| |
|
Bulls excel despite rough schedule
By Maria Macatangay
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 01 Apr 2012
CHICAGO -- No thanks to a labor strike that locked out the league and shortened this season to 66 games in 127 days, all NBA teams have had their share of woes, sometimes playing three games in three nights.
But no team has had a more difficult schedule than the Chicago Bulls, who started their first four games away from home, a California swing that saw them tangle with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings and the LA Clippers.
And in one especially brutal winter stretch, the Bulls played nine consecutive road games beginning in Miami on January 29 and ending in Boston in February 12.
The frenetic pace with which these games were being played, with lots of travel and little rest in between, have eventually taken a toll on the team's health.
MVP Derrick Rose has missed 19 games with ankle and groin injuries. His back-up, point guard C.J. Watson, has been sidelined for 17 games mostly due to a bum ankle while Luol Deng, the team's second-best player, has missed nine starts and is playing with broken ligaments in his left wrist that requires surgery.
But 12-year NBA veteran Rip Hamilton is the biggest Bulls casualty of them all. Brought in during the offseason to spruce up the shooting guard position, the 34-year old Hamilton has missed 37 games with groin, hamstring and shoulder issues.
Though it all, though, the resilient Bulls have not only thrived. They've excelled, which is a tribute to their bench depth and good coaching under Tom Thibodeau.
The Bulls currently own the best record in the NBA overall with a 42-11 won-lost slate. Road killers with a 21-6 record away from home, the Bulls are a formidable 21-5 at home.
More importantly, Chicago holds a 3 1/2 game edge over bitter rival Miami for Eastern Conference supremacy and homecourt advantage as both teams are poised to likely meet in the East Finals sometime in May.
The Bulls have 13 games left to fortify their lead while the Heat, playing catchup, have 16 games remaining in their schedule to close the gap. The race only gets tighter from here. (Maria Macatangay)
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maria Macatangay.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Salita Promotions and Puerto Rico’s Fresh Productions Present IBF World Title Eliminator Subriel Matías vs. Gabriel Valenzuela
, Thu, 06 Feb 2025Stanford’s Dante Kirkman Returns to the Ring on March 8 at Thunder Valley Casino Resort
, Thu, 06 Feb 2025JONES FACES MASTRONUNZIO ON PRO DEBUT IN ORLANDO
, Thu, 06 Feb 2025April 5: Unified Middleweight World Champion Janibek Alimkhanuly To Defend WBO & IBF World Titles Against Anauel Ngamissengue in Historic Kazakhstan Homecoming LIVE on ESPN+
, Thu, 06 Feb 2025Heavy hands, short night for undefeated Brooklyn Heavyweight Prospect Pryce Taylor Scored devastating 2nd round TKO in Flint
, Thu, 06 Feb 2025Three Lions Promotions wins Jack/Rozicki purse bid WBC World Cruiserweight Champion Badou Jack vs. Ryan Rozicki coming to Canada
, Thu, 06 Feb 2025World Boxing to hold Extraordinary Congress March 1st to approve new membership applications
, Thu, 06 Feb 2025Boxing Insider Promotions to bring upscale pro boxing club show back to Times Square
, Thu, 06 Feb 2025The President of the World Boxing Organization and the Secretary of Recreation and Sports of Puerto Rico Strengthen Ties to Benefit Boxing and Puerto Rican Youth
, Thu, 06 Feb 2025Johnny Wellem Carzano rules Misamis Occidental active open chess championship
, Thu, 06 Feb 2025Boston Celtics Upend Cleveland, 112-105, Reduce Cavs Lead in the NBA Eastern Conf
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 05 Feb 2025The Past Week in Action 4 February 2025: Benavidez Beats Morrell; Fulton Outpoints Figueroa; Shields Defeats Perkins
By Eric Armit, , Wed, 05 Feb 2025Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford: Historic Riyadh Season Blockbuster Set for Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas
, Wed, 05 Feb 2025Xander Zayas: “This is the Most Important Fight of My Career!”
, Wed, 05 Feb 2025Mano Mano sa Candelaria 3: Gemino Outpoints Mancito
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Wed, 05 Feb 2025THE TALENTED AND UNDEFEATED SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT DARIUS “DFG” FULGHUM RETURNS AS CO-MAIN EVENT FOR DUARTE VS. PROGRAIS
, Wed, 05 Feb 2025IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Niš to highlight the ascending stars of female boxing
, Wed, 05 Feb 2025Kaipo Gallegos Shines in Las Vegas Victory Over Leonardo Padilla
, Wed, 05 Feb 2025World Boxing membership grows to 72 National Federations as Executive Board approves four new applications from Egypt, Gambia, Kiribati and Grenada
, Wed, 05 Feb 2025Deonte Brown signs with prominent manager Trifon Petrov
, Wed, 05 Feb 2025Memphis Grizzlies Repeat Over SA Spurs, Overtake Houston Rockets for 2nd in West
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 04 Feb 2025WEIGHTS FROM NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
, Tue, 04 Feb 2025IM Michael Concio and Chester Neil Reyes banner IIEE Quezon to win the quarterfinals of the PTC World Engineering Day online Chess Tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 04 Feb 2025THURSDAY: Arthur Biyarslanov-Mohamed Mimoune & Heavyweight KO Artist Bakhodir Jalolov’s Return to Stream LIVE and Exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+
, Tue, 04 Feb 2025Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford: The Super Fight of 2025 Officially Set for Las Vegas
, Tue, 04 Feb 2025 |
|
|
|
|
|
