Bucks-Bulls Preview

By BRETT HUSTON
Posted Feb 21 2012 1:01PM

Derrick Rose's back tightened when the Chicago Bulls blew out the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this month, something he didn't think was serious but would ultimately turn into an issue.

It didn't seem like much of a problem upon his return.

That's certainly bad news for the struggling Bucks, who visit the United Center on Wednesday night looking to avoid a seventh consecutive loss to the Bulls.

Rose spearheaded a 113-90 rout at the Bradley Center on Feb. 4, totaling 26 points and 13 assists as Chicago (26-8) went a season-best 14 of 30 from 3-point range.

The reigning MVP said his back tightened in the second quarter, though, and he was limited to a total of 33 minutes and 10 points in the next two games before sitting out the following five.

A little rest seemed to pay off. Rose returned Monday afternoon against Atlanta, scoring a game-high 23 points as Chicago jumped out to an 18-point lead after one quarter en route to a 90-79 victory.

"Having (Rose) back just opens up everything," center Joakim Noah said. "He was very aggressive. When he's aggressive like that, it opens up everything for everybody, and it gives us a lot of confidence."

Rose hasn't been lacking in confidence against the Bucks (13-19) recently. He's averaged 30.0 points and 11.0 assists in the Bulls' three most recent victories in a six-game series winning streak.

Noah has been perhaps just as critical inside, averaging 12.3 points and 13.3 rebounds - 6.0 offensive - in the four contests he's played during that run. Chicago has outrebounded the Bucks by an average of 9.4 during the last five meetings.

That margin could be even more lopsided Wednesday. Drew Gooden, who has averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds since Andrew Bogut broke his ankle in late January, has missed the past three games with a sprained right wrist.

The Bucks already have one of the league's worst rebounding differentials at minus-3.22 while the Bulls' plus-5.06 is the NBA's best.

Milwaukee has given up 13.5 offensive boards per game since Bogut went down - third-worst in the league - and that's what cost the Bucks on Monday. Up 90-88 with 20 seconds left, they let Jameer Nelson grab an offensive rebound, leading to Ryan Anderson's decisive 3-pointer in Orlando's 93-90 win - Milwaukee's eighth loss in 11 games.

"We were one rebound away from probably winning the game and just couldn't get (it)," coach Scott Skiles said.

Gooden is expected to seek a second opinion on his wrist this week, but Ersan Ilyasova seems determined to make up for his absence. Ilyasova has averaged 19.3 points and 16.7 rebounds while moving into Gooden's place in the starting lineup.

Even if Ilyasova can hold his own with Noah and Carlos Boozer, the Bucks seem unlikely to stop their skid against the Bulls without a big effort from Brandon Jennings.

The third-year point guard has rarely been up to the task versus Chicago. Even after scoring 25 in a 107-100 loss at the United Center last month, Jennings has averaged just 9.8 points on 32.9 percent shooting in his last six games against the Bulls.

Milwaukee is 9-7 when Jennings scores at least 20 points this season and 4-12 when he has 19 or fewer.

Noah gets rare triple-double as Bulls beat Bucks

By ANDREW SELIGMAN
Posted Feb 22 2012 11:44PM

CHICAGO (AP) A rare triple-double was all well and good for Joakim Noah. More important for him was this: the Bulls got another big win.

Noah had 13 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the first triple-double by a Bulls center in roughly 35 years, and Chicago pounded the Milwaukee Bucks 110-91 on Wednesday night.

"Obviously it's a very humbling accomplishment," Noah said. "But we're playing for more than that."

Carlos Boozer scored 20 points to lead six Bulls players in double figures. Derrick Rose and Luol Deng each added 16, and Chicago simply ran away with this one. The Central Division leaders built an 11-point halftime lead and broke it open in the third quarter, a nice send-off for the All-Star break.

Ronnie Brewer scored 15 points as all five Bulls starters finished in double digits. Reserves Kyle Korver (11 points) and Taj Gibson (nine points, 10 rebounds) provided a spark as Chicago handed Milwaukee its sixth loss in seven games.

Brandon Jennings scored 20 to lead the Bucks, who never really had a chance in this one with Chicago shooting 54.4 percent from the field and dominating on the glass with a 49-29 rebounding edge.

"I'm not going to lie," Jennings said. "I'm frustrated. I want to win. We all want to win."

This, however, was far from a winning effort for them.

Boozer hit 9 of his 12 shots.

Rose looked sharp again after saying the lower back pain that caused him to miss five recent games is gone. He followed up a 23-point effort against Atlanta on Monday with another strong showing.

And then there was Noah.

"He's just like a guard, where he's making great plays passing it to the corners," Rose said.

How good was he? Consider this: Not since Artis Gilmore had 35 points, 15 rebounds and 11 blocks against Atlanta on Dec. 20, 1977, had a Bulls center delivered a triple-double.

For that, Noah credited Rose with one huge assist.

"The only reason I was able to do it was because they were trying to get the ball out of Derrick's hands," Noah said.

With the Bucks trapping Rose, Noah has plenty of opportunities and posted a career high in assists. As he approached the triple-double in the third quarter, teammates kept reminding him.

"For a big man, he's great at making decisions coming down the floor," Deng said. "A lot of big men will get a little hesitant having the ball in their hand, but he's comfortable with it."

Skiles said the Bucks were "kind of in-between."

"We weren't really bodying him up," he said. "We weren't jumping with him either. And he's got the ability to handle the ball, pass the ball. He always has. He hurt us tonight."

Noah fired up the crowd twice in the final minute of the third quarter.

First, he dunked on Beno Udrih for a three-point play. Then, after two free throws by Jennings, he buried a corner jumper with about a second left to make it 93-75, sending a roar through the arena.

"It's unbelievable how things change from the New Jersey game to this game," Noah said.

He had just six rebounds without a point or assist in a loss to the Nets on Saturday. He played better against Atlanta, grabbing 16 rebounds, and trumped that with what probably was the best all-around performance of his career.

"How many big men can get a triple-double?" Milwaukee's Ersan Ilyasova said.

Notes: The Bulls have won seven straight against Milwaukee. ... Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said veteran G Richard Hamilton "is doing a lot more" and is "taking on contact now," but his return date remains up in the air. Hamilton has been limited to 11 games this season because of thigh and groin problems. ... Backup PG C.J. Watson missed his second straight game because of a mild concussion. ... Milwaukee's Stephen Jackson did not travel with the team because of a sore right hamstring, and Drew Gooden missed his fourth straight game because of a sprained right wrist.

Notebook: Bulls 110, Bucks 91

Posted Wednesday February 22, 2012 11:08PM

By Kent McDill, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Playing against a depleted Milwaukee Bucks team, the host Chicago Bulls cruised to a 110-91 victory Wednesday. Carlos Boozer led the Bulls with 20 points, and Derrick Rose and Luol Deng had 16 points apiece. The Bulls shot 54 percent from the field. The Bucks, who had only 10 health players, were led by Brandon Jennings with 20 points.

THE FACTS II: With his 13 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, Joakim Noah became the first Bulls center to record a triple-double since Artis Gilmore did it Dec. 20, 1977.

QUOTABLE: "We got the W, it's my birthday in a couple of days, there's going to be a team function tonight with all the Bulls players, so it's going to be fun."
-- Bulls center Joakim Noah.

THE STAT: The Bulls, who lead the league in assists per game, had 32 assists on 43 baskets Wednesday.

THE STAT II: The Bulls had 20 turnovers that led to 22 Milwaukee points. The Bucks had only nine turnovers.

INJURY UPDATE: The Bucks had four players out of the game due to injury, including center Andrew Bogut, who remains out with fractured ankle. Drew Gooden (wrist sprain), Tobias Harris (shoulder contusion) and Stephen Jackson (hamstring) were also out. Bulls guard C.J. Watson missed his second game due to a concussion. Bulls guard Rip Hamilton remained out with a thigh bruise.

HOT: Boozer, a career 54 percent shooter, is shooting 69.4 percent (50-for-72) in his last six games. He was nine for 12 against the Bucks Wednesday.

BAD MOVE: Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau faces constant criticism in Chicago for playing Rose and Deng too many minutes, especially in blowouts. On Wednesday, Thibodeau kept Deng in the game until the 3:59 mark of the fourth quarter, playing him 34 minutes, the most of any player in the game for either team.

QUOTABLE II: "He's like my big brother. I'm fortunate to have him as a teammate."
-- Bulls guard Derrick Rose on Joakim Noah.

NOTABLE: The Bulls have played 67 consecutive regular-season games without losing two games in a row, dating back to Feb. 7, 2011. But that streak is not the team record. From Feb. 27, 1995, through Feb. 4, 1996, the Bulls played 72 regular season games without losing two straight. Michael Jordan returned from retirement early in the streak, on March 19, 1995, and the '95-96 Bulls went on to set a record with 72 victories before winning the franchise's fourth NBA title. The streak ended when the '95-96 Bulls lost at Denver and at Phoenix Feb. 4-6, 1996.

UP NEXT: For the Bulls, Tuesday vs. New Orleans, Wednesday at San Antonio, March 2 at Cleveland. For the Bucks, Tuesday vs. Washington, Wednesday at Boston, March 2 at Atlanta.

• Bucks: Bogut
• Bulls: Watson

• Bucks: --
• Bulls: --

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 5

• Arena: United Center, Chicago, IL
• Officials: #14 Ed Malloy, #59 Gary Zielinski, #66 Haywoode Workman
• Attendance: 21507
• Duration: 2:04