Kings-Bulls Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Feb 14 2012 2:54PM

Despite having just concluded a 6-3 road trip, the injury-plagued Chicago Bulls return home a bit disappointed after letting a potential seventh win slip away.

A matchup with the last-place club in the Pacific Division could help put them in better spirits.

With reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose still unavailable Tuesday night, the Eastern Conference-leading Bulls try for a for a seventh win in their last eight meetings with the Sacramento Kings.

Rose has missed seven games this season due to multiple injuries, including the last two with lower back spasms. He saw a specialist Monday and while no structural damage was found, his status remains day-to-day.

"Anytime there's not something structurally wrong that's good news," general manager Gar Forman told the Bulls' official website. "He'll have rest and therapy and hopefully be back soon."

Coach Tom Thibodeau said Tuesday that Rose's condition is improving but "still not where we want it to be." Thibodeau added that the Bulls will "be patient and see how it goes" with their superstar point guard.

With Rose sidelined, Chicago (23-7) saw its five-game winning streak come to an end Sunday with a 95-91 loss at Boston. C.J. Watson and Carlos Boozer each scored 22 points but the Bulls shot just 38.6 percent from the field.

"There's no excuses," said Joakim Noah, who's averaging 13.8 points and 10.8 rebounds over his last five contests. "We're 6-3 on this road trip. We want to be a championship team: 6-3 is OK, not great. Obviously, we're not playing with our MVP. But definitely we had enough in this (locker) room to win this game. I feel like we got outcompeted. I think we could definitely have played better."

While the Bulls went 0-3 versus clubs with winning records on their trip, they had little problem winning all six matchups versus teams under .500 - outscoring those opponents by an average of 18.5 points.

Chicago has also experienced its share of lopsided victories in this series of late. The Bulls have outscored Sacramento (10-17) by an average of 13.8 points while taking six of the last seven matchups, including a 132-92 victory March 21 in the Kings' last visit to the United Center.

Chicago also prevailed 108-98 at Sacramento on Dec. 29 behind 16 points and a season-high 15 boards from Boozer. Rose and Richard Hamilton (right thigh), who also remains sidelined for Chicago, combined for 35 points in that game.

The Kings, who won a season-best three straight Feb. 2-6, have since dropped two of three including Saturday's 98-84 home loss to Phoenix.

DeMarcus Cousins continued his impressive play with 26 points and nine rebounds while Marcus Thornton scored 21. The rest of the team, however, largely failed to produce.

Tyreke Evans - averaging 16.9 points on the season - scored just four while shooting 1 of 9. Isaiah Thomas was only slightly better, making 2 of 9 shots and finishing with five points.

"We just couldn't make shots and we didn't play as a team," Thomas said. "That kind of starts with me and Tyreke - as point guards we've got to get guys more involved, get them in the rights spots and make the offense flow."

Cousins is averaging 20.8 points and 13.6 rebounds over his last five games. He had 15 points and 12 boards in the last meeting with the Bulls.

The Kings, who open a six-game road trip Tuesday, have averaged just 87.7 points while going 3-12 away from home. Their 39.9 field-goal percentage in opposing arenas ranks last in the league.

Bulls survive late rally to beat Kings 121-115

By ANDREW SELIGMAN
Posted Feb 15 2012 3:13AM

CHICAGO (AP) Luol Deng figures the Chicago Bulls will have to find creative ways to win as long as Derrick Rose is sidelined.

This wasn't what he had in mind. The Bulls will take it, though.

Deng came through with 23 points and a career-high 11 assists, and the Bulls escaped with a 121-115 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night after a 19-point, fourth-quarter lead dwindled to two.

"Missing Derrick, even though we're winning games, it's huge," Deng said. "He makes the game so much easier. When he's not there, you've got to work extra."

Joakim Noah added 22 points and 11 rebounds. Kyle Korver scored 18, hitting four free throws in the final 17.6 seconds. Carlos Boozer scored 16, Taj Gibson added 15 points, and the Bulls came away with the win - barely - even though Rose missed his third straight game with lower back spasms.

The victory clinched the Eastern Conference coaching spot at the All-Star game for the Bulls' Tom Thibodeau.

DeMarcus Cousins led Sacramento with 28 points and 17 rebounds. Tyreke Evans scored 27, and Marcus Thornton added 23 points for the Kings, who made things extremely interesting down the stretch.

Two free throws by Evans with 19 seconds left made it 115-112. Korver answered with two of his own, but the drama wasn't over.

Thornton nailed a 3 to make it a two-point game with 14.8 seconds left, but Korver immediately hit two more foul shots to boost the lead to 119-115. Deng then hit two free throws with 8.8 seconds left to seal the win.

"I've yet to fear this team being down," Kings coach Keith Smart said. "This team has shown throughout the year that they have the ability to get back in games."

Winning them is a different story. Sacramento is last in the Pacific Division at 10-18 and is just 3-13 on the road.

This seemed like a mismatch despite Rose's absence, but the Kings hung with the Eastern Conference leaders even when it looked like Chicago had put this one away.

Sacramento was within eight in late in the third when Deng buried a corner 3 with just under a minute left. That started a 12-1 run that bumped Chicago's lead to 97-78, but the Bulls couldn't breathe too easily.

They did, however, let out a big sigh of relief in the end.

"They're a tough team," Evans said. "They play together. They run that high pick-and-roll good with the bigs. They ran it all night on us and got a lot of fouls. That's what killed us."

The dramatic win came on the heels of a 6-3 trip that matched their longest since the 1992-93 season, and they did it without their superstar point guard.

"I think our team has gotten used to guys being out," Thibodeau said. "It happened last year with our big guys and this year, it is more perimeter guys, so we have that all covered. We feel very good about our depth, and when we are down a man, the next guy steps up and does the job."

The question is: Will the injuries take a toll eventually?

Rose didn't have a target date for his return. Boston visits Thursday, and he wasn't sure if he'd be ready to play against Rajon Rondo and the Celtics. One thing was clear, though. Rose was certainly breathing a little easier.

A specialist confirmed Monday that there was no structural damage, and that was a big relief for him and a team eyeing a championship. This hasn't been an easy season for Rose even though he's averaging 22.0 points and 7.8 assists. Between the bad back and a problem with his left big toe, he's missed eight games this season after sitting out six over his first three years.

"I think the best thing you can do is try to get better from it," Deng said. "If we had a choice, we wouldn't want him to be hurt, but that's the situation. We really think that it will help us. Guys are stepping up. Guys are getting playing time. We'd rather have this problem now than later in the year."

Notes: Veteran G Richard Hamilton, who remains sidelined by a right thigh injury, rejoined the Bulls after tending to a family issue. He posted on Twitter that his grandmother died. ... G Mike James signed a 10-day contract. He appeared in three games for Chicago before being waived on Jan. 28. ... Kings rookie Jimmer Fredette, nursing an upset stomach, did not play.

Notebook: Bulls 121, Kings 115

Posted Wednesday February 15, 2012 12:01AM

By Kent McDill, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: It wasn't supposed to be this close, but the Chicago Bulls held on for a 121-115 victory over the visiting Sacramento Kings at the United Center on Tuesday. The Bulls led by 19 early in the fourth quarter but the Kings pulled to within two points behind the performance of Marcus Thornton, who had 11 of his 23 points in the final stanza. Luol Deng led the Bulls with 23 points and 11 assists, while Joakim Noah had a double-double with a season-high 22 points and 11 rebounds. DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings with 28 points and Tyreke Evans had 27.

THE FACTS II: With usual bench players C.J. Watson and Ronnie Brewer starting in place of Derrick Rose and Rip Hamilton, the Bulls bench still contributed 44 points and shot 17-for-25 from the field. Kyle Korver matched his season high with 18 points and Taj Gibson made seven of eight shots for 15 points.

QUOTABLE: "Whatever your team needs, he provides. If we need more scoring, he gives you that. If we need more play-making, he gives you that. His defense is a constant, his rebounding is always good and his leadership is terrific."
-- Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau talking about first-time All-Star Luol Deng

THE STAT: Cousins came up with his 18th double-double with 28 points and 17 rebounds.

THE STAT II: The Kings, playing their first of six straight road games, refused to give up. They shot 57 percent in the fourth quarter and outrebounded the Bulls (the No. 2 rebounding team in the league) 12-6 with four offensive boards.

TURNING POINT: The Bulls made 10 of 11 free throws in the fourth quarter and needed them all. They scored the last four points of the game from the line, with two from Korver and two from Deng.

INJURY UPDATE: Kings guard Jimmer Fredette reported stomach pain just before game time and did not play. ... Rose did not play for the third game in a row because of his back spasms but said before the game he could be back any day.

HOT: In eight February games, Bulls center Joakim Noah is averaging almost 13 points and 10 rebounds.

NOT: Deng, playing with a torn ligament in his left wrist, was 6-for-17 from the field Tuesday, and is 18-for-52 in his last four games playing with the injury.

ROOKIE WATCH: Although Fredette did not play, Isaiah Thomas of the Kings had nine points and four assists in 19 minutes.

QUOTABLE II: "We made it a free throw game."
-- Sacramento coach Keith Smart

NOTABLE: With the victory, Thibodeau earned his first selection as head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Star team. The Bulls lead the Eastern Conference with a 24-7 record.

UP NEXT: For the Bulls, Thursday vs. Boston, Saturday vs. New Jersey, Monday vs. Atlanta. For the Kings, Wednesday @ New York, Friday @ Detroit, Sunday @ Cleveland.

• Kings: Whiteside
• Bulls: Hamilton

• Kings: --
• Bulls: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: United Center, Chicago, IL
• Officials: #25 Tony Brothers, #6 Tony Brown, #67 Matt Myers
• Attendance: 21936
• Duration: 2:22