Gordons Big Fourth Carries Bulls Past Bobcats 113-106

Posted by Jeff Sack under NBA Game Recap

Chicago Bulls
Coach: Vinny Del Negro
Projected Finish: 40-42
Projected Starters
C – Joakim Noah (6.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.9 bpg)
PF – Drew Gooden (12.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 0.8 bpg)
SF – Luol Deng (17.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.5 apg)
SG – Kirk Hinrich (11.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 6.0 apg)
PG – Derrick Rose (Rookie)
Key Reserves
G – Ben Gordon
F – Andres Nocioni
G – Larry Hughes
Analysis
Vinny Del Negro? As coach? Why? Is John Paxson after a promising start at the helm of the Bulls turning into a clone of his brother Jim, one of the worst General Managers in the history of the Association? Hughes, hurt yet again, Rookie Rose also injured. Very strange mix of players, seems transient, does Paxson have a deal in the works?

That was this veteran NBA observer’s prediction back on 10/28/08. It appears that I will be pretty close with my prediction on the club’s final record. Chicago rookie head coach Vinny Del Negro clearly exceeded my expectations. However one thing that I was spot on about was that the roster at the time was transitory and Bulls General Manager John Paxson did end up consummating a deal that helped the Bulls make the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Chicago defeated the Charlotte Bobcats Saturday night 113-106 after trailing heading into the fourth quarter. Bulls guard Ben Gordon carried the team with a game high 39 points including 13 in the final 12 minutes of play. Chicago is now in the seventh slot in the Eastern Conference Playoff seeding, one game ahead of the Detroit Pistons.

Ben Gordon was with the team at the time but was coming off the bench for Chicago at the beginning of the season. The shooting guard ended up back with the Bulls almost by default. He signed an eleventh hour 1 year deal as a restricted free agent just before training camp. Rather funny how life works out sometimes! Now Gordon and rookie point guard Derrick Rose form the team’s biggest strength their back-court tandem.

The Bulls no longer have the promising but inconsistent Nocioni, or veterans Gooden and Hughes. Paxson was some how able to pry John Salmons and Brad Miller from the Sacramento Kings and this team has gelled. Most likely they will not make it out of the first round of the Post Season this year. However the future is bright and the team is pretty young.

Maybe the player though who has come out the best in all this is Gordon. One would have to think that Chicago will make it a priority in the off-season to lock him up long term. He and the rookie Rose complement each other’s game making Gordon far more effective and consistent than in the past.

This contest went back and forth in the first three quarters and was not decided until the final 12 minutes of play. The Bulls came out strong in the first and held a 30-23 advantage at the end of the period. The Bobcats would close the gap in the second however Chicago still clung to a 52-50 lead at the half.

Charlotte made their run in the third and would hold a 5 point advantage when Dontell Jefferson drove the lane putting the ball up and in and giving the Bobcats an 83-78 lead at the end of the quarter. Charlotte was still on top at 93-92 when first John Salmons and then Gordon drained back to back treys giving the Bulls the lead with 4:37 to play at 98-93. Charlotte never was able to recover.

Gordon was the game’s leading scorer as he led five Bulls players in double figures. The guard had 39 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists while the rookie Rose added 22 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block in the victory.

Charlotte had a huge game from guard Raymond Felton who exploded for 26 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal while Boris Diaw recorded a double-double 24 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block in the loss. Chicago gets back to even after 80 games as the win puts them at 40-40. Charlotte falls to 35-45.

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