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Chicago Bulls Post-Game Grades Following Solid Victory Over Hornets

By Matthew Price

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The Chicago Bulls played well against the Charlotte Hornets tonight, finishing the season series with a win. Joakim Noah sat out with soreness, but Jimmy Butler returned from his elbow injury after missing all of the games so far this March. Led by Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol, the Bulls played well the entire time, never allowing the Hornets to come back. Additionally, the Bulls’ strong defensive effort combined with few turnovers throughout the game allowed them to win, 98-86. Every game down the stretch is important for Chicago because if they struggle, they could end up losing the third seed for the playoffs. Here are the post-game grades for the players on the Bulls:

Aaron Brooks – B+

Stat line: 13 points, 6-10 shooting, 10 assists, 1 rebound

Brooks did a great job throughout the game of facilitating the ball and scoring when the Bulls were struggling. His shot selection may be considered crazy to some, but to Bulls fans, his baby-hooks, floaters and high-arching shots are nothing new. He finished with a double-double, and is continuing to help out Chicago in each game. Brooks may not be Derrick Rose, but he has done a nice job as his replacement. And he should be a beast coming off the bench once the playoffs roll around.

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Jimmy Butler – B+

Stat line: 19 points, 9 rebounds, 6-20 shooting, 1 assist

Jimmy G. Buckets has finally returned! It’s good to see Butler coming back from injury so soon, because he still has about a month to return to his former level of play. Butler’s rust was definitely notable, most distinctively in his timing, where he had a lot of open opportunities and just couldn’t convert. He still managed to get to the free-throw line (he shot 7-10), played good defense and grabbed a lot of rebounds. As the playoffs get closer, Butler should only be getting better.

Mike Dunleavy – C

Stat line: 2 points, 1-4 shooting, 6 rebounds, 4 assists

Dunleavy had a poor night when it came to shooting the ball, but he played well in every other category. He was moving the ball well, spacing the floor, getting rebounds and shut down Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (he finished with 7 points on 2-8 shooting). Although Dunleavy’s scoring has been extremely inconsistent lately, his simple presence on the court helps the Bulls a considerable amount. We can only hope that Dunleavy’s shooting gets better over time, as Chicago’s 3-point shooting starts with him.

Pau Gasol – A

Stat line: 27 points, 11-19 shooting, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists

It was a fantastic all-around game for Gasol. His shooting was superb, and he has always taken advantage of Al Jefferson‘s hesitation to guard his 18-foot shots. Defensively, Pau finished with 4 blocked shots and forced Jefferson to have just 3 points on 1-for-7 shooting. Gasol’s play this season has been nothing short of extraordinary, and Bulls fans can only hope that his dominance continues once the playoffs begin!

Taj Gibson  – C

Stat line: 4 points, 1-5 shooting, 7 rebounds, 3 steals

In Chicago’s last game against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, Gibson played fantastic on the offensive end. Against the Hornets… not so much. He was trying to play physical in the post, but the shots simply weren’t falling for him and he eventually lost his confidence. However, Gibson made up for this with great play on defense: three steals, one block and seven boards. The Bulls held the Hornets to just 86 points, and Gibson was a big part of that.

Bench – A

Stat line: 33 points, 12-24 shooting, 11 rebounds

Normally when describing someone’s bench in the NBA, you talk about the entire team. This was definitely not the case tonight. Only three players came off the bench: Nikola Mirotic, Kirk Hinrich, and Tony Snell. Snell was non-existant, shooting just one field goal and not doing much on the floor. Hinrich played a solid 30 minutes off the bench. But “Threekola” Mirotic had yet another fantastic game. He scored 28 points on 10-19 shooting, grabbed 8 rebounds, and even had a poster dunk in the fourth quarter. Mirotic was the bench in tonight’s game, and he showed the world again that he is clutch when it matters most. He spaces the floor, has a superb head-fake, and can shoot from just about anywhere. Simply put, the bench consisted of Mirotic tonight, and he gave us a show.

Conclusion

It was a solid victory for Chicago, who had lost their last two games to the Hornets. Butler’s return sparked the entire team, and Butler was smiling throughout and encouraging everyone on the court. If his return helped the team play so much better, we can only wonder how well the Bulls will do once Derrick Rose returns from his torn meniscus. But until then, it’s up to Butler, Gasol and Noah to lead Chicago. Lastly, remember that Noah did not play in the game due to soreness, but the Bulls still got the W. Onward to the Raptors.

Next: Will Latest Loss for Chicago Be Motivating?

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