BullsEye Blog

WE'VE MOVED!

Thu, 14 May 2009 12:31:50 -0600

After a couple months of work, WGN has finally upgraded all of our blogs! Woo hoo!

Starting next season, you can visit the new BullsEye Blog here: http://weblogs.wgntv.com/sports/basketball/chicago-bulls-blog/

You can also get to our blog from the wgntv.com website at www.wgntv.com/morningnews.

Q. But what about your old posts? I still want to view them.

A. Not to worry. If you can't get enough of our old posts, you can still view them here on the old blog. It won't go anywhere. But to get all our latest posts, you'll want to visit our new blogs.

Thanks for watching WGN and GO BULLS!

Game Notes For Game 6 vs. Celtics

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:31:31 -0600

* Boston defeated Chicago 106-104 in overtime on Tuesday, taking a three games to two lead in the series. It was the fourth game of the series to be decided by three points or fewer. * The Celtics win ended a four-game losing streak in home playoff games that went into overtime. Their last win before Tuesday was April 25, 1992 against Indiana. * The Bulls are averaging 106.2 points per game against the Celtics. During last year’s title run, the most points per game Boston allowed was 93.8 to the Los Angeles Lakers. * Only one playoff series in NBA history has had five games decided by three points or fewer, the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. * Rajon Rondo is averaging a triple-double through five games, with 24.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. Jason Kidd with the Nets in 2007 is the only player to average a triple-double in a playoff season. * Derrick Rose is averaging 29.5 points with a 61.1 percent field-goal percentage in Bulls’ wins and 11.0 points and 39.0 percent shooting from the field in Bulls’ losses this postseason.

Game Notes For Game 5 @ Boston

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:12:20 -0600

* Three of the first four games of this series have been decided by three points or less. * Both teams have hit at least 40 percent of their 3-point attempts in each of the last three games this series. * The Celtics are averaging an NBA-high 19.5 second chance points per game this postseason – four more than any other NBA team. * Derrick Rose has tallied 59 points and 20 assists while going 15-for-16 in the two Bulls victories this series, compared to 19 points, nine assists and 1-for-3 free throw shooting in the two losses. * Only three NBA players have blocked at least 10 shots this postseason, and two of them are Bulls (Tyrus Thomas 13 and Joakim Noah 12). * Rajon Rondo has become the first Celtic since Larry Bird to have recorded two triple-doubles in the same series since the 1986 postseason when Bird recorded two in the Finals against Houston.

Let's Play Two!

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:06:10 -0600

Game Notes For Game 4 vs. Celtics

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:42:05 -0600

* Any team that has led its best-of-seven series 2 games-to-1 has gone on to win that series 17 of the last 20 times. * Boston had 16 steals and 10 blocked shots in its Game 3 victory. The last team to have 15+ steals and 10+ blocks in a playoff game was the Phoenix Suns (15 and 12, respectively), against the Spurs on May 11, 1993. * Chicago has won five straight Game 4’s when trailing in a best-of-seven series 2 games-to-1. * Rajon Rondo is averaging a near triple-double in this series (22.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 9.7 apg). He had 20 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five steals in the Game 3 win, becoming the first player to have a 20/10/5/5 performance in the playoffs since Gary Payton (35/10/11/6) against the Jazz on May 3, 2000. * Glen Davis is averaging 19.3 ppg and 7.0 rebounds in this season. That is a big jump from his regular-season numbers of 7.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg. * After his 36-point, 11-assist performance in Game 1, Derrick Rose has struggled in the last two contests, averaging 9.5 ppg, 4.5 apg and 4.5 to/g while shooting just 36% from the field.

Celtics Blow Out Bulls

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:40:03 -0600

Game Notes For Game 3 vs. Celtics

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 12:48:41 -0600

* Boston evened the series with Chicago at a game apiece with a Ray Allen three-pointer with two seconds remaining on Monday, giving the Celtics a 118-115 victory. * Last year, the Celtics went 3-9 on the road en route to winning the NBA title. They lost their first six road games of the 2008 Playoffs. * The Bulls are 105-34 (.755) all-time at home in the postseason, the best home record in the playoffs in the NBA. * Boston is 19-15 all-time in Game 3 of a best-of-seven series that is tied at 1-1, while Chicago is 12-2 in Game 3 of a best of-seven series that is tied at 1-1. * Rajon Rondo’s triple-double in Game 2 (19 points, 12 rebounds and 16 assists) was the first triple-double by a Celtic in a playoff game since Paul Pierce scored 32 points, collected 10 rebounds and dished out 11 assists in a loss against the New Jersey Nets in Game 2 of the 2003 Eastern Conference semifinals. * Ben Gordon’s 42 points in Game 2 was the first 40+ point effort by a Bull in a playoff game since Michael Jordan dropped 45 points against the Jazz in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.

Rose Is Rookie Of The Year

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:43:34 -0600

Bulls Prepare At Home

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:36:27 -0600

Celtics Square The Series

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:48:22 -0600

Game Notes For Game 2 @ Boston

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:53:25 -0600

* Chicago’s 105-103 win in Game 1 was its first road win in the opening game of a series since the 1994-95 first round versus Charlotte (Chicago won series, 3-1). The Celtics hadn’t lost a Game 1 at home since the 1990-91 Eastern Conference semifinals versus Detroit (Boston lost series, 4-2). * The Bulls have a 29-2 series record all-time in the playoffs when winning Game 1. Their only two such losses came in 1988-89 (lost 4-2 to Pistons in conference finals) and 2004-05 (lost 4-2 to Wizards in first round). * The Celtics shot 39.4 percent from the field Saturday (39-of-99), their lowest in a home game all season. Including that game, Boston is 0-6 this season when shooting under 40 percent. * Rajon Rondo’s 29 points in Game 1 were a career postseason high, and three short of his career regular-season best. * Ray Allen was 0-for-6 from three-point range in Game 1, his most three-pointers ever attempted in a playoff game without a make (64 career games). * Derrick Rose scored 36 points in Game 1, tied for the most ever by a rookie in his postseason debut (also Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1970). * Joakim Noah had 11 points and 17 rebounds Saturday, his third double-double in his last four games.

Game Notes For Game 1 vs. Celtics

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:00:04 -0600

* Boston won the season series against Chicago, 2-1, with the home team winning each contest. It was the first time since 2004-05 that the series didn’t end in a sweep. * The Bulls lost their regular season finale, ending a five-game winning streak. The Bulls have played only one road game in all of April * The Celtics went 8-1 in their last nine games and enter the playoffs winners of nine in a row at home. * After a one-year absence, Chicago is returning to the postseason. The Bulls have only one postseason series win since their last championship in 1998. * Boston is the defending NBA champion, defeating the Lakers in last year’s finals. Boston last won back-to-back titles in 1968 and 1969. * Ben Gordon averaged 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.5 assists in Chicago’s 2007 sweep of Miami, but only 17.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in Chicago’s conference semifinal loss to Detroit. * In last year’s title run, Paul Pierce increased his scoring in each round, averaging 18.0 points against Atlanta, 19.4 against Cleveland, 19.7 against Detroit and 21.8 against Los Angeles.

Bulls Prep For Celtics

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:58:29 -0600

Bulls Lose To Raptors In Season Finale

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:08:10 -0600

Game Notes For Wednesday vs. Raptors

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:25:02 -0600

* Chicago has lost six of its last eight games against the Raptors, including two in a row. * Toronto has won consecutive games after losing each of its previous four contests. * The Bulls have won 14 of their last 15 home games and will be looking to extend their current home winning streak to eight in a row. * Chris Bosh has scored at least 20 points in each of his last six games and is averaging 24.3 points in his three games against the Bulls this season. * Derrick Rose is averaging 23.0 points and shooting 57.6 percent from the field over his last two games. Rose is averaging 20.0 points and shooting 60.5 percent from the field in three meetings with Toronto this season. * Toronto is tied with Detroit for the fewest points in the paint per game in the league this season (34.2).