Wizards-Bulls Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Jan 11 2012 12:41AM

Three games in three days is likely to be a grueling stretch for most NBA teams. That's apparently not the case for the Chicago Bulls.

The Bulls have a good chance to conclude that stretch undefeated Wednesday night while trying to continue their recent success over the visiting Washington Wizards, who are coming off their first win of the season.

Chicago (9-2) had its six-game winning streak snapped with a 109-94 loss at Atlanta on Saturday. The Bulls had only one day to recover before beginning what is actually a favorable stretch of three consecutive games.

After rolling to a 92-68 win over Detroit at home Monday, Chicago had a little tougher time in its 111-100 victory at Minnesota on Tuesday. Despite re-aggravating a turf toe injury in the first half, Derrick Rose finished with a season-high 31 points and 11 assists while Luol Deng added 21 and 11 rebounds as the Bulls shot 53.1 percent to hold off the pesky Timberwolves despite blowing a 24-point first-half lead.

"At the end we just found a way to win," said Rose, whose team is in the midst of playing nine games in 12 days.

Until Minnesota's loss Tuesday, teams were 6-0 in the finale of playing three games in three days. The Bulls have a good chance to sweep that stretch while trying for a sixth straight win over Washington (1-8), which last beat Chicago 101-95 on Feb. 22, 2010.

"I'm not sitting out," said Rose, who has totaled 53 points and 19 assists in the last two games. "I know that. I'll be playing."

The Wizards, who have been held to 83.8 points on 39.8 shooting during their five-game overall skid to the Bulls, have dropped five in a row at Chicago. Washington last won at the United Center on April 5, 2008.

Rose has averaged 25.1 points in his last seven games against the Wizards.

Washington should have some momentum after snapping the franchise's longest skid to open the season with a 93-78 home win over Toronto on Tuesday. The Wizards avoided becoming the sixth team since the 2002-03 season to lose its first nine games.

"We didn't just win. We actually played well," said forward Andray Blatche, who had nine points and eight rebounds after not starting because of an apparent shoulder injury.

Rashard Lewis and Nick Young each scored 15 while John Wall matched a season high with nine assists as the Wizards shot a season-high 48.8 percent while allowing their fewest points of the season.

"We had a good, solid performance from a lot of players," said embattled coach Flip Saunders.

Though Washington snapped one extended skid, it will try to end a seven-game road losing streak that dates to a 97-91 win at Charlotte on April 3. The Wizards are 3-42 away from home since the start of last season.

Wall is averaging 13.7 and 7.0 assists this season, but he's scored just 18 on 6-of-22 shooting in the last two games. The 2010 overall No. 1 draft pick had 17 with 11 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in a 98-79 loss at Chicago on March 15.

Lucas leads Bulls over Wizards

By RICK GANO
Posted Jan 11 2012 11:36PM

CHICAGO (AP) John Lucas III wrapped himself in towels and sat down at his locker with a bucket of ice near his feet. After his first NBA start, the Chicago backup guard was weary and had earned a rest.

Replacing injured MVP Derrick Rose, Lucas kept shooting Wednesday night. He put up 28 shots from the field during a 45-minute, 38-second outing and scored a career-high 25 points to lead Chicago to a 78-64 over the Washington Wizards.

"Coach (Tom) Thibodeau was telling me to stay aggressive, don't back off and don't stop shooting," Lucas said after the Bulls' third victory in three nights.

"He kept telling me if, `I'm open, shoot it. If I'm open, shoot it.' I felt like I was shooting too much and then he got on me for not shooting the times I was open."

Lucas, starting for the first time in his 70-game NBA career, was at the point in place of MVP Rose, who was out with a sprained big left toe.

Lucas also had career bests with eight assists and eight rebounds, while making 11 of his 28 attempts.

"Before the game, we all thought he'd get 20 (points)," Chicago's Kyle Korver said. "We didn't know he'd shoot 28. ... We all have confidence in John. We watch him every day in practice."

Korver added 14 points, seven in the final quarter, and Luol Deng had 12 points and 15 rebounds.

Jordan Crawford paced Washington, 1-9 and coming off its first win a night earlier against Toronto, with 14 points. JaVale McGree had 14 rebounds and 10 points for the Wizards, who shot just 31 percent.

The Bulls are hoping to have Rose back Friday night in Boston, but Lucas stepped in and was more than effective in his absence.

"It's very unusual when the backup point guard gets 28 shots," Wizards coach Flip Saunders said. "He made some tough shots."

Washington's John Wall said Lucas' effort wasn't surprising considering how long he was on the floor.

"He played every minute just about, so he ran the show out there. He got good shots," Wall said. "Couple times the first half he got me on a couple of pump fakes and he made shots. You get that many shots you should be able to score that many points. He did a great job of running the team."

The Bulls had a 45-37 lead at the half.

But Wall hit a jumper and had a driving basket and Chris Singleton's jumper capped a 14-4 run to start the third quarter and Washington took a two-point lead. But Lucas connected again from the outside and Taj Gibson had a stuff follow as the Bulls regained a four-point lead headed into the final quarter.

Korver scored five straight points for the Bulls to build the lead to nine and Chicago held on for its 10th win in 12 games.

The Bulls beat Detroit on Monday night and Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Rose hurt his toe in the first quarter in Minneapolis, but stayed in the game and finished with a season-high 31 points.

"I have a lot of respect for D-Rose and all the players who play 45, 48 minutes. You have to go grind it out," said Lucas, who had some cramping problems in the second half.

"Anything for this team. ... I'll throw my body on the line any time for them."

Notes: Bulls C Joakim Noah was bothered by a sore left thumb and had it examined at the half, got it taped up and tried to play with it in the second. He played just under 19 minutes total and had four points and four rebounds. He played just seven minutes in the third quarter and none in the fourth. Backup C Omer Asik had 14 rebounds ... Lucas had attempted 39 shots total in the previous seven games he played this season. .... Washington's Andray Blatche didn't play because of a sore right shoulder. ... Injured Chicago guards Richard Hamilton (groin) and C.J. Watson (elbow) also did not play. The Bulls signed veteran guard Mike James for depth. He played the final 40 seconds.

Notebook: Bulls 78, Wizards 64

By Kent McDill, for NBA.com
Posted Thursday January 12, 2012 12:06AM

THE FACTS: John Lucas III, making his first NBA start because of injuries to Derrick Rose and C.J. Watson, scored 25 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out eight assists in a 45-minute performance to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 78-64 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday at the United Center. Kyle Korver scored 14 points while Luol Deng had 12 points and 15 rebounds. Jordan Crawford came off the bench to lead the Wizards with 14 points.

THE FACTS II: With the win, the Bulls went 3-0 on their only back-to-back-to-back assignment of the season, beating Detroit, Minnesota and the Wizards.

QUOTABLE: "Coach told me to be aggressive. He said 'If you are open, shoot. If you are open, shoot."
-- John Lucas III, who was 11-for-28 from the field

THE STAT: Neither team managed to shoot 37 percent for the game. The Bulls were 33-for-90 from the field (36.7 percent) and the Wizards were 26-for-84 (31 percent).

THE STAT II: Backup center Omer Asik of the Bulls, who is outplaying starting center Joakim Noah in the season's early going, scored eight points, pulled down 14 rebounds and had five blocks in 27 minutes of action. Noah, who suffered a strained thumb during the game, had four points and four rebounds in 19 minutes.

TURNING POINT: With the Bulls leading 60-56 early in the fourth quarter, Korver hit a pair of long jumpers to give the Bulls a 64-56 lead with 8:05 left.

INJURY UPDATE: Rose did not play because of a strained big toe on his left foot. Richard Hamilton (groin) and Watson (elbow) also did not play for the Bulls. Noah suffered a strained thumb during the game.

HOT: Korver made five of 10 shots for 14 points Wednesday, following his five-for-six performance against Minnesota on Tuesday. He has scored in double figures in four of his last five games.

NOT: Nick Young, the Wizards' leading scorer, was 2-for-11 from the field, dropping his season shooting percentage to 37.8 percent.

ROOKIE WATCH: Washington forward Chris Singleton was 4-for-7 from the field for eight points.

QUOTABLE II: "I was mad early because he was coming off the pick and roll and was wide open. He was not shooting and you can not play like that. When you're open, you've got to shoot. But he is not going to leave any bullets in the gun." Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau on John Lucas III, who took 28 shots Wednesday.

GOOD MOVE: With Chicago fans keeping a close eye on his use of players in the fourth quarter, Thibodeau again played Taj Gibson and Asik through the fourth quarter instead of starters Carlos Boozer and Noah. Asik had seven rebounds in the fourth quarter and Gibson played strong defense as the Bulls opened the lead from four points to 14 by game's end.

NOTABLE: Mike James, the point guard signed by the Bulls on Wednesday because of injuries to Rose and Watson, traveled Wednesday from Reno, Nev. (which was hosting the NBA's D-League Showcase) to Los Angeles to Cleveland to Erie, Pa., where he plays for the Erie Bayhawks of the D-League. He then was told by the team that the Bulls wanted him in Chicago for Wednesday's game. He then flew from Erie to Cleveland to Chicago and got to the United Center during the first quarter of the game. He played the final 40 seconds.

UP NEXT: For the Bulls, Friday @ Boston, Saturday vs. Toronto, Monday @ Memphis. For the Wizards, Friday @ Philadelphia, Saturday vs. Philadelphia, Monday vs. Houston.

• Wizards: N'Diaye, Turiaf
• Bulls: Watson

• Wizards: Crawford, Saunders
• Bulls: Deng

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: United Center, Chicago, IL
• Officials: #24 Mike Callahan, #36 David Jones, #68 Marat Kogut
• Attendance: 21366
• Duration: 2:07