Derrick Rose, Bulls Power Past Timberwolves 111-100
By Josh Hill
Bulls 111 ,Timberwolves 100 — FINAL
MINNEAPOLIS — The Bulls came out guns blazing to start the game but then something strange happened. The Minnesota Timberwolves actually came back in the second quarter and sliced a 24 point deficit down to a mere 6 points on a 20-3 run at end the half.
Derrick Rose left the game for most of the second quarter with an ankle injury but he returned to help lead the Bulls. But it wasn’t an easy journey of the Bulls who saw their once dominant lead slowly be eaten away at by an offensive attack of Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio and Anthony Randolph.
The Bulls murdered themselves with turnovers and stupid decisions that allowed the Wolves to get back into the game numerous times, even having the game toed at one point.
But the Bulls eventually pulled away from the Wolves but not at the pace or with the ease that was expected. Rose finished with 31 points and 11 assists which powered Chicago to their ninth win of the season.
Luol Deng was one of the Bulls players who came out sluggish in the second quarter but he kicked it into gear down the stretch to finish with 21 points and 11 rebounds marking a double-double by both Rose and Deng tonight.
One reason the Bulls struggled to close out the Wolves was the bench play by Minnesota. The Wolves bench outscored the Mob 52-27 with Ricky Rubio and Anthony Randolph coming off the bench to score 31 points combined.
Kevin Love finished with 20 points and his string of threes in the second boosted the Wolves back into the game. He became a non-factor down the stretch of the game however but where Love lulled, Luke Ridnour posted up 22 points in a stellar performance. The Wolves are
an improving team and any debate to how good Ricky Rubio is was put to rest against the Bulls.
On the Bulls end, one thing that is becoming troublesome is the absence of Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer on the court in the last five minutes of the game. Both were benched yet again when it was crunch time and if this becomes a thing and a common occurrence then it will be very interesting to see how all parties react as the season wares on.
Chicago had 18 turnovers which resulted in 28 of the Timberwolves final 100 points and that’s another issue to monitor. The Wolves are an improving team but they’re not a championship caliber team, not the way the Bulls are supposed to be. If the Hawks after three straight draining games can torch you and the Wolves after two back-to-back long East Coast trips take you down and make you sweat, that’s a problem.
Speaking of three game stretches, the Bulls will have their third straight game in as many days tomorrow when they host the Washington Wizards tomorrow back home in Chicago. The Wizards are a terrible team who unlike the Wolves, aren’t improving and are drowning their promise in scary stupid basketball.
Richard Hamilton was a scratch today and never entered the game. Although his offense wasn’t missed in the first quarter, he hasn’t had time to shine this year. Even though he’s being rested for more time down the stretch of the season, it would be nice to see him give a little productivity to this Bulls team that had another close call against a tired team.
Bulls get the Wizards tomorrow night in downtown Chicago at the United Center at 7pm.