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There are many ways I could go with this recap. I could go with the Bulls meeting their “brother” Luol Deng for the first time since the big trade. I could go with Taj Gibson going for a career high 26 points filling in for Carlos Boozer who was out with a calf injury. I could talk about the Bulls leapfrogging the Wizards in the Leastern Conference standings. I could talk about Joakim Noah grabbing 18 rebounds while putting Anderson Varejao on the news dunking on his head. But I won’t. I’m going to send a strong message to the Bulls front office. Pick up the phone, call DJ Augustin’s agent and sign this dude to a multi-year deal. NOW! NOT NOW, BUT RIGHT NOW!
Let me preface this by saying, my colleague, Candice Connell wrote an article saying that the Bulls should resign him for next season. She is very polite and well spoken. I recommend you read it after reading this. However, I’m not known for bedside manner. The Bulls will show fans how serious they are about building a “Championship” team based on what they do with this guy in the coming days. Kirk Hinrich will be out for a while with a hamstring injury. They signed Mike James for the 395th time this season to a 10 day contract. They have nobody else. Sign DJ Augustin! NOW!
DJ Augustin finally gets the start with the injury to Kirk Hinrich which I have been begging for since I started at FanSided, and goes off for 27 points seven assists and five rebounds. He battled Kyrie Irving aka “Uncle Drew” to a standstill. Irving is going to the All-Star game people! What else does Augustin have to do to get a deal? Pippen Peoples, I’ll tell you this…If DJ isn’t signed to a deal in the coming days, Bulls management is trying to tank. Believe it. Mark my words, just like Kyle Korver, Marco Bellinelli, CJ Watson and Nate Robinson, somebody is going to offer this dude a deal. If the Bulls aren’t careful, Augustin will walk. Trust me!
On to the recap. Taj Gibson tore into the Cleveland Cavaliers going for a career high 26 points while filling in for an injured Carlos Boozer. He did this shooting 11-15 from the floor with five rebounds and three blocks. This shouldn’t be a surprise considering he averages 16.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in his starts this season. Here is a surprise…this is his 5th 20 point game this season. He tallied five 20 points games in four SEASONS prior. This is why Boozer is always on the hook for being an amnesty case. Joakim Noah is just grown. Nothing else to be said, just a grown man. He scored nine points, grabbed 18 rebounds and dishes out six assists. He has a career high in consecutive games with double figure rebounds with 14. We’re getting into Dennis Rodman range Pippen Peoples. Mike Dunleavy continues with his consistent play with 22 points.
Luol Deng finished with 11 points but only shot 2-11 from the field. Playing games like this can go two ways. One way things can happen is when a player comes out and destroys his old team and receives a little revenge for one night. You just knew that it wouldn’t happen tonight when he went over and hugged Tom Thibodeau and a few other coaches before the game. Call me old school but this should have never happened. Joakim Noah was going to go out and destroy the dude then take him to dinner AFTERWARDS. Deng could not get untracked and it really showed that he was hurt by being traded. Hopefully he can move on and play better and not pull a “Lamar Odom” on the Cavs because they really want him.
The Bulls are now over .500 at 21-20. Furthermore with the Washington Wizards losing in overtime at home to the Boston Celtics, the Bulls are in 5th place in the Leastern Conference standings. They are tied in the loss column with the fourth seeded Toronto Raptors and one game behind the third seeded Atlanta Hawks. Pippen Peoples if you don’t pay attention to anything I’ve said in this article, pay attention to this. The coaches have done their part. The players have done their part. The question of who wants to win lies with management. They will start answering questions if they sign DJ Augustin…NOW!