Official Game Thread: Bulls at Hawks

[lethalweapon3]

“And on the next CHICAGO MED…”

 

Say what you will about the adventures of our Swiss Family Ressler. Here in Atlanta, we’re comforted by the knowledge that we don’t have an ownership family running TWO or MORE of our pro franchises deep into subterranean territory (Atlanta United fans, pocket your Uncle Arthur comments for now. Beat Miami (too)! And sweep the leg tomorrow, Falcons).

Jerry Reinsdorf might be cutting that number of Chicago-based teams he owns down to one, but it’s hard to say that’s good news for folks in and around the Second City. During’s last December’s MLB Winter Meetings in Nashville, he popped by the office of the Tennessee capital city’s mayor. It was presumably a ploy to scare Chi-town leaders into acquiescing to his publicly financed plans for a new Cobb Battery-style venue off the banks of the Chicago River to supplant the South Side ballpark, Comiskey Part II, that’s been around since 1991.

Reinsdorf’s White Sox then proceeded to lose 121 baseball games in a single season, the worst in modern MLB history. Most-ever Ls compiled by a club before the All-Star Break, fastest assurance of a losing record during a 162-game season, franchise record of 21 consecutive defeats, franchise record of 16 straight home losses, earliest playoff-contention exit since divisional play began in 1969. What did poor Michael Soroka (0-10, the most Bagel-for-Double-Digit-Defeats in MLB since 1982) do to deserve this?

The few attendees rocking Bulls red-and-black in Atlanta’s State Farm Arena today (7:30 PM Eastern, FanDuel Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, Reinsdorf’s and Blackhawks owner Danny Wirtz’s Chicago Sports Network, if you can find it) that haven’t yet had their hearts completely torn asunder understand that, as bad as it has been cheering on Reinsdorf’s rudderless basketball club for the past decade, things could be, and are, much worse.

The Bulls are over 25 years removed from Reinsdorf pushing MJ and Phil Jackson out the door. They’re about a baker’s dozen seasons from the now-retired MVP Derrick Rose fatefully tearing an ACL in a first-round playoff game, and ten seasons past Reinsdorf parting ways from coach Tom Thibodeau. Chicago was bounced in the second round of 2015’s playoffs, and they haven’t returned to that postseason level since.

They will soon be three seasons removed from a 26-10 start, under coach Billy Donovan, after they added DeMar DeRozan to a core of Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic, and had fans feeling as though they finally had something. Then Lonzo’s meniscus betrayed him, regressing Chicago to a 20-26 finish and a first-round playoff exit.

Donovan is seeking to complete his fifth season at the helm, matching Thibodeau’s Chicago run. But the 2021-22 playoff loss to Milwaukee is his Bulls’ only appearance in that time, as much as the nine-fingered Trae Young’s Hawks have tried to help.

We aren’t even seven months removed from Atlanta’s 2023-24 season finale, the 9/10 Play-In when Donovan had Alex Caruso and Ayo Dosunmu hound Young into 6 turnovers (the Bulls committing just one more as a team), while Coby White (42 points, zero TOs) and DeRozan had field days on offense. Facing just a little more defensive resistance, Chicago folded two nights later in Miami.

Allowed to go into free agency unrestricted, DeRozan now toils in Sacramento, the result of a sign-and-trade for Chris Duarte, some second-rounders and a trade exception. The two-time All-Defensive guard, Caruso, was flipped to OKC for the hope that offense-minded wing Josh Giddey can refocus and stay out of trouble.

The Arturas Karnisovas-led management crew made few meaningful additions, unless you count Jalen Smith and Talen Horton-Tucker. Ball returned to action, for the first time in several seasons, only to exit three games in with a wrist sprain. Three games later, LaVine (questionable, strained adductor) screamed, “Hey, Lonzo! Wait for me!” And Bulls fans are left looking at one another, wondering of their team, “What are we?”

Billy D hopes he has the answer. It involves a lot of running of the Bulls, and not toward the tunnels. “We don’t run? We’re done,” Donovan told the Sun-Times of their fast (tempo) start (NBA-high 105.2 Pace, ahead of the third-place Hawks’ 103.6). “It’s that simple. If we run, we’ll have some fun!” Whee!

Up 11 points shortly after halftime on Thursday versus visiting Minnesota, fun the Bulls (3-6) were indeed having. Right on up until Anthony Edwards (5-for-5 FGs, 13 points in five minutes) and Rudy Gobert decided that playtime was over.

Running back on defense to aid the well-worn Vucevic is not quite part of Chicago’s gameplans, leading to Bulls’ opponents piling up an NBA-high 58.2 paint PPG, and to the T’Wolves tipping over the three-legged Bulls with 45 fourth-quarter points. As Vooch faltered late, rookie Matas Buzelis came off the bench to lead Chicago in fourth-quarter defensive rebounds, with two.

Donovan can at least smirk at Quin Snyder and brag, “At least my team isn’t giving up over 40 points in a quarter to the Pistons!” Not yet, anyway. Snyder could retort that they haven’t yet been served a 40-piece by the Jazz. Utah’s sole win this season thus far came this past Monday in Chicago, John Collins and Sons matching Minnesota with 135 points, including 40 in the final frame (No Lauri Markkanen needed.)

As Chicago and Detroit fans understand, “Did my team beat out Trae Young’s Hawks?” is still not an arbiter of, “Is my team any good?” Dosunmu, White and Giddey will indeed continue trying to run-and-gun. But if the scratched-but-unbowed Young (35 points, 6-for-12 3FGs, 13 assists, 2 steals, 3 TOs @ DET) can rely on teammates like Onyeka Okongwu to pile up the paint points and not get a game-winning, well-assisted layup blocked by a, ummm, point guard, Atlanta (4-6) can make quick amends from last night’s too-little, too-late loss in Motown.

The Resslers, like Snyder, may not have all the answers when it comes to building up Atlanta’s NBA team into competitive prominence. But we can take comfort in knowing that the Hawks are the only pro team, here or anywhere, cooking on their stove. Chicago’s NBA owner, meanwhile, is misfiring with two local sports teams, plus a botched local sports network unveiling, and a stadium scheme. Their fans can only wish that, long ago, they had drawn a Blank.

 

Let’s Go Hawks!

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

No update yet on the Questionable statuses for Zach LaVine (strained adductor; CHSN's K.C. Johnson reported that LaVine "pointed to this game as a likely return") or Torrey Craig (illness). Jalen Sticks Smith (effused knee) is Probable.

LL Cool Will added a note regarding Okongwu's toe likely meeting leather today.

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

There could very well be more Bulls fans in the building than watching from up in the 312. That's not great news if you're a Chicagoan.

 

https://awfulannouncing.com/comcast/chicago-sports-network-carriage-dispute.html

 

Quote

"The brand-new Chicago Sports Network (CHSN), the successor to NBC Sports Chicago which ceased operations last month, remains in a carriage dispute with Comcast, the city’s largest pay-TV provider..."

~lw3

[JeffS17]

Would be nice to spend the next 2 days practicing off the back of a win and only 1 game under .500.  If we can hover around .500 before Bogi/Kobe get back, we should be in a good position to make a run in January/February in the wide open East.

[ShooterSays]

Too early to say a game is must win?

We’re going to be either 4-7 or 5-6 with Boston looming on Tuesday.

[JeffS17]

8 minutes ago, ShooterSays said:

Too early to say a game is must win?

We’re going to be either 4-7 or 5-6 with Boston looming on Tuesday.

Dre back for Boston game to clamp Tatum and were gonna give them their third loss

[JayBirdHawk]

Per Buzelis pre-draft on Risacher:

 

"Of course, I want to see him one-on-one. He just doesn't want to do that with me. His agent will not do that with me, and I know he won't. It’s a business decision," Buzelis responded to BasketNews when asked if he would like to challenge Risacher in the NBA pre-draft workout.

"My advantage is that I have everything over him," he added when asked about his main advantage that would enable him to win this duel.

 

Both players can play the same wing position and have similar heights, with Buzelis listed at 2.08 meters and Risacher at 2.06 meters. Additionally, they both bring a lot of potential and a similar skill set that would appeal to NBA teams.

In the latest ESPN mock draft, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo projected Risacher as the No. 1 pick, while Buzelis was listed as the No. 1 projected pick in the first ESPN mock draft a year ago.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

Maybe his girl had the baby?

 

 

[JayBirdHawk]

Congrats Dre!

 

 

[Peoriabird]

So all of that Dre hate for absolutely no reason!

[Spud2nique]

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

acquiescing

{runs to dictionary.websters.} 

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

The Bulls are over 25 years removed from Reinsdorf pushing MJ and Phil Jackson out the door. They’re about a baker’s dozen seasons from the now-retired MVP Derrick Rose fatefully tearing an ACL in a first-round playoff game,

In between you left out the dominance of the twin towers, Eddy and Ty. 

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Chris Duarte

@kg01 come get ya boy 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Talen Horton-Tucker.

If my special lady friend catches me sayin: “Horton hears a who” tonight im sleeping on the couch .

 

2 hours ago, lethalweapon3 said:

can rely on teammates like Onyeka Okongwu to pile up the paint points and not get a game-winning, well-assisted layup blocked by a, ummm, point guard, Atlanta (4-6) can make quick amends from last night’s too-little, too-late loss in Motown.

 To quote Nate from Anger Management …

YOU GOTTA DUNK THAT $HIT!!!!

YOU GOTTA DUNK THAT $HIT!!!!

 

GOOSE OOOOOHHHHHSSSS BLAH BLAH!!!

Thanks @lethalweapon3 you always get us stretched out and ready to roll! My man! 
 

Go Hawks!!!

 

Edited November 9 by Spud2nique

[JayBirdHawk]

3 minutes ago, Peoriabird said:

So all of that Dre hate for absolutely no reason!

He's played 2 games.

Blame the Hawks for now being forthcoming. Personal is personal...I can live with that.

[Spud2nique]

18 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Maybe his girl had the baby?

 

 

Damn you’re good Burd! 
 

Maybe he had his…

Next post: DRE HAS A BABY  

 

Congrats Dre! 

[Dnice]

I hope their point doesn't dominate the boards like last game. 

[ShayD]

Vuc has been cooking this season. Lavine has been out a couple of games, he might return today. If Lavine is back Coby White gets more space and so the 3 point shooting could be a problem to cover. 

Also Bulls fans call Ayo Trae's dad, so I hope Trae is ready for him. Bulls defense is terrible so if Trae is not tired he should be able to dissect it with ease. Should not guard Giddey like he is a shooter, just try and prevent his playmaking and close down other shooters and the paint.

[Chrimturn]

Hoping for a better start tonight.  Cut down on the TO’s and a better effort on the DEF boards.  

Mathews had 26, 20, 30 min last 3 games.  Only had 5 FGA’s in each.  Was on fire against BOS but cooled off the last two.  Would like to see him take a few more shots.  

Edited November 10 by Chrimturn

[JayBirdHawk]

[ShayD]

Trae is putting in effort on defense? I like the chances this game.

[Peoriabird]

ok dude... stop shooting 3's