two-time champion team. You know: Are you going to believe what you see or what I tell you?

“A lot of bull crap stuff,” Taj Gibson was saying Wednesday night after Gasol came up strong and big once again with 22 points and 14 rebounds in the Bulls’ second consecutive comeback win, 95-86 over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Tuesday at the United Center, Gasol had 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Bulls rallied from 10 points behind without Joakim Noah as Gasol played 41 minutes. Then Wednesday, again without an ill Noah and in the second of the back to back against an active and long Bucks front line, Gasol was the rock in 36 minutes, leading the Bulls in fourth quarter rebounding.

“Pau is a physical player,” said Gibson, who added 23 points and 10 rebounds as the duo fought off a 50-42 Milwaukee rebounding edge. “People were trying to bash him and trying to say all kind of stuff. He’s a dominant player. I think he’s one of the dominant bigs in this league. He’s showing you right now that he still has it, no matter his age or what; he’s still hungry. It’s always good when you have a post player you can throw it down to and get something positive out of it.”

Gasol has been that and more and everything that was promised, leading the team in minutes played, total points, rebounds and blocks while averaging 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks.

Though the Bulls were outrebounded again Wednesday, Gasol was the leading rebounder among both teams in the fourth quarter, adding a crucial jumper when the Bulls led 79-78 with 5:12 remaining and then two clinching free throws when he grabbed a Bucks air ball and was fouled with 1:39 remaining.

“I thought Pau late in the game, it seemed like he got to every rebound,” said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau as the Bulls went to 4-1. “That’s huge. Not giving them a second and third crack. Oftentimes, that’s when you see the threes. The long shot, long rebound and kick out. Pau was range rebounding. He was covering a lot of ground to get to them. He had people hanging on him; he was strong. So that’s big. He’s smart and he’s long; it seems he’s a better rebounder late. With the game on the line, he’s going after it. He reads the ball well, anticipates, knows who’s shooting it. It’s one of his strengths.

“He’s a big time winner,” added Thibodeau. “Sometimes he can appear to be quiet. We see him every day; we knows he’s not quiet; quick witted, good sense of humor, very, very intelligent. He plays for the team, he plays to win. He’s just as happy when he makes a play like he did last night (passing out for the crucial three pointer to Aaron Brooks); doing dirty work, rebounding. He gets as much pleasure out of passing as scoring. I’m just glad we have him.”

It was especially important for the victory Wednesday as the Bulls bench players never got much going, outscored by Milwaukee’s reserves 50-11. Though Kirk Hinrich made two crucial three pointers in the fourth quarter. So the starters carried the night without Noah, whom the Bulls hope will play Friday in Philadelphia.

They’re also hoping Derrick Rose can play as well as Rose returned to the lineup Wednesday after missing two games with a sprained ankle, clearly not fully healed but doing enough with 13 points and seven assists to make a difference.

As always with Rose and injuries, there is a heightened alert, even for a common basketball injury like an ankle sprain. Rose was again listed a game time decision, but he said he was determined to play even as he clearly was running stiffly, especially early in the game. He went almost 32 minutes without much lift, but drawing enough defensive attention and with several runners and going to the basket late in the game to hold off the Bucks with free throws.

“I wasn’t 100 percent,” Rose acknowledged. “I felt like we needed a win and just tried to come out and get the win with my teammates. Really couldn’t get to hole as much as I wanted. No fast break points or anything, but I was still able to affect the game and draw people in with my double teams to help my teammates out.

“A regular ankle sprain, sore a little bit,” Rose said. “I’ll get treatments the entire day tomorrow and see if I can go Friday against Philly. When I came over to the arena, I knew I was going to play. They taped me up, stretched, did everything I was supposed to do and it felt all right. So I gave it a go.”

But Rose clearly was limited early. He made a pair of three pointers, though the Bucks began to go at him on defense and apparently Bucks guard Brandon Knight began to taunt Rose late in the second quarter with the Bucks leading 46-37. Rose later said he couldn’t recall what was said, but his ankle seemed to loosen up then as he led on a Bulls 12-7 run to end the half with a driving score, nifty passes to Gasol for a slam dunk and Mike Dunleavy for a three and then a powerful finishing basket of his own that changed the tenor of the game. It enabled the Bulls to trail 53-49 at halftime in a game the Bucks seemed to be dominating.

“Just basketball, competing,” shrugged Rose. “I forgot what he did to get under my skin. It’s something that just had me going. We’ll see next time.

“Starting it was kind of stiff,” Rose admitted. “I wasn’t worried offensively; we are good offensively. Before the game, I told Thibs I was worried about defense moving around. Defense you have to react, especially against the point guards they have. End of the first half, that’s when I (was able) to compete more like myself.

“(But) tonight’s game was not my game at all,” said Rose. “I did anything to win the game and tried to produce. I couldn’t jump the way I wanted. I had a gang of turnovers.”

Rose then was asked his regular question that’s some form of when did you stop being a quitter. With his history of two years with knee operations, Rose—and he does it with remarkable calm—basically has to respond almost every game to some question about being criticized on talk radio or in the newspapers or on TV about being injured. To his credit, Rose never gets angry or answers with anything but professional aplomb.

“Chicago is a hard place to play, I know that,” said Rose. “They just want to see good basketball. They’re just good basketball fans so I can’t get mad.

“Even if I play the whole year and don’t get injured again, it’s going to be the same thing (with questions),” agreed Rose. “It’s going to always be there even if I make it through the season healthy, my first playoff game is going to be like, ‘OK, is he going to be healthy through the playoffs?’… Even if I play the whole year, next year it will be the same thing. It’s just people’s opinion about the situation. The only thing I can control is myself and my work ethic and what’s going on here. We’re 4-1 now. So I’m not worrying about myself, just trying to worry about the team and just trying to put us in a good position to be contenders for the rest of the year.”

It’s a worthy enough goal with the Bulls off to a good start, tied atop the Eastern Conference in a tough part of the schedule with 12 of the first 17 on the road. The Bulls finish the current four in five days with Philadelphia and Boston home Saturday and then see Detroit, Toronto and Indiana next week before going to the Western Conference.

So it’s important to get a cushion of wins, which hasn’t been assured even against non playoff teams with the regular starting group not having played together yet. Friday in Philadelphia could be the first time, though Rose won’t be at full health and likely not Noah after a rough go with flu.

The Bulls trailed 23-21 after the first quarter as Chicagoan Jabari Parker had six points and four rebounds. But it wasn’t a good game for the celebrated rookie from Simeon High School and Duke, who ended with eight points on four of 12 shooting. As advertised, he seems to have a good feel for the game. But’s he’s not a particularly athletic player and doesn’t much make plays for himself. The Bucks have wild guards with Brandon Knight and Jerryd Bayless and don’t run much to set up Parker under inexperienced coach Jason Kidd. Knight was the only starter to score in double figures with 10 points, and he shot three of 15. It’s an athletic Bucks team that pushes the ball, though often out of control. Once the Bulls settled in and got more physical, the Bucks scored just 33 points in the second half.

“They are a veteran club and we talked about them being able to turn it up a little bit and put more pressure on us on both ends,” said Kidd. “You can see that in the third quarter, we couldn’t get going on that pace or tempo.”

The Bucks had been the aggressors in the first half, getting 14 free throws to six for the Bulls and seemed about to take over until that Rose awakening that was the start of it being a bad Knight for the Bucks.

“We’re finding our way,” said Thibodeau. “We’re dodging bullets right now. That’s an area we have to shore up (first half defense). It’s much harder to guard people if you give them confidence. Make them work for their points early so they don’t get into a rhythm. We have a lot of different combinations out there, so we are learning the strengths and weaknesses playing with different people. You need that. Over the course of a season, there are going to be different guys in at different times and everyone has to be comfortable playing with everybody. So that’s the one plus we’re getting out of this.”

Rookie Nikola Mirotic had a rough game shooting one of six and unable to contain Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led Milwaukee with 13 points.

One blind spot was the Bulls constantly missing Doug McDermott. He only played about seven minutes, but was routinely open as the Bucks curiously played well off him. But the second group seemed to rarely find him as he never got a field goal attempt.

But the Bulls got it going to start the third to finish that second quarter run with Rose getting a steal and finding Dunleavy for a fast break score. That highlighted a 13-2 run to start the third quarter and 25-9 since late in the first half to take a 62-55 lead.

“I thought as the game went along he (Rose) got stronger and stronger,” said Thibodeau. “He made big plays in the second half for us, so it was good. I thought we had a lot of guys step up. I thought Pau and Taj were terrific inside and Jimmy (Butler) and Kirk, they made great plays in the fourth quarter for us.”

The Bucks did get back within 72-70 going into the fourth quarter as their dribbling out of control guards made some plays while Gasol answered with 10 points with a runout dunk and a driving three-point play in which he pumped his fists as he’s often done with the Bulls, much more emotional and animated than advertised.

“He plays solid D,” Gibson said of Gasol. “His defense is phenomenal, blocking shots, rebounding, talking on D. He’s really in tune with the defense. That’s what people don’t understand. He’s talking to me, Joakim, he’s real vocal. He’s hungry. Every play down he’s vocal: ‘Get a stop, keep it going,’ always talking. Always ready to go.”

And then in the fourth quarter the Bulls said goodbye to the Bucks with the highlights another Butler steal among his four, a spectacular acrobatic layup for Butler, who had 14 points, seven assists, six rebounds and four steals and earlier in the day picked up his diploma at Marquette as he does continue to do it all. Hinrich had the two threes, one on a terrific Butler assist. And Brooks and Hinrich drew driving killing offensive fouls as the Bulls delivered the knockout. How’s that go: Pow!

“I’m really happy about the way I’m able to play right now,” said Gasol, “the way I’m performing and how I am contributing. I just want to continue to work and stay with it and keep that edge and keep performing at that level. I’ve just been paying attention, understanding our strengths and weaknesses and then the rest is just playing games. It’s been good, positive so far. I’m happy with what I’ve seen, what we’re doing and where we are at. Basically, we haven’t had the full team healthy in any game we’ve played and we’re 4-1. So we started off pretty well and now we just have to keep going. Not being content with a good record, a couple of wins here and there. We just have to stretch that winning streak. I love what we are doing and the direction we are heading.”

gasol-and-gibson-carry-bulls-over-bucks

Gasol and Gibson carry Bulls over Bucks

Adam Fluck

MILWAUKEE – Pau Gasol and Taj Gibson recorded double-doubles as the visiting Chicago Bulls defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 95-86 on Wednesday night.

Gasol finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Gibson scored 23 to go with 10 boards.

Derrick Rose returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with sprained ankles. He tallied 13 points and dished out seven assists in 31 minutes.

With the victory, Chicago improved to 4-1 overall and 3-0 on the road this season.

The Bulls have now won nine consecutive games at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, their longest winning streak on the road in series history.

Chicago led Milwaukee by a bucket, 23-21, after the opening quarter. The pace of the game picked up in the second frame as the Bucks outscored the Bulls 32-26 and led by as many as nine.

Milwaukee took a 53-49 lead into intermission despite a game-high 15 points and five rebounds from Gibson, who again got the start in place of Joakim Noah (illness).

The Bulls opened the third period with a 13-2 run as they took a 62-55 lead six minutes in. Though Chicago limited Milwaukee to eight points in first nine minutes of the quarter, the Bucks fought back to get within two, 72-70, as the teams headed to the fourth.

Chicago outscored Milwaukee 23-16 in the final frame to hold on for the win.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks (2-3) with 13 points, while Khris Middleton added 11.

Up next, the Bulls travel to Philadelphia to face the 76ers on Friday night.

bulls-remain-perfect-on-the-road-with-win-over-bucks

Bulls remain perfect on the road with win over Bucks

The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Chicago Bulls. All opinions expressed by Sam Smith are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Chicago Bulls or its Basketball Operations staff, parent company, partners, or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Bulls and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.

By Sam Smith | 11.05.2014 | 2:06 a.m. CT | asksam@bulls.com | @SamSmithHoops

Jimmy Butler was starting to get noticed last season, being named all-defensive second team and averaging 13.3 per game in the playoffs, 14.5 per game in the 20 games he started. But there was room for improvement, far still to go. So Butler went back home to Texas after the season and went to school.

He’s come back to the Bulls this season with a master’s degree, a master of the mid-range game.

It was on display Tuesday as with Derrick Rose out with a sprained ankle and Joakim Noah ill, Butler scored 21 points along with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks to help lead the Bulls to a 98-90 victory over the Orlando Magic.

There were highlights all around with the Bulls going to 3-1 against the winless Magic by pulling away from a two-point deficit with 10 minutes remaining with a brilliant defensive stand and 9-0 run over three minutes that enabled the Bulls to hold off Orlando the rest of the way.

– Pau Gasol with Noah out and Taj Gibson in foul trouble had 16 points and 13 rebounds in playing 41 minutes. “You have to be prepared physically and mentally to face different circumstances where you will play a little longer, a little harder,” said Gasol. “That’s what this league is about. That’s the difference in playing at a high level and an OK level. You never know what will happen in a season. In my career, I’ve played a lot of minutes. I averaged 35, 36 minutes a game, so that means I play a lot.”

– Aaron Brooks with another superb reserve contribution with 13 points, a game-high eight assists and the crucial defensive play of the game when he blocked a shot by seven-footer Nikola Vucevic with 3:09 remaining and the Magic pulling within 89-86. Brooks then made a three on a pass out from Gasol and Orlando never got closer. It was one of three blocks Brooks had in the fourth quarter. “Three blocks is pretty impressive. I was happy (Aaron) was able to get in there and get after it and be aggressive. I don’t think he’s ever going to get three blocks again,” joked Gasol. “But you’ve got to give him props and he played a great game all around.” Shrugged Brooks: “Just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

– Doug McDermott with 12 points, all in the second quarter when the Bulls came back from an eight-point first quarter deficit. And Nikola Mirotic with eight points, all in the fourth quarter, including a pair of fourth quarter three pointers during the Bulls’ run to reclaim the lead and some deft passing on the drive with four assists and six rebounds. Said Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, whom no one should ever again say doesn’t like rookies: “I keep saying it over and over about he and Doug; I love them both. You can’t do any more than they are doing. The thing that is great about them is they come in every day with a ton of energy and ready to concentrate and work and prepare themselves to play. When you couple that with their talent, good things will happen for them. They are still rookies with a lot to learn. If they have a good game, they’re eager to come in and do it again. If they have a tough game, they want to learn. Rarely do they make the same mistake twice; they are aggressive, they are attacking. I can’t say enough about them. It’s unusual to have rookies like that. They bring great energy to our practices. And they can play. Usually you like rookies a lot better when they can play.”

Gibson added 16 points despite his foul problems along with two blocks among the Bulls’ nine as the Bulls lead the league in blocks.

But it was once again the crucial scoring of Butler’s, especially getting to the free throw line with his power from the mid post that has been striking. In his two games back from his thumb injury, Butler has led the Bulls in scoring each time and has a whopping 26 free throw attempts in the two games. His strength, quickness and footwork remind you of, well, it just seems suddenly familiar.

“I’m not saying I am him, but I watched a lot of film this summer on Mike (Jordan) and Kobe (Bryant) and their footwork and how they play right there (in the mid-post),” said Butler. “It’s where I want to get to. I still have a long way to go, don’t get me wrong, to get to their level. But it’s a good start. It’s what I tried to work the most on this summer, the mid-post.

“It’s confidence for me (now),” said Butler. “I’m in a rhythm. My teammates are giving me the ball in great position. But that’s what the summer was, to be confident in your game. You’re here for a reason. I’m happy we’re winning. It doesn’t get too much better than this.”

And it doesn’t get that much better than Butler has been playing with strength, confidence and aggression. He identified mismatches quickly, and though he’s not a knockdown shooter as yet, his shot looks much improved and he’s stepping into it with confidence. One difference, said Butler, is he realized he needed to lose some weight. He feels strong, but quicker.

“I’m lighter,” said Butler. “I felt like I was heavier last year. I thought it was OK. But it was a lot of wear and tear on the joints and knees. I feel great now and moving well. Keep getting to the line being aggressive and maybe next time I’ll make them.”

Butler was only seven of 11 from the free throw line Tuesday after 11 of 15 in Minnesota Saturday. But indicative of the player he is becoming—and looking like an All-Star candidate—Butler is only thinking about the work.

“Tomorrow I’m going to the Marquette gym and shoot 500 free throws,” Butler said with the Bulls visiting the Bucks with no practice scheduled. “Make sure I don’t miss anymore.”

The Bulls haven’t been missing much this season except, well, unless you consider their star point guard.

Rose sat out his second consecutive game after spraining his ankle last week against the Cavaliers. Rose worked out before the game, but was declared out moments before the start. Thibodeau said the ankle wasn’t fully healed and had nothing to do with the start of a four games in five nights stretch.

“We’ll see where he is tomorrow,” Thibodeau said about Rose. “This is all part of it; we’ll be fine.”

Asked whether it’s extra caution, Thibodeau expressed exasperation, saying: “He sprained his ankle. When he’s ready to go, he’ll go. Jo’s sick. Hopefully he’ll be better tomorrow. He was pretty sick today. Hopefully we’ll have them both.”

Earlier Tuesday after the team practice, Rose indicated he wasn’t able to push off quite right. Given Rose’s well known injury history, the team is urging caution this season.

“If I could get to a spot, I could play,” said Rose. “Just having that burst of speed. If not, there’s no need. If I’m not out there and I’m not 100 percent or if I can’t play the way that I normally play, there’s no point in me being out there right now. It is [frustrating], but there’s nothing I can do about it. I came down on somebody’s foot. It’s a basketball injury, so I just got to get used to it. I think it’s part of the process. I tried to walk it off (continuing to play another quarter), Me walking it off and playing through it probably made it a little bit worse, but I was too caught up in the game and in the fourth quarter it caught up to me.”

But Butler, who had six points in the fourth quarter including a lob dunk on a Kirk Hinrich inbounds pass to give the Bulls a 94-86 lead with 2:13 left, said Rose did help with some fourth quarter inspiration.

“Derrick came up to me in the fourth quarter and said, ‘Win this game for us,’” related Butler. “You know how much confidence that builds when you have your MVP, your leader telling you to win the game. It shows the faith they have in me; that’s big. We want our guys back, but until then we have to win games.”

It wasn’t clear whether the Bulls could win during a back and forth game the Bulls led 54-52 at halftime and were tied at 69 going into the fourth quarter.

The Magic was led by Tobias Harris with 21 points and Vucevic with 19 points and 13 rebounds, though the Bulls closed them down late with brilliant defensive play.

“We are shooting so much better,” said Thibodeau as the Bulls were seven of 15 on threes and in the top 10 in the league in field goal percentage. “That is a big plus for the team. When you add a guy like Pau to the lineup with everything that he does, that is winning basketball. He had that huge play (when) we dumped the ball into him. He got really good position, forced the help, kicked it out and Aaron made the big three. That’s winning basketball.”

It was an uneven start for the Bulls as Orlando led 16-8; the defense was slow to react again early, though that would change. Gasol got going late in the first to get within 28-24, though the Magic was hitting at 57.1 percent. The second quarter saw McDermott’s best run of the season as he started with a three with the Bulls trailing 33-26, got a shot blocked but came back with strong drive from the top and layup, a slice cut and dunk on a nifty pass from Mirotic and then another from Brooks that led to a three-point play. Then Butler took over, backing in former Bull Ben Gordon as soon as he made the switch onto him twice and then closing the quarter with a runner after a Kirk Hinrich behind the back dribble and pass.

Both teams bumbled to start the second half and set up the final quarter for the game. The Bulls took it away with one terrific defensive play after another: Brooks strip, Gibson block, Hinrich with a steal, Brooks with a block, Gibson another block. While that was going on, Gibson went up strong on a pass from Hinrich, Tony Snell had a driving layup, Hinrich scored on a drive, Mirotic made a three on a Gibson pass and added another in a two-man game with Brooks. It also was the little things, like Hinrich getting caught inside on a switch guarding Vucevic. But Hinrich fought so hard fronting Vucevic that Orlando couldn’t get the pass in and passed around the other side for a miss.

“You can’t say enough about what Hinrich does for our team,” said Thibodeau.

Orlando did fight back with rookie Elfrid Payton on a drive and Vucevic getting deep position on Gasol, which was an issue all game.

But then as Orlando nudged within 89-86 with 3:09 left after a Harris 18 footer and Butler miss, Brooks made the defensive play of the game sliding in from the weak side to help with Vucevic about to score again. The barely six-foot Brooks blocked the seven footer as he tried to come up with the ball.

“I happened to be in the wrong place,” Brooks said with a laugh, “but I made the right play.”

The Bulls then found Gasol deep and as the Magic defense sank in, Gasol passed out for Brooks’ three to make it 92-86. It would prove enough points for the win.

“Aaron, his defense today was his best game, ball pressure, challenging shots, multiple effort, getting into the post,” said Thibodeau. “We want him to play both sides of the ball. He’s capable. He’s a tough guy. You can see it. He’s not afraid to get in there and mix it up with everybody; he’s capable of playing great defense. He’s a big shot maker, he’s clever, has all the tricks. If you’re a guard that size you have to figure how you are going to get the shot over the bigs. He does with great touch and accuracy. Tonight his shot wasn’t there early on; he made plays, seven assists in the first half. He’s a high IQ guy; he knows the strengths and weaknesses of every guy he’s playing and that’s critical.

“Jimmy Butler,” added Thibodeau, “is playing great basketball. He’s making big shots, guarding everyone, getting to the free throw line; game’s on the line making big plays for us. It was a really good team win.”

bulls-finish-strong-to-deny-magic

Bulls finish strong to deny Magic

CHICAGO – Jimmy Butler recorded 21 points and nine rebounds as the Chicago Bulls defeated the Orlando Magic 98-90 on Tuesday night at the United Center.

Pau Gasol with 16 points and 13 rebounds added his second double-double of the season, while Taj Gibson scored 16 points in a starting role. Aaron Brooks chipped in with 13 points and eight assists off the bench.

Joakim Noah (illness) and Derrick Rose (both ankle sprains) were both out for the Bulls.

Orlando opened the game with a 14-6 run, but Chicago cut the deficit to four, 28-24, at the end of the first as the trio of Gibson, Butler and Gasol combined for 21 of the Bulls’ points along with 12 rebounds.

Rookie Doug McDermott provided an early spark off the bench, scoring 12 points in his first 10 minutes as the Bulls went back on top, 44-43, in the second quarter.

Chicago led 54-52 after a first half that featured 14 lead changes and seven ties. Butler’s 15 points led the Bulls.

The second half opened with a slower pace as both teams struggled offensively, shooting a combined five for 29 from the field to start the third quarter. The Magic outscored the Bulls 17-15 in those 12 minutes to tie it up at 69 as the teams headed to the fourth.

Nikola Mirotic connected on a pair of threes as Chicago built an 87-79 lead halfway through the final period. The Magic narrowed the gap to three points but the Bulls forced a shot clock violation. On the next possession, Brooks connected on a three to put Chicago up six, 92-86, with 2:47 remaining. It was a lead the Bulls would not relinquish.

It was another impressive effort from Chicago’s second unit, as their reserves outscored Orlando’s 37-19.

Tobias Harris led the Magic (0-4) with 21 points, while Nikola Vucevic added 19 and 13 rebounds.

Up next, Chicago will face the Bucks in Milwaukee on Wednesday night.

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Bulls improve to 3-1 with win over Magic

By Sam Smith | 11.02.2014 | 1:06 a.m. CT | asksam@bulls.com | @SamSmithHoops

There was little mystery to the Bulls' slump busting 106-105 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves Saturday.

He jimmied the door to a Bulls victory that seemed closed seconds before on a Kevin Martin three following three consecutive Timberwolves offensive rebounds on the same possession.

And perhaps the Bulls will also, at least the use of Jimmy Butler, who returned from missing two weeks and the first two games of the regular season with a sprained thumb to save the Bulls from frosted ignominy in chilly Minneapolis with a game-high 24 points, including 11 of 15 from the free throw line. The last two came with 0.2 left in the game with the Bulls trailing by one point. The Timberwolves tried a tip play in vain as the game ended.

“What a way to kick off the season,” said Butler of his first appearance. “I’m happy we got the W. They are hard to come by. On to the next one.

“I knew that he didn’t know how much time was up there and if he blocked it the game was over,” Butler said about the his drive-slip-shot fake against rookie Andrew Wiggins that earned the two decisive free throws. “I looked up on my way up after I fell and saw (Wiggins going up). So I said that I’m going to get him.”

It may have been a bit of good fortune as well for the Bulls as usually when a player slips, it’s almost automatically called traveling. Minnesota coach Flip Saunders was immediately up signaling traveling as Butler went down, quickly gathered himself and then faked Wiggins into the air. It comes a day after the Bulls were grousing about officiating in the loss to Cleveland that went against the Bulls.

“I thought it was a travel,” said Saunders. “It’s pretty tough to catch the ball, take two and a half steps, fall to the floor and then all of a sudden get back up. But that’s the way it goes. They made the plays. They’re a veteran team.

“I think eventually, as I told our guys in there, we’re going through a process where we maybe haven’t competed as hard as we have and that’s what happens,” explained Saunders. “You build that up and you gain that respect. If you’re known as a soft team, sometimes you don’t get the benefit of the doubt. That’s the way it goes. I’m not saying they call it, but as you become a tougher team, that’s what happens. I was in Detroit for three years and we beat the hell out of everyone. Three years in a row we led the league in the fewest fouls and we fouled more than anyone in the league.”

I’m not sure the NBA quite views the rules that way. But there’s always been in the NBA a belief and direction that the aggressor gets the benefit of the doubt. It’s not so much Michael Jordan, as the Bulls were accused in the 1990s, or LeBron James now gets the calls. It’s that they were more energetic, more the provocateur. Much like in life. If you sit back and wait for success, it generally dunks over you.

So perhaps the Bulls still need to get to the level of the Cavs because of LeBron James, and especially because Derrick Rose missed the latter part of Friday’s loss. He sat out Saturday as a precaution and is expected to play when the Bulls host Orlando Tuesday. But this Bulls team is being regarded in that category of one you have to meet with force or surrender.

“We lost that game in the first half tonight,” said Martin, who led Minnesota with 33 points and made what looked like the winner for the Timberwolves with 2.9 seconds remaining. “You can’t play like that against a team that’s going to be playing in late May, early June.”

The Bulls certainly expect to be doing so. And they could or should with performances like they received from Butler, and especially once Rose returns. The duo hasn’t played together yet and is looking like they could be one of the premier backcourts in the NBA with Rose’s explosive scoring abilities and Butler’s aggressive play.

It should come Tuesday as Rose warmed up before Saturday’s game and then decided it wasn’t worth taking the chance after spraining his left ankle against the Cavs Friday before halftime.

“Felt all right,” Rose told reporters after the game. “If there was a real need for me to play, I think could have played. Just trying to be smart, trying to give it an extra day and thank God we came out with the win. I believe in my teammates, believe in the team. (We) made the game hard tonight, but we ended up coming out with the victory. Got the day off tomorrow, get treatment, just relax and just try to give it a go next game. I felt like I didn’t have any burst out there (after working out). I felt like there was no need for it.”

Taj Gibson also sprained his ankle in Friday’s game. It was more severe and he was declared out before the game and remains uncertain for Tuesday.

So it was left to Butler to return from his injury sustained two weeks ago and just in time. Butler also had just come off a long negotiation with the Bulls about a potential contract extension that didn’t get done. But Butler reiterated he intends to eventually sign with the Bulls. They cannot negotiate again until next July.

Butler then did some adjudicating of prized rookie Wiggins early in the game, going into the post against the weaker Wiggins to draw fouls and get to the basket. It helped the Bulls take a 63-49 halftime lead that they basically rode until Minnesota made it a game by drawing within one point with eight minutes left in the game.

From there it was a pitched competition that concluded in the most unexpected way as the Bulls, again outrebounded and dominated on the offensive boards—42-38 overall and 13-5 offensive—failed to grab three missed shots in the last 15 seconds. A Mo Williams three bounced long left and Butler didn’t box out Martin. Martin’s baseline jumper came off to Tony Snell. But Nikola Pekovic grabbed it away and went up, denied by Joakim Noah. The ball was then tipped back on top to Williams. Butler ran at him, leaving Martin alone in the left corner and he made the three for a 105-104 Minnesota lead.

Jimmy doesn’t like losing. Jimmy likes the spotlight now. Jimmy’s ready.

The Bulls ran an inbounds play for a Butler winner in preseason. And this one was similar with Kirk Hinrich making the inbounds pass. Butler came up from the right block over screens from Pau Gasol and Noah, the last one sealing off the athletic Wiggins. Butler caught the ball on the run turning left above the three point circle. Instead of pulling up like last time, he began to drive the left side. But he slipped down at the free throw line extended on the left side. He immediately got up as Wiggins now caught him. Butler pump faked. Wiggins already had two blocks, including a terrific one outside on Hinrich. There was nothing there this time as Butler held the ball, took the contact and then shot and fell. The Minnesota bench erupted with traveling sign language. But the officials whistled only for the foul. Butler swished both and the Bulls were 2-1 and heading for five consecutive games against the poorest teams in the Eastern Conference.

“He was great throughout the game,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said of Butler. “He’s doing everything; he is guarding, he is scoring, he is making tough plays. He guards everyone, he is physical, he doesn’t say boo. He works hard, he plays for the team and he plays to win. He played a great game. He has big time toughness.

“The (last) play was for him,” acknowledged Thibodeau. “He made a great play. He slipped and got up and sold the shot fake. He got to the line a ton and that is what he does. He generates so much speed and you almost have to follow him and he doesn’t shy away from contact and he is clever. He has always been a high per minute free throw guy. That has been a big plus and I think is one of his real strengths. I thought last year wasn’t real reflective of how he does that because he was in and out of the line up so much (with injuries). He is a lot more athletic than people think.”

It was another aberration of sorts, though this is a new Bulls team. Addressing the offensive deficiencies was a major off season priority. Mission accomplished. Now if they can get back to that defense and rebounding as well. Though at 2-1, there’s plenty of time.

Gasol had another good game with 20 points and Mike Dunleavy had 13 points and a trio of three pointers. Though there’s been discussion Dunleavy should work more with the reserves to enable rookie Doug McDermott to get going, Dunleavy has been proving his value with the starters. McDermott had a rough time again shooting one of four. But he played only about 11 minutes.

This time off the bench the surprise was rookie Nikola Mirotic, who had 12 points and eight rebounds, though was scoreless after halftime when the Timberwolves adjusted and put a smaller, quicker player on him. But it was Mirotic and Aaron Brooks who played crucial roles in the second quarter in giving the Bulls enough margin to withstand a better Minnesota game after halftime.

Brooks had 10 of his 16 points in the second quarter. Combined, he and Mirotic scored 22 of the Bulls 36 second quarter points and each made a pair of three pointers. Mirotic, who was too quick, took advantage of the Timberwolves trying to match him in size with Gorgui Dieng. Mirotic drove, passed well and then was able to have space for his threes and looked impressive. After halftime, Minnesota went with the quicker Robbie Hummel and Mirotic was scoreless. He’ll have to adjust as once the NBA gets a book on your moves, you need to write some of your own new chapters.

“I thought Nikola played a terrific game and that is what I like about him,” said Thibodeau. “He has been terrific since he has been here. He played short minutes last night and was ready to go tonight and played very, very well.”

Butler then returned late in the third quarter and scored on a pair of inside plays against Wiggins, who was no match for the 30th draft pick in 2011.

That second quarter which the Bulls dominated also raised some intriguing questions about another issue hanging over the season, the pairing of Noah and Gasol.

Noah finished with eight points and 11 rebounds. He had two blocks and Pau added four more after six Friday. But Noah in moving to center seemed much more involved in the second quarter playing with Mirotic, who stretched the floor with his size and shooting. Noah was four of seven overall, but three of three playing without Pau and got two of his three assists playing with Mirotic.

“When paired together, Gasol takes the center position because he is not quick or agile enough to defend outside. Plus, he’s a superior interior offensive player. But the Timberwolves came right out making Noah chase outside against their stretch forward, Thaddeus Young, who was hurt later and left the game after a collision with Butler.

It cannot be easy on Noah having to chase on defense with his knee issues from offseason surgery. But Gasol cannot defend that way at all. Thibodeau has been mixing and matching the three big men when Gibson has played with Noah at power forward to start games and then moving inside once Gibson comes in. But Noah goes back outside to start the second half as well and his playing time is generally closely monitored.

Would he be better with Mirotic and Gibson with Gasol? Would there be enough minutes for four big men? Though a larger issue is how you ask the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and all-NBA first team center to now become a backup. Sure, there’s the leave your ego at the door thing and all in this to win. But it’s just not done. I wouldn’t be able to do it if I were Thibodeau, either.

Though it could be one reason for the rebounding issues that have developed. Gasol isn’t a physical defensive player, relying on his size and athletic ability for blocks and defensive rebounds. The Bulls thus have had trouble keeping opponents off the offensive boards. It’s made more difficult with Noah chasing stretch fours outside.

The Timberwolves got right back in the game after halftime as Noah was forced to chase Anthony Bennett, playing for Young, and last year’s No. 1 overall pick who looked good shooting and had 12 points. It was an 18-6 run to open the third quarter with Ricky Rubio piling up assists on the way to a career high 17 and getting in the way for steals and deflections. The Bulls again were careless with the ball and committed 17 turnovers for 23 points. They are averaging 22 points by opponents on their turnovers through three games.

Butler and Hinrich, the latter with another good game with 11 points, combined to push the Bulls ahead. Brooks then in for Hinrich got a driving three-point play accompanied with a fist pump to go up 82-76. But the young Timberwolves kept barking back thanks to Martin’s clever play and 11 for 11 on free throws.

The Bulls led 85-81 after three and it was a grind throughout the fourth with a Dunleavy three and then finally getting the ball into Gasol enough times led to a pair of jumpers and two trips to the free throw line. Until Butler turned out to be the answer.

“Sometimes you rush a little bit,” said Gasol of the Butler play. “But I told him that three seconds is a lot of time and you have a chance to put it down twice before you shoot it. Or you don’t have to go for the three in that case. He played it great. Even though he slipped a little bit, he was able to gather himself, get a shot fake and get a foul that was key and knocked down the free throws. Great job by him. It would’ve been devastating to lose this game the way we did, the way we had it for the most part. I’m glad we were able to fight though it and get the win.”

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Bulls outlast Timberwolves on Butler free throws

MINNEAPOLIS – Jimmy Butler made a pair of free throws with 0.2 seconds remaining and scored a team-high 24 points as the visiting Chicago Bulls defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 106-105 on Saturday night at the Target Center.

Butler, who returned to action after missing the end of the preseason and first two regular season games with a left thumb sprain, connected on six of 12 from the field and 11 of 15 from the free throw line. But it was his final two points the Bulls, now 2-1, needed the most.

On the previous possession, Minnesota’s Kevin Martin connected on a three that put his team up 105-104 with 2.9 seconds to go.

Butler had the ball in his hands as the Bulls went for the win, but he slipped as time was about to expire. He recovered just in time, however, to draw a foul from Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins and head to the line.

Pau Gasol tallied 20 points for Chicago, while Aaron Brooks added 16 off the bench.

Chicago led by a basket, 27-25, after a quarter. The second unit provided a spark as Brooks with a quick 10 points and two assists off the bench, including a pair of threes, helped the Bulls to a 39-34 lead with 7:56 left in the second quarter.

With Taj Gibson (left ankle sprain) sidelined, Nikola Mirotic took his spot in the rotation and scored 12 first half points. Brooks finished with 13 points in the first half, as did Butler, and the Bulls took a 63-47 lead into intermission after outscoring the Timberwolves 36-24 in the second quarter.

The Timberwolves, however, countered in the third, outscoring the Bulls 18-6 to open the second half and eventually tying the game at 76 apiece. Minnesota used a 7-0 run in the fourth to reclaim the lead, 95-94, for the first time since the opening quarter.

Martin led Minnesota with a game-high 33 points, while Ricky Rubio dished out a career-high tying 17 assists before fouling out.

Derrick Rose (left and right ankle sprains) was also out of action for the Bulls.

Up next, Chicago returns home to face the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.

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Butler's last second free throws lift Bulls over Timberwolves

By Sam Smith | 11.01.2014 | 4:02 a.m. CT | asksam@bulls.com | @SamSmithHoops

The Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers Friday put on a terrific show for a national TV audience and a raucous United Center. The two Eastern Conference favorites turned what would usually be a routine cold October day into the heat of NBA May in a 114-108 Cavaliers overtime victory.

“It would have been better if we had won,” Joakim Noah offered long after:

– A classic first half duel of MVPs with LeBron James scoring 19 of his game-high 36 points and Derrick Rose with 18;

– Seven Bulls players scored in double figures, Pau Gasol had six blocks, Mike Dunleavy barely missed a triple-double and Tony Snell had his best game as a pro with rugged and active defense on James;

– The Bulls rallied from nine points behind with another big reserve contribution in the fourth quarter and a profusion of jumpers from Kirk Hinrich, who had 10 fourth quarter points, to hold a five-point lead with under a minute remaining.

But the Bulls could not keep the lead with a tough official decision on a three-point play by Kyrie Irving with 27.9 seconds remaining and then could not hold off James and the amazing Tristan Thompson, the Cavs’ backup forward with five offensive rebounds in the overtime period to give him 12 for the game, one more than the entire Bulls team that usually is considered among the best rebounders in the league.

“Tristan Thompson we did not have an answer for,” lamented Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau in the first time that statement ever has been made after an NBA game.

But if the defeat was disappointing for the Bulls despite the artistry of the combined efforts and anticipation of future meetings, the immediate concern was again the health of Rose.

Rose suffered a sprained ankle in the second quarter after landing on the foot of Irving on a second chance play with Rose again in the midst of an extraordinary effort. Rose had nine points in 8:07 in the first quarter and kept Irving scoreless. Irving, who finished with 23 points, would not score until Rose left the game.

Rose sustained the injury following up a miss of a 10 footer. He got the rebound, one of three offensive he would get in the first half of the team’s total of five. Rose went back up with a push shot and landed on Irving with 4:03 left in the first half. Rose hobbled to the bench, drawing a disbelieving quiet from the home crowd. But Rose stayed in and made a three-pointer later in the half as the Bulls went on to trail 58-52 in the fast tempo game.

Rose started the second half and played his usual rotation until about three minutes left in the third quarter with the Bulls trailing 71-68. But Rose never returned to the game and went to the locker room for treatment. He assured media after the game he wasn’t seriously injured, though there’s a question about playing Saturday in Minnesota.

Similarly for Taj Gibson, who went to the locker room early in the fourth quarter with a sprained ankle as well. Gibson would later liken it to the one at the end of the Washington playoff series last spring that knocked him out of parts of the final game. Gibson did return Friday, but he clearly was slowed and lost position on rebounding to Thompson several times with his gimpy ankle.

Plus, Jimmy Butler remained out with his sprained thumb. Butler, meanwhile, failed to come to agreement with the Bulls on a contract extension. He will now become a restricted free agent next summer as he and the team cannot negotiate again until then.

Though the immediate concern, as it always is given Rose’s unhappy health history, is the team’s star guard. Though the Bulls were in good position to win with that lead in the last minute of regulation, it was apparent how much they missed Rose’s scoring and his defense against Irving, who had four of his 23 points when Rose was in the game.

“Right now, I’m feeling good,” Rose told reporters seemingly more anxious than he was. “My ankle is throbbing a little bit, but just playing basketball. I’m just happy that it’s not that serious. (I’ll) go to Minnesota, try and give it a go. If not, we still have, what [80 games) left. I guess it’s part of the process. Of course, the gods are testing me right now. It’s fine. I think I’ll be able to get through it.

“I think I stepped on somebody’s foot,” said Rose. “I just knew I twisted my ankle. I tried to give it a go in the second half, played my minutes in the third. I saw it kind of limited me shooting jump shots and I wasn’t getting the bounce I wanted. It’s basketball.

“It's not like I tore a ligament or something,” Rose reassured. “It’s just I sprained my ankle and had to sit out. It’s minor and I’ll try and get it going [Saturday]. No swelling, no swelling. I had X-rays, not an MRI. It’s not that serious. I think the [X-ray were negative]. I’m walking around so everyone can breathe. Trust me.”

It doesn’t appear serious. But because it is Rose not only was there immediate concern, but questions of whether he should rest until the ankle is back to 100 percent or whether he is more prone to injuries after his surgeries. Of course, Gibson also sprained his ankle and it basically happens in just about every NBA game. But when it’s Rose, it becomes a story.

The story of the game, however, other than the Cavs bouncing back from their awful opening day loss at home and James regaining his brilliance after a long one game slump, was the absolute domination the Cavs had over the Bulls in rebounding.

It was 52-42 overall after 27-15 in the first half, 20-11 on the offensive boards and 22-14 in second chance points. The Cavs also had a dazzling 58-44 advantage in points in the paint, another area where the Bulls generally outmaneuver their opponents.

It’s been different for the Bulls this season even with the comfortable opening night win in New York when the Bulls dominated those categories. They often didn’t in preseason, though it’s difficult to make judgments in those games with the odd rotations. But it’s been a different dynamic to this season’s Bulls team, perhaps more aesthetically appealing in some respects from a basketball standpoint. But somewhat less effective in the defensive grit categories that have made this Bulls team a model for hard play around the NBA.

“Some games in the preseason we didn’t rebound as well as we normally do, so we’ve got to get it done,” noted Hinrich, whose eight straight points in less than a minute with under two minutes remaining in regulation looked like it had clinched the game. “Rebounding and defense, we’ve got to get back to that. We got smoked down there tonight. That’s something that’s propelled us through the last few years. When you had bad shooting nights and things weren’t going your way we knew we were going to be in the game because of low turnovers and rebounds. We’ve got to get back to our identity.”

Some of it is the absence of Butler, the team’s primary perimeter defender and a good rebounding guard. Some of it Friday was the ankle injury to Gibson, who played on but had difficulty getting into rebounding position at times. Some, of course, was a very good Cavs team, though one not highly regarded for its rebounding as they were outrebounded by the small Knicks on opening night.

“They’re a very good team,” agreed Hinrich. “Obviously, they are as talented as anyone at one (James), two (Kevin Love with 16 and 16), three (Irving). And their bigs are very good at complementing the other guys. They are going to be a tough out, no question.”

That’s no surprise since basically all the preseason predictions had the Bulls and Cavs in some order of one/two in the Eastern Conference.

But perhaps what was most unusual for this Bulls team has been the increasing frequently of three-point shooting. After averaging almost 24 per game in the preseason for a team that attempted the third fewest in the NBA last season, the Bulls attempted 24 on opening night in even surpassing the usually quantity shooting Knicks. On Friday, the Bulls were 13 of 31 on threes, about double the attempts of the Cavs.

Thibodeau said he had no issue with that.

“I like the three,” Thibodeau said. “They are inside out, made 13, shot a good percentage. We have guys who can make then. Pau (Gasol with 15 points, nine rebounds and six blocks) has gotten us a lot of good looks (passing out). Our guys have to be ready to shoot when the ball comes out. The three was one of the plusses. The free throw disparity was a concern (33-17 Cleveland). That probably was the difference down the stretch.”

But threes lead to fewer free throws because you don’t drive to the basket. Though the analytics advocates recommend threes, they also tend to lead to longer and less predictable rebounds. That seemed to be an issue for the Bulls as the Cavaliers constantly got inside and around for second shots.

Playing that style isn’t inappropriate. After all, the Bulls offense has been slow and somewhat predictable the last few seasons, especially without Rose. But you also have to become accustomed to the more open style of play, which favors the Cavs, who prefer to play fast and open. They dictated the first half with that game that led to such a big halftime score. The Cavs obviously practice that game even with their surfeit of new players. The Bulls played that game and, after all, were in position to win with maybe a different officials’ call or a better defensive play or one more shot going in. And it made for an entertaining game played both with urgency and elan.

Though perhaps the Bulls weren’t as ready for it now because they did not have their starting backcourt when the game was decided. So there are plenty of questions and the next meeting in January cannot come too soon.

“Things weren’t going our way,” said Gibson. “Like other teams opening at home, opening night every team comes out feeling good about themselves. But we just got humbled, including myself. They did an extremely good job coming off a tough loss to the Knicks. That’s part of our league, part of the NBA. When you are feeling good about yourself someone comes to smack you in the face to wake you up.

“The edge they had, (it was) a much stronger edge than us,” said Gibson. “That happens in the NBA. Look at how we played in New York; we felt we did a good job, guys feeling good about themselves. Come back home you tend to get lax and they played a strong, physical, tough minded game. It was like a playoff atmosphere. It came down to the wire. I felt like we had a chance to win it. It was a couple of tough calls, but that’s part of our business. Just got to keep pushing.”

Push was the appropriate description in a wild first quarter in which the Cavs led 28-27. James after a passive home opener had 11 points and 10 of the Cavs 23 field goal attempts.

“It was an opportunity to go out and redeem ourselves, and I was happy with the outcome,” said James. “I take pride in the way I perform and last night I give myself an F. I’m my biggest critic. I understand how important I am to our team.”

Rose is just as vital and he was matching James with aggressive play, twice grabbing missed shots that led to Bulls scores, scoring on a drive and hitting a pull up three for a Bulls offense that continued to look exceptional.

“He’s our guy,” said Hinrich, who started again for Butler. “When he’s out there everything is so much easier. When he’s not out there we have to work harder, do everything more collectively.”

Dunleavy quietly had a terrific all around game as he led the team in assists in the first quarter working with Gasol and one time finding him for a lob slam dunk. Yes, those high jumping kids for a highlight poster. Dunleavy would end with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. He also had two of the Bulls’ 14 blocks, many off Love shots. Love is a brilliant position player and thus good rebounder and outlet passer, again finding James for a long one. But Love doesn’t get off the floor much and the Bulls thwarted him at the rim as Love shot five of 17. But he and James each had four steals with the Bulls committing 20 turnovers as the ball handling suffered with Rose out.

The second unit after a sparking debut Wednesday stumbled to start the second quarter and fell behind 42-33 before Thibodeau rushed Rose back four minutes into the quarter, a bit earlier than expected. Rose immediately stopped the Cavs’ run with a crossover drive and was fouled and a slashing drive for a score. Rose hurt the ankle after that, though James dismissed it as a reason the Bulls fell in the end.

“I don’t know if it changed,” James said about the Bulls’ momentum after Rose was hurt. “D Rose on the floor, D Rose off the floor, they’re going to play that same style of basketball. They’re going to defend. They’re going to run their offense and they’re going to make it tough for you offensively. Kirk Hinrich came in the fourth quarter, took over the game.”