Game Notes: April 2012 Archives

* Chicago won two of the three games between these teams this season, although Philadelphia actually outscored the Bulls in the series, 269-267. The last time the 76ers and Bulls met in the postseason was in 1990-91 season, with Chicago taking the second-round matchup, 4 games to 1.

* The 76ers have lost five straight road playoff games, including all three in last year's first-round matchup versus the Heat.

* The Bulls held opponents to just 87.8 points per game at home this season, which was third lowest in the league behind Boston (84.4) and Philadelphia (85.8).

* The 76ers committed just 11.2 turnovers per game this season. That not only led the league, it was more than two turnovers per game less than the next-best team (Clippers - 13.3).

* Lou Williams led the 76ers with 956 total points this season. He is just the third player since 1981-82 to lead his team in total points despite not starting a single game in that season.

* Reigning league MVP Derrick Rose missed 27 games with a variety of injuries. That is the most games missed by the reigning NBA MVP since Michael Jordan missed all 50 games in 1998-99 after temporarily retiring to pursue a baseball career. Rose has averaged 25.2 points and 7.3 assists per game in his postseason career; he is one of just two players all-time (LeBron James) to average 25 ppg and 7 apg in his postseason career (minimum 25 games).

* The Bulls have won seven consecutive games against the Cavaliers by an average of 14.1 points per contest (by double digits in each of last four contests).

* The Cavaliers have not outrebounded their opponents once over their last seven games away from home.

* No team in the last seven seasons has held its opponents to a lower scoring average than the Bulls have this year (88.4). The Bulls have actually held seven of their last eight opponents to less than 88 points.

* Chicago has claimed the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the second consecutive season. Over in the West, the Spurs have done the same. The last four times the same teams in each conference repeated as the number-one seeds, either the Bulls or Cavs have been best in the East.

* Antawn Jamison is averaging 24.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game over his last three road games against the Bulls.

* Since the beginning of last season, the Bulls have gone 16-1 when Kyle Korver scores at least 15 points (Korver scored 20 points last night in Indiana).

* The Bulls and Pacers have split their two meetings this season, with both games having been played in Chicago. They have split the last four meetings in Indiana.

* Chicago is 33-2 this season when allowing 91 points or less, compared to just 15-14 when giving up 92 or more points.

* Indiana is 12-2 this month, tied with San Antonio for the best record in April. The last team to win the NBA title after having the best record in the final month of the regular season was the Lakers, in 2008-09.

* Kyle Korver is shooting 48.1 percent from behind the arc in road games this season, which is tied for third in the NBA.

* Paul George had 27 points and 10 rebounds in Monday's win over the Pistons. The last Pacers' starting guard to have at least 25 points and 10 boards in a game was Brandon Rush, who had 29 and 10 against the Wizards on March 29, 2009.

* Danny Granger has averaged 25.8 points in his last five home games against the Bulls.

* The Bulls have beaten the Mavs twice in a row, but Dallas has owned this series, winning 20 of the 25 meetings dating back to the 1998-99 season.

* Chicago lost to Miami on Thursday, 83-72, and is now just 5-5 in the month of April. That was the Bulls' lowest point total since they lost, 83-67, at Minnesota on January 30, 2008.

* The Bulls are still a solid 17-9 without Derrick Rose on the court this season (30-7 when he does play); that .654 win percentage is better than all but three teams, not including themselves (Spurs, Thunder, Heat).

* In his last four games versus the Mavericks, Rose has averaged 26.0 points and 8.0 assists, despite making only 3 of 11 three-pointers (.273).

* After losing the first meeting between these teams this season, Chicago has now each of its last two games against the Heat. The Bulls have just one win in their last seven trips to Miami.

* The Heat have won each of their last four games after losing three of their previous four contests. Miami is an NBA-leading 26-4 at home this season. 

* The Bulls have won four of their last five games, including a 100-68 victory over the Bobcats on Wednesday. At 12-5, Chicago owns the second-best record in the NBA in the second of back-to-back games this season. 

* Richard Hamilton has scored exactly 22 points in each of his last two games. Hamilton is averaging 16.1 points in 37 career games against Miami.

* LeBron James has scored at least 30 points in five of his last 10 games and is averaging 33.3 points in his three games against the Bulls this season.

* The Bulls boast the best scoring defense in the league this season, limiting their foes to an average of just 88.6 points per game. 

* The Bulls have won four consecutive games against the Bobcats by an average margin of 16.5 points per contest.

* The Bulls have gone an NBA-best 13-1 on the road this season against teams currently below .500. However, Monday's loss at home came against a below .500 team (Washington).

* The Bobcats lost their franchise-record 17^th consecutive game against the Hornets Monday night. If they lose their remaining six games, they'll finish with a .106, which would take the reins from the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers (9-73, .110) for the lowest win percentage in NBA history.

* Bismack Biyombo has blocked multiple shots in three consecutive games, and 25 times this season (most among NBA rookies).

* Carlos Boozer has pulled down double-digit rebounds seven times over his last nine games, after doing so just five times over his previous 31 games.

* Gerald Henderson has certainly elevated his play as of late, scoring more than 20 points in back-to-back games for just the second time in his career (also January 17-21, 2012).

* Chicago has won seven consecutive games versus the Wizards, by an average score of 94.9 to 81.6.

* The Bulls picked up overtime wins over the Heat (96-86) and Pistons (100-94) in their last two games. It was their first back-to-back overtime games in the regular season since December 16-17, 2008.

* The Wizards need to win two of their remaining six games to avoid the franchise's worst winning percentage since moving to Baltimore in 1963-64 (they went 19-63, .232 in both 2000-01 and '08-09).

* Jordan Crawford is one of two NBA players to have attempted at least 200 three-pointers this season while shooting under 30 percent (77/258, .298). The other is Kobe Bryant (84/281, .299).

* Derrick Rose rebounded from a 1-for-13, two-point performance on Thursday versus Miami with 24 points on 9-of-22 shooting yesterday against the Pistons.

* Joakim Noah's 13 offensive rebounds Sunday (out of 17 total) are tied for the most in an NBA game this season, and one shy of Noah's career high (14 vs. Lakers on Dec. 15, 2009).

* In their two previous meetings this season, the Heat and Bulls have scored exactly the same number of points, with each team winning by four points at home.

* The Heat have held their opponents to less than 40 percent shooting from the field 21 times this season, going 20-1 in those contests. The Bulls, meanwhile, are 14-1 in those such games this season.

* The Bulls' 16.1 second chance points per game are the second most (2010-11 Timberwolves, 16.2) by any NBA team since the 2004-05 season.

* Carlos Boozer has pulled down double-digit rebounds in five of his last six games, after doing so just five times over his previous 31 games.

* LeBron James has had more than twice as many games with 30 points, five rebounds and five assists than any other player (Kobe Bryant, seven) this season.

* Dwyane Wade has scored at least 33 points in each of his last three road games against the Bulls. He also has blocked nine shots over his last four road games against Chicago.

* After dropping the first two meetings between these teams this season New York defeated Chicago on Sunday, 100-99 in overtime.

* The Bulls have lost three of their last four games while averaging just 90.8 points in those four contests. Chicago is 33-3 when leading at halftime this season - the second-best mark in the NBA.

* The Knicks own a record of 11-3 since March 14 - the second-best record in the league in that span. New York has just three wins in its last 12 road games.

* Derrick Rose scored 29 points against the Knicks on Sunday in his first game back after missing 12 games due to a groin injury. Rose is averaging 31.0 points in his three games against the Knicks this season.

* Carmelo Anthony has scored at least 36 points in three of his last five games, including a season-high 43 against the Bulls on Sunday.  Anthony has scored 20+ points in each of his last eight games against Chicago.
* Chicago has hit the century mark just once in its last 12 games after scoring at least 100 points in each of its previous three contests. The Bulls are 19-0 this season when scoring 100 or more points in a game.

* The Bulls have beaten the Knicks three times in a row, and have taken five of the last seven and seven of 10.

* Chicago has won its last nine, and 15 of its last 16, games versus Eastern Conference opponents.

* In each of their last eight wins, the Knicks have held their opponent below 89 points.

* C.J. Watson has started a career-high 20 games this season, averaging 12.2 points and 4.3 assists in these contests. His previous high for games started in a season was 18, for the Warriors in 2008-09.

* Chicago is 5-0 this season when Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer have 20 or more points in the same game.

* Tyson Chandler has recorded a double-double in a season-high three straight games. Entering this weekend, that streak was tied with Kris Humphries and Rajon Rondo for the longest active one in the NBA.

* The Bulls have won four of the last five games in this series (2-1 in 2011-12).

* Boston has held 10 straight opponents below 100 points, which is the second-longest active streak in the league (76ers - 11).

* Chicago's bench players are shooting 40.8 percent from three-point range this season. That ranks second among all team's reserves, behind only Golden State (.421).

* Paul Pierce has scored 20 points in seven of his last eight games, averaging 22.6 points per game over this stretch. But he has had 20+ points in just one of his last seven games against the Bulls.

* Rajon Rondo has had double-digit assists in 14 straight games. That is the longest streak of his career, his previous long being nine straight games, October 29-November 17, 2010.

* Joakim Noah has had at least one assist in 21 straight games. He has 139 assists on the season, second most among starting centers (Marc Gasol - 163).

* The Bulls have won each of their last five meetings with the Rockets, including three in a row at home, last losing to Houston back in February of 2009.

* The Rockets have alternated wins and losses in each of their last six games (WLWLWL). Houston has lost three straight and nine of its last 11 road games.

* The Bulls have lost two of their last four games after losing just twice in their previous 17 contests. Chicago is 11-5 against Western Conference foes this season. 

* Goran Dragic has scored in double figures in each of his last 15 games and is averaging 20.4 points in his last five contests.

* Richard Hamilton has missed each of the last 14 games due to a right shoulder injury and is questionable for tonight's contest. Hamilton is averaging 19.2 points in 20 career games against Houston.

* Chicago is averaging 15.7 second chance points this season - the second-best mark in the NBA.