Another Big Win!

The Bulls are now 2-2 on this seven game west coast trip after beating Houston WITHOUT Joakim Noah. Just an extraordinary effort from everyone last night. John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich were stellar combining for 24 points and excellent defense. Taj grabbed 14 boards (although he was out of position a lot on defense). Tyrus had 6 blocks in only 23 minutes. And Derrick Rose was his normal all-star self notching 20 points on 14 shots. But the player of the game was Brad Miller who started in the place of Noah. Miller had a season high 25 points and hit shots from everywhere including going 2-2 on threes. He only grabbed 5 boards, but his last one was the biggest of the game. It came off of a missed Taj Gibson free throw with less than a minute to play and allowed Rose to hit the clinching floater. This game proved to me, that maybe Miller isn't done just yet. Maybe he will get his shooting percentage up and show the swagger that he showed in last years playoffs. No matter how you look at it, this was a huge win.

Bulls Notes:

I can't believe the Bulls lose when Salmons or Hinrich is out (LAC and GS) but wins when Noah is out against a far superior opponent (HOU). That just doesn't make sense, I guess this team really is only as good as it's Two Guard!

The Bulls offense in the first half was the best it's been all year. They ran when they could, ran plays for Deng in the half court, ran the occasional screen and roll, and moved the ball exceptionally well. Hence the 64 point first half. The second half was a whole other story. It seemed to me, the entire second half was in the half court and every play was a high screen and roll with either Hinrich at the point and Gibson setting the screen, or Rose at the point and either Gibson or MIller setting the screen. EVERY TIME! I mean for GODSAKE, WHAT IS GIBSON GOING TO DO WITH THE BALL 20 FEET FROM THE HOOP!? After about the third time, the Rockets just doubled our Point Guard, forced him to pass it and then he would eventually get it back at the top of the key with 8 seconds left on the shot clock. So basically the Bulls would waste 16 seconds just to get the ball right back where it started. Completely pointless! AND VDN NEVER CHANGED THE PLAY. Thank God Rose is a stud otherwise this would have been another loss we could 'choke' up to a crappy coach!

Other NBA Notes:

The NJ Nets have still only won 3 games and they are on pace to tie the 76ers record of only 9 wins on the season. It looks like the tanking for College Stud John Wall has started early this year!

I have one hope for the Western Conference Playoffs, that the Spurs finish with the four or five seed. Why you ask? Because I want them to have to play the Lakers in the second round. I don't think I can take a Conference Finals where either the Lakers or the Spurs will win. It will just be too sad to watch.

Amar'e Stoudemire said today that his decision to stay or leave Phoenix will be based on whether or not he thinks that team can win in the playoffs. First off, he's lying. Second off, if that's true, he's definitely leaving. The Suns will be lucky to make the playoffs this year and will have no shot at getting out of the first round!

As much as I am not a fan of the style the Blazers usually play, Nate McMillan has to be the favorite for coach of the year right now. The team is the fourth seed in the West and has lost almost every single impact player for at least a couple of games. The latest is All-Star Brandon Roy and yet the team keeps winning. I mean the Bulls can't win when Salmons sits out, imagine if Rose actually missed a game or two! Although, it has been reported that the change of style is due more to Andre Miller begging the Coach to turn him loose than anything else, but still.

There are going to be three teams in the West who end up with a record above .500 and yet still miss the playoffs. The funniest part about this, there are going to be 2 or 3 teams in the East that make into the playoffs with a record below .500.