Guest Sports Blogger, Dave Daniels: The Bulls Lose First Home Game to Indiana Pacers

by Dave Daniels

The Bulls were out-rebounded for only the 4th time this year, and Derrick Rose’s second game back from turf toe was soured by the Bulls first  home loss. Tom Thibodeau was not pleased with their play overall:  “As soon as you start feeling good about yourself, you get knocked on your a*s.”

He was happy with the last play, however:  “Derrick in the open floor. You know, made the right play, I thought he made the right play. And the help was there, they collapsed. Scalabrine open corner three. Make or miss league. We miss.” Thibodeau was less happy with their overall play on defense.

“You got to be ready from the start. Desperation in the fourth quarter, more effort. That effort’s got to be there from the start of the game.”

Rose felt similar about the last shot, and it would have been hard to get a better look  than a wide-open three. The Bulls prefer a Kyle Korver three, but would have settled with Scalabrine for the win.  ” I think it was a good shot. At the time, I thought I didn’t have a shot. And I think I made the right play, If anything I’m gonna learn from it. We’re gonna learn from it as a team. We’re gonna try to not put our self in this position anymore. Put teams away early.” That will be the key for the Bulls moving forward, giving 100 percent effort the whole game, because they are not as talented offensively as other teams in the league, but the area where they can even the gap is their effort on the defensive side.

You could tell that Luol Deng, their best perimeter defender, was missed. Paul George and Danny Granger did what ever they wanted in the third quarter, repeatedly dunking the ball, penetrating the lane, and swishing open jumpers. His scoring was missed as well in a game where the Bulls had trouble with their jumpshot. But mostly, it is his lock-down perimeter defense that made the difference between a win and a loss tonight. Despite Derrick Rose’s best efforts.

Ronnie Brewer added, “D. Rose is D. Rose. Guy was open. You know he makes plays for himself and plays for others. It shows his unselfishness, that he made a play. Guy was wide open in the corner. He coulda took a shot with a guy on him, or he could of passed the ball to a wide-open person. He passed it to a wide-open person. Who had a great shot. He works on that shot every day. So, it’s a good shot, unfortunately it didn’t go in for him.”

It didn’t go in tonight for the Bulls, and if they keep leaning on Brian Scalabrine, a lot more will not go in for them.