Open Game Thread #53: Bulls at New Jersey Nets

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 20, 2008 5:54 PM CST in News

Man, it's been a long time since I was able to make the assuredly regrettable decision to set-aside time for Bulls basketball. (let alone the time to create a game thread...)

Are the Nets still the Bulls arch-nemesis now that Kidd and Skiles are gone?

The crown jewel of the Nets' haul from Dallas, Devin Harris, won't be back tonight or for a couple weeks after that. If the other guys play, the net result is Kidd, Allen, and Wright going out and Diop, Hassell, Mo Ager coming in. Also it means lots of minutes for Marcus Williams, which usually works out for the opponent.

The crown jewel of "discussion topics most likely to get BaB commenters calling eachother names", Ben Gordon, is reportedly back tonight as well. Deng is a maybe.

Between Gordon's return, Thabo's 'emergence', Boylan wanting guys to 'earn jobs back', Gordon's anointment as 'bench player earned and forever', I foresee 30 minutes for Chris Duhon. Lots of 3-guard lineups (at least with Thabo this time), meaning Tyrus Thomas gets his few ill-fitting minutes at the 3 pinched. Then Boylan will yarble some crap postgame about 'seeing other guys'.

Despite fearing all these things, I'm happy Ben Gordon's back.

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Let's get it started. Go Bulls!

I retain a bit more optimism than Matt for the second half of the season. Let's do this!

"it means lots of minutes for Marcus Williams, which usually works out for the opponent..." that is, unless the opponent is a laptop computer. Haha

by paxson43 on Feb 20, 2008 6:20 PM CST 0 recs

Boylan said

tonight that Lu will play but limited minutes. :-) I hope Kirk has earned his starting spot back.

by sue369 on Feb 20, 2008 6:22 PM CST 0 recs

I missed watching our Bulls

I am really looking forward to tonight's game.

by chgobr on Feb 20, 2008 6:28 PM CST 0 recs

Knicks are down 37-17

after the 1st period. They had 10 TOs. We think we have problems.

by chgobr on Feb 20, 2008 6:38 PM CST 0 recs

we do have problems

starting with the fact that in your first game after the all-star break, with everybody finally healthy, you come out totally flat.

come on bulls. a little life please.

by Freethefro on Feb 20, 2008 6:52 PM CST up 0 recs

4 TO's in 3 minutes

wow

by Bass on Feb 20, 2008 6:47 PM CST 0 recs

And 5 TO's in 3.5 minutes

That'll be a nice total for 48...

by Bass on Feb 20, 2008 6:52 PM CST up 0 recs

what an ugly game

"YES,WE CAN!"-B.OBAMA.

by Azabullsfan on Feb 20, 2008 6:54 PM CST 0 recs

Please take

Ben Wallace out! He sucks!

by Bulls4Ever on Feb 20, 2008 6:56 PM CST 0 recs

Good to see

Deng and Gordon back. To bad its Sefo is about to go back into his shell. Fire Boylan

by Bulls4Ever on Feb 20, 2008 6:57 PM CST 0 recs

Very funny comment by the Nets commentator

in reference to Boylan's substitution pattern:

"That's the trouble with jumping out to a lead against the Bulls. Then they put in Ben Gordon and Luol Deng."

And in case you think that's some dweeb who doesn't know basketball, it was Marc Jackson who said it.

by Freethefro on Feb 20, 2008 6:59 PM CST 0 recs

Gordon

and hinrich cant cover VC. Gordon creates so many problems for us defensively

by Bulls4Ever on Feb 20, 2008 7:01 PM CST 0 recs

The Corpse is being showcased. I'm hoping

he plays well.

by chgobr on Feb 20, 2008 7:01 PM CST 0 recs

I'm crossing

everything I have it's his last game with the Bulls

by Bass on Feb 20, 2008 7:06 PM CST up 0 recs

Noah

finally in the game but the corpse still in. ugh

by Bulls4Ever on Feb 20, 2008 7:01 PM CST 0 recs

Carter stopped by TT

on a last sec of Q

"YES,WE CAN!"-B.OBAMA.

by Azabullsfan on Feb 20, 2008 7:08 PM CST 0 recs

BG

looks like crap, lets get sefo back in.

by Bulls4Ever on Feb 20, 2008 7:13 PM CST 0 recs

Bulls would be in great shape

if VC wasn't driving by everybody. And why Duhon????????
There's only rotation mins for three at the guard pos. C'mon Boylan!!!!!!!! He ain't gonna stop VC neither!!!!!!!

Now maybe that's out of my system, sorry all. Oh yeah, the blur-vision on YES / LPass sucks, too.

by marionette on Feb 20, 2008 7:14 PM CST 0 recs

Bulls should blow this team out

"YES,WE CAN!"-B.OBAMA.

by Azabullsfan on Feb 20, 2008 7:16 PM CST 0 recs

YES WE CAN!!!!

by chgobr on Feb 20, 2008 7:55 PM CST up 0 recs

Great to see Tyrus with such confidence

He's getting to the line, blocking shots and creating havoc. 4 points, 2 blks in 5 minutes! Boylan better sit him down for the rest of the half. Ben Wallace needs to come back in.

by Old Skool Sloan on Feb 20, 2008 7:21 PM CST 0 recs

aaron

needs to go. Get J Smith back in.

by Bulls4Ever on Feb 20, 2008 7:22 PM CST 0 recs

Gray's late help D

bruising RJeff, but I like it! Hurt some bodies out there.

Sean Williams had been getting away with a lot (grabs/holds) before that call on TT.

by marionette on Feb 20, 2008 7:22 PM CST 0 recs

atta boy

That's my guy...I love that no matter what is going on, Aaron Gray is happy and a brick wall for opponents.

And the starting line up for your world champion Chicago Bulls. . .

by AGBallinisaHabit on Feb 20, 2008 8:13 PM CST up 0 recs

Gaurd

play toniht is not good

by Bulls4Ever on Feb 20, 2008 7:23 PM CST 0 recs

Um, why

was TT pulled? He was 5/6 on the free throw line!

by T2fan on Feb 20, 2008 7:25 PM CST 0 recs

That's the eternal mystery

of the universe.

by marionette on Feb 20, 2008 7:27 PM CST up 0 recs

ok, he's back

yeay!

by T2fan on Feb 20, 2008 7:31 PM CST up 0 recs

I love how Gordon

is going to have to work his way back into the line-up.

11 mins already.

Tied with Hinrich for the most mins.

Stupid

by Ed on Feb 20, 2008 7:26 PM CST 0 recs

Gordon might wanna go ahead and

play some defense now.

LSU 38 OHIO STATE 24 - LSU IS THE NATIONAL CHAMPION AND I AM THE KING OF BOURBON STREET!!

by 1958ChiTown on Feb 20, 2008 7:27 PM CST 0 recs

Do the Bulls realize they are 10 games under five

hundred and need to, ya' know, play well now?

LSU 38 OHIO STATE 24 - LSU IS THE NATIONAL CHAMPION AND I AM THE KING OF BOURBON STREET!!

by 1958ChiTown on Feb 20, 2008 7:31 PM CST 0 recs

Lots of nice blocks by TT this half.

Luol is making some good plays as well.

LSU 38 OHIO STATE 24 - LSU IS THE NATIONAL CHAMPION AND I AM THE KING OF BOURBON STREET!!

by 1958ChiTown on Feb 20, 2008 7:35 PM CST 0 recs

New York's losing by 40

"Jerome James PER.. is 46.68... Do that trade now! Screw Horford, we don't need him. Jerome is a monster!!!!!!!!!" - BNeL21

by NittanyBull on Feb 20, 2008 7:36 PM CST 0 recs

It is up to 50

by chgobr on Feb 20, 2008 7:56 PM CST up 0 recs

Deng needs to get his mid range jump shot back

He was rusty even before the injury

by RogersPark Kris on Feb 20, 2008 7:40 PM CST 0 recs

It's very disappointng that we are losing this

game to a depleted NJ squad that is in the midst of completing a major trade.

LSU 38 OHIO STATE 24 - LSU IS THE NATIONAL CHAMPION AND I AM THE KING OF BOURBON STREET!!

by 1958ChiTown on Feb 20, 2008 7:40 PM CST 0 recs

Duhon was in

about 8 minutes too long.

by sue369 on Feb 20, 2008 7:49 PM CST 0 recs

And the exclamation to the first half

was Carter splitting both Hinrich and Deng at the buzzer for a 3...

Kidd gone, same old results.
Has all the makings of 13 in a row tonight...

Is it spring training yet?

by Bluelou on Feb 20, 2008 7:57 PM CST up 0 recs

I enjoyed watching before the break...

It was much more interesting watching the rookies out there competing and filling in for the regular starters. Their play represented promise for the future. Frankly, the starters don't appear to be getting any better..... not just tonight, but all season.

by BiNgO on Feb 20, 2008 7:52 PM CST 0 recs

Lakers-Suns is starting

Time for some real basketball teams to play.

by Big D on Feb 20, 2008 8:00 PM CST 0 recs

I'd bet that Kobe is SOOO glad

"the trade that didn't happen", didn't happen.

Is it spring training yet?

by Bluelou on Feb 20, 2008 8:02 PM CST up 0 recs

I love Phil's remark on Shaq

"He's just gonna inbound the ball, while the 4 other players play basketball."

by Ed on Feb 20, 2008 8:04 PM CST up 0 recs

Bwahaha!

I hadn't heard that one! LOL

Is it spring training yet?

by Bluelou on Feb 20, 2008 8:06 PM CST up 0 recs

Muahahaha!

by BiNgO on Feb 20, 2008 8:17 PM CST up 0 recs

T2's line

I dont get this...Tyrus has 5pts, 2 rbs, 4 asts, 1 stl, 3 blks and 0 TOs. How is he still -5 in the +/- stats????

0-2 0-0 5-6 -6 2 2 4 0 1 3 0 0 5

by DarthSidius on Feb 20, 2008 8:13 PM CST 0 recs

+- takes what the other team does into account

Goodbye Viktor, and Godspeed.

by bullshooter on Feb 20, 2008 8:22 PM CST up 0 recs

I hate Wallace

so, so much. Great job getting T'ed up, you jerk

"Jerome James PER.. is 46.68... Do that trade now! Screw Horford, we don't need him. Jerome is a monster!!!!!!!!!" - BNeL21

by NittanyBull on Feb 20, 2008 8:13 PM CST 0 recs

Looks like Wall-ass is up to his same BS

yelling at the ref and getting a technical...

Looks like the Bulls are stuck with him....oh....joy...

Is it spring training yet?

by Bluelou on Feb 20, 2008 8:15 PM CST 0 recs

Nice block there Shaq!

by RogersPark Kris on Feb 20, 2008 8:15 PM CST 0 recs

These refs

are horrible

by Ed on Feb 20, 2008 8:15 PM CST 0 recs

They are a crew of goat blowers

by BiNgO on Feb 20, 2008 8:21 PM CST up 0 recs

just saw Piatkowski on the Suns bench

wonder where he likes better?
Let's see....
Cold town, shitty team, dumb ass coach(s)...
OR
Warm desert, solid WINNING team, good coach...

Hmmm....

Is it spring training yet?

by Bluelou on Feb 20, 2008 8:24 PM CST 0 recs

Great effort by Noah and Thabo on that last series

That is the kind of energy on D they bring.

by BiNgO on Feb 20, 2008 8:29 PM CST 0 recs

did Noc start the second half?

I don't remember him out there.

Goodbye Viktor, and Godspeed.

by bullshooter on Feb 20, 2008 8:29 PM CST 0 recs

probably because he sat down

with 4 fouls

Is it spring training yet?

by Bluelou on Feb 20, 2008 8:37 PM CST up 0 recs

Joshh Boone 14 rebounds. Wallace sucks

by joemoses on Feb 20, 2008 8:33 PM CST 0 recs

Wow! Noah on the boards! Great effort!

by BiNgO on Feb 20, 2008 8:37 PM CST 0 recs

this lineup played lousy

then put a nice run together, then gave it right back up.

Goodbye Viktor, and Godspeed.

by bullshooter on Feb 20, 2008 8:48 PM CST 0 recs

Where in the hell

is Hinrich?

by Ed on Feb 20, 2008 8:48 PM CST 0 recs

on the floor

I realize his lack of accuracy makes it hard to see him out there...

Is it spring training yet?

by Bluelou on Feb 20, 2008 8:52 PM CST up 0 recs

NJ vs CHI starters

All 5 of New Jersey's starters are now in the game, attempting to close things out. By contrast, only 2 of our starters are in during crunch time. I'm not sure exactly what that says, but somewhere (either at the beginning or end) we're not playing our most effective players.
My guess is its a little of both with Duhon playing now and Wallace starting (but Hinrich hasn't played so well).
Scratch that, Hinrich in and Thomas out. Shoot me.

by Old Skool Sloan on Feb 20, 2008 8:50 PM CST 0 recs

Bull starters are not their most effective players

They seem stagnant with Wallace in this whole season. Tonite, when Noah has been in they sizzle. With Wallace in they fizzle. Thabo's size presents mismatch situations offensively and defensively that the Bull's need to exploit. Especially when it is clear that Gordon is not 100%.

by BiNgO on Feb 20, 2008 8:59 PM CST up 0 recs