Bucks-Bulls Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Jan 27 2012 4:14PM

The Chicago Bulls have hardly been hindered by the rash of injuries that has hit several key players. They'll now face a Milwaukee Bucks team that will be without one of its starters.

Chicago goes for its fifth straight win over Milwaukee on Thursday night, with the Bulls likely to be missing Luol Deng while the Bucks will be without Andrew Bogut.

Chicago (16-4) suffered its first home loss of the season Wednesday, 95-90 to an Indiana team that's now 12-5. The Bulls, owners of the best record in the Eastern Conference, had won four in a row - all against teams with losing records.

Deng sat out his second straight game with a torn ligament in his left wrist. He hopes to avoid surgery, but the forward is expected to miss a few games, with coach Tom Thibodeau calling him "week to week."

Deng is second on the team with 15.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

Derrick Rose says he isn't 100 percent because of a sprained toe that kept him out several games, while top reserve Taj Gibson (ankle sprain) didn't play Wednesday. Center Joakim Noah has also struggled with a sprained ankle, while guard John Lucas III has missed three straight games with a left groin strain.

Ronnie Brewer started in Deng's place against the Pacers and had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Richard Hamilton scored 17 points, but shot 6 for 20.

The Bulls have had enough depth to overcome the health issues to this point, but their depleted roster is about to be severely tested. They play three games in the next four days, with the last two of those contests starting a nine-game road trip necessitated by Disney on Ice occupying the United Center.

"The NBA is the NBA and people are going to get injured," Rose said. "So guys got to step up. We have to step up as a team."

Rose had 24 points Wednesday, but only two in the fourth quarter.

While Chicago may not have Deng, Milwaukee (7-10) will certainly be without Bogut.

The 7-foot center will miss 8-12 weeks after fracturing his left ankle in a 105-99 victory at Houston on Wednesday. He has averaged 11.3 points and team highs of 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocked shots in 12 games this season. The Bucks are 0-5 when Bogut doesn't play.

"I just can't seem to catch a break," he said. "Coming back from injuries is tough; it's unlucky and frustrating. Someone has a voodoo doll and is putting pins in me."

Former Bull Drew Gooden has started each game Bogut has missed. He had a solid game Wednesday, finishing with 11 points and three steals.

Reserve forward Ersan Ilyasova will play a bigger role with Bogut sidelined. He turned in an outstanding effort against the Rockets, grabbing a career-high 19 rebounds.

Milwaukee has also been getting stellar play out of point guard Brandon Jennings, averaging 26.0 points and 6.8 assists over the last five games. He had 20 points Wednesday, though he's averaged 11.0 versus the Bulls - his second-lowest number against an opponent - while shooting 31.6 percent in six career meetings.

Chicago swept its four matchups with Milwaukee last season, holding the Bucks to 80.5 points. Rose averaged 21.5 points and 10.8 assists in those contests.

Rose has season-high 34, Bulls beat Bucks 107-100

Posted Jan 28 2012 12:05AM

CHICAGO (AP) Derrick Rose got motivated, got aggressive, and got the Chicago Bulls another win over the Milwaukee Bucks before a big road trip.

Rose scored a season-high 34 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 107-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

"I thought he was very aggressive and that set the tone for us," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He is feeling a lot better and he was in attack mode."

Rose outdueled Milwaukee counterpart Brandon Jennings, hitting 14 of 24 from the floor and scoring 18 of his points in the second half.

"I talked to Thibs before the game, at shootaround, and he was showing me film of me just attacking," Rose said. "That's what I tried to do out there."

The Bulls are set to leave for a season-longest nine-game road trip, beginning with a showdown Sunday in Miami against the Heat.

Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Joakim Noah added 15 points and 16 rebounds as Chicago bounced back from its first home loss of the season against Indiana on Wednesday.

"When we lose a game, guys are amped up to come out and play again," Rose said. "You can tell just at practice. Everybody is just focused in."

Jennings led Milwaukee with 25 points and seven rebounds. Rookie Jon Leuer scored all 19 of his points in the second half.

"The offensive rebounding," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "We had trouble with that all night long. And Derrick went on a little spurt there too. All that kind of happened at once."

The Bucks played without center Andrew Bogut, who fractured his left ankle in a win at Houston on Wednesday. The Bucks are now 0-6 without Bogut this season.

Former Bull Drew Gooden started in place of Bogut and had 23 points, 15 rebounds and six assists.

"We played as hard as possible on both ends of the court," Gooden said. "But that wasn't our best basketball. We know that. Kind of use the Bulls as a measuring stick."

With Bogut out, the Bulls took advantage, scoring 56 points in the paint and getting 20 offensive rebounds to beat the Bucks for the sixth straight time.

"Honestly, we just kind of fed off Derrick because he was so aggressive to start the game," Boozer said. "Jennings went off a little bit in that first half and to be quite frank, D-Rose just took the challenge and kept pushing. We played off of him."

After the Bulls pushed their lead to 14 in the fourth quarter, Milwaukee closed within six behind Leuer, who led a 16-8 run and scored 13 points in the period.

Rose hit a runner from the baseline with 2:44 left, extending the lead to eight, and the Bulls led by at least five the rest of the way.

Jennings entered the game on a hot streak, averaging 26 points over his previous five games. On Friday, he surpassed the 20-point mark for the sixth straight time, the longest streak of his career. He only scored nine points after the first quarter, though.

"They came out more aggressive," Jennings said. "Set a lot of traps. Lot of guys. I wasn't able to just go up like I did in the first half. I was trying to make other things happen."

The reigning MVP was even one-upped by Jennings in the first quarter when the third-year player had 16 points in just over 10 minutes. Jennings hit three 3-pointers and six of eight shots overall in the period.

The Bulls led 51-50 at the break, mostly thanks to 13 offensive rebounds and 17 second-chance points in the first half.

Chicago started the second half on a 16-4 run and stretched its lead to as many as 13 points in the third quarter. Rose rarely looked to pass and scored 14 points in the period, giving him 30 entering the final 12 minutes.

NOTES: Milwaukee announced on Friday that Bogut is expected to miss eight to 12 weeks. . The Bulls played without two starters. Forward Luol Deng missed his third straight game with a sprained left wrist. Guard Richard Hamilton was a late scratch because of a bruised right thigh. Hamilton missed 10 games earlier this season with a sore left groin. . . The Bucks were seeking their first four-game road win streak since taking six straight away from home from Feb. 5 to Feb. 27, 2010. Milwaukee lost its first eight road games this season. . According to Stats, Inc., the Bulls have won 18 consecutive regular season games when Boozer has scored at least 14 points, the longest active streak in the NBA. . The Bulls don't play at home again until Feb. 14 because the United Center will be taken over by Disney on Ice..

Notebook: Bulls 107, Bucks 100

By Kent McDill, for NBA.com
Posted Friday January 27, 2012 11:26PM

THE FACTS: Chicago guard Derrick Rose, in his most assertive performance since missing five games with a left toe sprain, outplayed challenger Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks on the way to 107-100 Bulls victory at the United Center Friday. Rose had a season-high 34 points, while Carlos Boozer (20 points, 13 rebounds) and Joakim Noah (15 points and 16 rebounds) each contributed double-doubles. Jennings had 25 points for the Bucks, who also got 23 points and 15 rebounds from center Drew Gooden, starting in place of injured center Andrew Bogut.

THE FACTS II: The Bulls led by as much as 13 points in the third quarter and 14 points with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter but Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles would not let his team quit, and the Bucks cut the lead to five points in the final minute before the Bulls closed it out.

QUOTABLE: "It's been crazy, but we still have to go out and play these games."
-- Derrick Rose on the Bulls' long list of recent injuries (Taj Gibson, Rip Hamilton, Rose, Luol Deng and John Lucas III).

THE STAT: The Bulls got 47 points from the point guard position as C.J. Watson contributed 13 points as Rose's backup. Between them they made 19 of 35 shots.

THE STAT II: Jennings and Gooden had four turnovers each as part of the Bucks' 15-turnover game that led to 23 points for the Bulls.

TURNING POINT: The first half had 11 lead changes, but the Bulls scored the first seven points of the third quarter as part of a 16-4 run that pushed the Bulls' lead to 67-54.

INJURY UPDATE: Deng is reportedly progressing despite having a torn ligament in his left wrist. After saying he wanted to play Sunday at Miami, he backed off that a bit in an interview Friday, saying he might still be a week away. Bulls guard Hamilton did not play because of a thigh bruise. Gibson made his return after missing three games with an ankle sprain. The Bucks played their first of many games without center Bogut, who suffered a fractured ankle Wednesday and will be out eight to 12 weeks.

HOT: Rose, whose 44.9 percent field goal percentage this season is near his career low, was 14 for 24 from the field Friday.

NOT: Milwaukee's starting forwards, Carlos Delfino and Luc Mbah a Moute, combined to provide only four points and 1 rebound in 25 minutes. Delfino went zero for four from the field while Moute was two for five.

ROOKIE WATCH: Jon Leuer, a local hero in Milwaukee from his playing days at the University of Wisconsin, had a career high with 19 points on nine-for-11 shooting and five rebounds in 20 minutes of playing time.

QUOTABLE II: "With a guy like that, you have to keep the ball out of his hands. But that is really tough to do because he moves so well without the ball."
-- Milwaukee guard Jennings, talking about Derrick Rose of the Bulls.

INSIDE THE ARENA: The loudest chorus of boos Friday went to former Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who was at the game while in town to participate in SoxFest, a White Sox fan convention. Guillen, who managed the White Sox when they won the World Series in 2005, burned a lot of bridges in Chicago when he left the White Sox this fall to manage the Miami Marlins next season.

GOOD MOVE: Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau reportedly planned to start rookie Jimmy Butler in place of injured guard Richard Hamilton, but instead went with veteran Kyle Korver. Korver did not shoot well, but scored nine points with three rebounds and only one turnover in 36 minutes.

NOTABLE: With Korver starting for Hamilton Friday, the Bulls have had 10 different players start for them in the first 21 games.

NOTABLE II: The Bucks had won three straight road games prior to losing Friday, including victories against above .500 clubs Miami and Houston.

UP NEXT: For the Bulls, @ Heat Sunday, @ Wizards Monday, @ 76ers Wednesday. For the Bucks, vs. Lakers Saturday, vs. Pistons Monday, vs. Heat Wednesday.

• Bucks: Bogut, Hobson
• Bulls: Deng

• Bucks: --
• Bulls: --

• Lead Changes: 11
• Times Tied: 2

• Arena: United Center, Chicago, IL
• Officials: #25 Tony Brothers, #30 John Goble, #77 Karl Lane
• Attendance: 22368
• Duration: 2:18