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Open Game Thread #60: Bulls vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Tiny by Big D on

[Editor's note: Thanks to Big D for today's game preview. The Griz should be the cure for what ails ya. You'd hope. -Matt]

The Bulls will face the Los Angeles Lakers' farm team tonight, when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies (7:30 CST, Comcast SportsNet).  OK, maybe that's a little harsh, but Chris Wallace does deserve a championship ring if the Lakers win it all.

If the Bulls can't beat this team, I don't know who the hell they're going to be able to beat.  The Grizzlies have lost 8 straight games, 7 of which have been by double figures.  They did manage to lose one game by less than 10 points - they only lost by 7 to the Sonics.  Of course, they did blow out the Bulls on MLK Day (before the Pau Gasol trade), so I have a hard time assuming that this Bulls team will beat anyone.

As bad as the Bulls have played lately, one of the few bright spots has been Tyrus Thomas.  Since the Ben Wallace trade, his per-40 minute averages have 18.3 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.25 blocks.  Granted, it's only been 6 games, so it's a small sample size, but maybe it means we should see some more of him in a larger sample size.  As long as the Bulls have a steamy turd of a coach, though (those are Matt's words, not mine), I'm not counting on it.

Blogging with the Enemy:
Beale Street Blues
3 Shades of Blue

After tonight, the Bulls' next four games are home against Cleveland, at Boston, at Detroit, and home against Utah.  So in other words, they might want to win tonight, or they may be completely out of playoff contention (even in the East!) a week from now.  If they do lose, though, at least we know Larry Hughes won't mind.

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Ow man
"The Bulls will face the Los Angeles Lakers' farm team tonight"

Thats classic!

by Bulls4Ever on Mar 4, 2008 4:55 PM CST   0 recs

Well
if we loose tonight I hope they play Ave maria after the game so we'll get the full feeling of a funeral. Which is kind of how this season has felt.

here's a nice sample!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uYrmYXsujI&feature=related

by Bulls4Ever on Mar 4, 2008 4:59 PM CST   0 recs

Ave Maria is not a funeral song
It's traditionally sung during the Christmas season - it's a hymn to Mary:

Ave Maria! Ave Maria! maiden mild!
Listen to a maiden's prayer!
Thou canst hear though from the wild,
Thou canst save amid despair.
Safe may we sleep beneath thy care,
Though banish'd, outcast and reviled -
Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, hear a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!

Ave Maria! undefiled!
The flinty couch we now must share
Shall seem this down of eider piled,
If thy protection hover there.
The murky cavern's heavy air
Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled;
Then, Maiden! hear a maiden's prayer;
Mother, list a suppliant child!
Ave Maria!

Ave Maria! stainless styled!
Foul demons of the earth and air,
From this their wonted haunt exiled,
Shall flee before thy presence fair.
We bow us to our lot of care,
Beneath thy guidance reconciled;
Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer,
And for a father hear a child!
Ave Maria!

No one, of course, sings it in English, but only in the beautiful dead latin language.  

by KT on Mar 4, 2008 6:19 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Honestly
I'm at the point where I hope Boylan plays Gooden and Hughes as much as possible and play Noah and Thomas as least as possible and wanna see this team lose every game now.

I'm jumping for the Chad Ford mock draft fun.

Even if they can't get a top 3 pick, I want them to at least have a high enough pick to be valuable in trades.

Go get em' Boylan!

by Option27 on Mar 4, 2008 5:08 PM CST   0 recs

I'm going out on a limb
and predicting a Bulls loss tonight, simply because it would fit in with the rest of the year.
...Just about every team they shoulda beat, they lost to...and vise versa.
And the Griz are now without Gasol - so the Bulls SHOULD beat them.

Cool thing is, Gasol and his new-love Lakers are on after the Bulls, for those with NBALP.
I'm settled in for a great night of basketball.

Spring training....FINALLY!!

by Bluelou on Mar 4, 2008 6:14 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I'd rather play the Lottery game on ESPN
Then watch the Bulls come up short once again that make me want to throw things at TVs.  
Dickey Simpkins>Ben Wallace

by Ozzie Montana on Mar 4, 2008 5:15 PM CST   0 recs

Nice preview
Also, kudos to Matt for including that blog entry from The Association.  I saw that this afternoon and though, "That HAS to be included in tonight's preview."

Those per 40 numbers for Ty are pretty fantastic.  God I hope he gets a chance to play without Boylan's Insta-Leash engaged.  

Please let the Bulls have some pride and avenge their last meeting with the Grizz when Stro Swift alley-ooped on them approximately 40 times.

by paxson43 on Mar 4, 2008 5:21 PM CST   0 recs

I'm not a big fan of that blog
but that entry was certainly fitting.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 4, 2008 6:15 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Prediction
We get out to a huge lead and by late 3rd to mid 4th quarter the Memphis makes a run but we squeak out a win by 5. 103-98 BULLS WIN (hopefully)

by eross226 on Mar 4, 2008 6:23 PM CST   0 recs

Memphis - the LA farm team - I love it
After the Washington game anything is possible.  I root for the lottery pick but need a win for my fragile psyche.

by chgobr on Mar 4, 2008 6:25 PM CST   0 recs

They rallied again after the win against Chicago
It was this game, against the Hornets. It was a close match throughout most of the game, but they just let loose during the 4th quarter
"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 Mar 4, 2008 7:04 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I would just
love to see this team have a lead at half time and actually keep it through the second half. Doesn't happen much but would be nice.

by sue369 on Mar 4, 2008 6:50 PM CST   0 recs

I know and
I also get the Grizzlie announcers tonight but at least I get to see it.

by sue369 on Mar 4, 2008 7:13 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

how many PGs do the grizz have
JCN, conley, foye, crittenton....am i forgetting anyone?

by milesgmsu on Mar 4, 2008 8:03 PM CST   0 recs

foye??
he's on the t-wolves.  I think you meant Lowry.  
"I took a couple of bad shots," Gordon said

by BNeL21 on Mar 4, 2008 9:07 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Excuse me while
I whine. I hate it when CSN has the Bulls game on CSN+. It's alwyas blocked out in my area and NBALP is blocked out too. Dammit!!! It will be rebroadcast at 2 a.m....great. I am able to listen to it but it's not the same.

by sue369 on Mar 4, 2008 8:10 PM CST   0 recs

NBALP is blocked out too
I'm getting it on 754, directv.
Isn't that what you have?
Spring training....FINALLY!!

by Bluelou on Mar 4, 2008 8:28 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

It's blocked
out in my area.

by sue369 on Mar 4, 2008 8:42 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Skeleton crew on BAB tonight...
Everyone must be tuned into CNN.

by paxson43 on Mar 4, 2008 8:12 PM CST   0 recs

Kirk with
back to back 3's.

by sue369 on Mar 4, 2008 8:13 PM CST   0 recs

Gail Fisher
took a page out of Michelle Tafoya's book on choking in-game interviews...that was brutal.

anyone else think crittenton would be the #2 guard on the bulls if he changed teams?

by Noce1184 on Mar 4, 2008 8:22 PM CST   0 recs

no way
he'd be the fifth

by Freethefro on Mar 4, 2008 8:24 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

he's having a terrific game
but this is unusual.  and our defense, as usual, is ass.

by Freethefro on Mar 4, 2008 8:25 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

OK I admit
I was exaggerating a little bit but he does look good tonight...

ps I would have lost it if Brian Cardinal made that last second shot at the end of the 1st quarter...that would have been the icing on the cake to all the crap they've let up this season

by Noce1184 on Mar 4, 2008 8:29 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

yup, he looks great
as did Travis Diener.  ;)

by Freethefro on Mar 4, 2008 8:31 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Travis Deiner is great
all basketball players from Wisconsin are great.  That's what the Bulls need - a player from Wisconsin like Caron Butler or Devin Harris.  

Spree can stay hidden on his yacht though.

by KT on Mar 4, 2008 8:43 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

wow
nobody on here tonight.  How'd they start?
Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 4, 2008 8:31 PM CST   0 recs

Started out ugly....now they are pulling away
before half..... OMG! The Luvabulls look good tonite.

by BiNgO on Mar 4, 2008 8:35 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

This game feels odd
nobody on BaB...winning...but dispirited.

by Freethefro on Mar 4, 2008 8:36 PM CST   0 recs

Who is this Hinrich?
I'm almost sure is not the same who played against wizards and cavs... :D :D

by bull83 on Mar 4, 2008 8:36 PM CST   0 recs

Where's Tyrus?
Why can't TT and Noah ever play for longer than 3 minutes at a time?

...can we set the record for most shot clock violations tonight too? that'd be funny as hell.

by Noce1184 on Mar 4, 2008 8:38 PM CST   0 recs

brilliant interaction between Noc and BG
geesh
Spring training....FINALLY!!

by Bluelou on Mar 4, 2008 8:39 PM CST   0 recs

What the heck was Gordon doing?
He had time to shoot that, then he mimes a shot at Nocioni?  Good riddance.  That's what he was waving.  

by Freethefro on Mar 4, 2008 8:39 PM CST   0 recs

I wouldn't want to play with this bunch either
Gordon could've hucked up a shot but you could tell he was completely off guard. I think it was because any teammate of Nocioni isn't used to him passing :-p

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 4, 2008 8:41 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

yup
Noc has finally rid himself of that nasty tendency to "over-think" on the floor, and by over-think, he meant "not shoot."

Gordon's out of here, and I don't blame him for wanting greener pastures.  We've jerked him around quite a bit - as we're doing now with T2 - I just hope we don't depress his value to the point where we can't get anything in return.  

Oy.  This team is a mess.

by Freethefro on Mar 4, 2008 8:51 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Got to love
the 18 point lead at the half.  Hopefully we keep it this time.

by jpchi on Mar 4, 2008 8:40 PM CST   0 recs

FIrst half doesn't count for anything
it's all about how they play in the second half and whether or not they collapse.  Plus, this is the only game they are likely to win this week.
Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 4, 2008 8:41 PM CST   0 recs

I agree
a great first half only sets the stage for a more spectacular collapse.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 4, 2008 8:42 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

That's what
I'm afraid of.

by sue369 on Mar 4, 2008 8:44 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

ok, Tyrus looked bad tonight
but why pull him after his 2nd foul? Like Boylan will play him long enough in the 2nd half to get four more?

Hinrich really saved them in the 2nd quarter, you could feel the scoring drought coming on.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 4, 2008 8:43 PM CST   0 recs

if they maintain the lead
hopefully TT gets significant clock and they can "rest" Gooden for the rest of the week...
Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 4, 2008 8:49 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

All of our
players have +'s and all of their players have -'s.

by sue369 on Mar 4, 2008 8:50 PM CST   0 recs

who are these putzes on the memphis feed?
these guys should be doing the Middle Tennessee State game...
Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 4, 2008 8:51 PM CST   0 recs

judging from the quality of the basketball
they might be.  ;)

by Freethefro on Mar 4, 2008 8:54 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Hey, Boylan, no matter how badly you
beat Memphis, you're still not an NBA coach. Drew Gooden isn't going to save you.

Start playing the young guys and stop worrying about your sad little career. It's over. It should have been aborted before it had a chance to stain the franchise and the league.

7 minutes for Tyrus. Jesus.

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

by 1958ChiTown on Mar 4, 2008 8:57 PM CST   0 recs

Agreed Boylan is not NBA coach, but Skiles refused
to play Noah and TT received limited time.  At least there is no more Napolean complexed coach.

by BiNgO on Mar 4, 2008 9:03 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Wow
Kirk clapping it up and playing hard...i love it.

Haha Tyrus would have dunked that harder than Gooden just did for sure.

by Noce1184 on Mar 4, 2008 9:01 PM CST   0 recs

It's funny
but I am pissed off they are playing this well.  Why does this only happen once every three or four games?
Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 4, 2008 9:01 PM CST   0 recs

I know what you're saying,
although I'm feeling more disgusted than pissed off.

by alec on Mar 4, 2008 9:03 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Dude, its memphis!
Thats why we look good.
LSU 38 OHIO STATE 24 - LSU IS THE NATIONAL CHAMPION AND I AM THE KING OF BOURBON STREET!!

by 1958ChiTown on Mar 4, 2008 9:04 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

And...
... against a team that doesn't play sheet. I want to see them play like this against tha cavs, not the grizzlies

by bull83 on Mar 4, 2008 9:04 PM CST   0 recs

Noah just showed gimpy-Deng
how to finish at the hoop.
Spring training....FINALLY!!

by Bluelou on Mar 4, 2008 9:04 PM CST   0 recs

What if Boylan
didn't "rest" his starters and let them actually play and try some things on the court at game speed? Maybe they'll start to figure each other out and maybe win more than 1 in a row...

by Noce1184 on Mar 4, 2008 9:05 PM CST   0 recs

Why does Noah insist on shooting mid-range Js?
It looks like he's throwing his arms up in celebration
"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 Mar 4, 2008 9:08 PM CST   0 recs

WTF
saving those Tyrus fouls for later, I guess. Like Thursday.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 4, 2008 9:15 PM CST   0 recs

And I've seen just about enough
of Gooden's lousy shot selections...
and misses.

Don't look now, but the 30 pt. lead is down to 13

Spring training....FINALLY!!

by Bluelou on Mar 4, 2008 9:17 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

You mean the Gooden that just saved 2 turnovers
into points--ie the Gordon throw off the top of the backboard that Gooden put in?

by nobullishbasketball on Mar 4, 2008 9:21 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

lol
I bet Boylan is saving those fouls for the playoffs where Tyrus would have banked at least thirty and can play a full game.

by cranscape on Mar 4, 2008 9:43 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Don't you know?!
They roll over now.
"2nd half Ben Gordon bonanza. It's coming :)" - Matt, Blog-A-Bull

by Goostafer on Mar 4, 2008 10:06 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

LUOL DENG WITH A MONSTER GAME SO FAR!!!
If only he could do this every night.  THEN I'd be on the Deng bandwagon.  But once again, he plays a great all around game...against a poor team.  Where was this game Sunday against LeBron James???  I just looked at Luol Deng's game log on ESPN.com and this guy simply doesn't bring it against the better teams.  Of course there are a few games where he has (In December he had 26 pts against the Lakers and 21 pts against Houston), but for the most part Deng is no better than an average performer in big games!!!

by lexdiamonds0730 on Mar 4, 2008 9:17 PM CST   0 recs

Look up the logs from last year's playoffs
when he was healthy and in shape.  

by Freethefro on Mar 4, 2008 9:21 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

OK, he had a great...
...series against Miami.  Absolutely fantastic! But let's be honest.  Miami was horrible.  Against Detroit, he had about 2 1/2 good games (game 3, game 4 and game 5 could be considered decent because we won).  But he shot terribly and was nowhere to be found during impact moments of the game in games 1,5, and 6).  Hell, quite honestly although he posted decent numbers, he didn't play very well in game 3 either.

But that was last year...before he thought he was worth more than 50 million for 5 years (that 10 million per year is about what Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups make and I'd take either of those guys over him because they are both better players and they actually matter when the game gets close).

by lexdiamonds0730 on Mar 4, 2008 9:35 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

By the way.....
... here is the link to the 2006-2007 log for Luol Deng.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/fc/pgl.cgi?player=denglu01&year=2007

I too was fooled by Deng.  I thought he was going to be a superstar after that Miami series, but he came back to earth during the Detroit series (averaged a more modest 19.5ppg and 8.5rpg which is nothing world beating).  The more I watch him the more I see he doesn't have that killer instinct that stars and real winners have.  He's just a nice guy who is a nice player.

by lexdiamonds0730 on Mar 4, 2008 9:39 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Good! Lose!
I want to play the ESPN draft lottery machine with higher odds.  :-O

by Freethefro on Mar 4, 2008 9:18 PM CST   0 recs

haha, oh man
30 down to 13. Don't worry, Boylan's solidified the defense with the Noc/Gooden frontcourt.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 4, 2008 9:18 PM CST   0 recs

I don't think that was the change
that caused them to lose the lead...
Baby Bulls II?

by bullshooter on Mar 4, 2008 9:20 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

uh, no
I'm saying that lost lead or not, it's not a good idea.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Mar 4, 2008 9:21 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

your right
they just do it every game they have a lead.
Spring training....FINALLY!!

by Bluelou on Mar 4, 2008 9:22 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

LOL Red
Please keep calling him "Dwight" Gooden...It's funny every time.

by Noce1184 on Mar 4, 2008 9:19 PM CST   0 recs

Thabo
Did they say he was out for the game tonight? I thought he was a gametime decision?

by Noce1184 on Mar 4, 2008 9:20 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Thabo's groinage is lingering
possible a few more games was the Sportsnite report.
Spring training....FINALLY!!

by Bluelou on Mar 4, 2008 9:23 PM CST to parent up