Bulls roll right through Washington 105-77
This was a great way for the Bulls to attack a challenging road trip.
From the opening tip in Washington on Monday, they were pushing the tempo, attacking the rim and playing with boundless energy.
The result was an easy 105-77 victory over the lowly Wizards. By the fourth quarter, fans at the Verizon Center were serenading Derrick Rose with “MVP” chants and cheering deliriously for a late Brian Scalabrine jumper.
“It’s crazy,” Rose said of the adulation away from home. “But I’m loving it right now. Coming into every arena and everybody’s cheering. And thank God we’re winning.”
The victory improved the Bulls’ record to 41-17, matching their win total of the previous two seasons with still 24 games remaining. The rest of this road trip will be a challenge, though, with games in Atlanta, Orlando and Miami.
Rose and Luol Deng led the way with 24 points each, while Joakim Noah added 19 points and 11 rebounds.
The Bulls set the tone in the opening minutes when Rose went between his legs to feed Noah for a dunk. In his fourth game back from a thumb injury, Noah piled up 10 points and 5 boards in the first quarter.
“(Coach Tom Thibodeau) came in and talked to us and was telling us we can’t let down against teams like this,” Rose told reporters after the game. “We’ve got to come out and play aggressive and have an edge.”
Added Washington coach Flip Saunders: “Their bigs kicked our butts from the beginning. That first five minutes, they were getting every rebound, knocking us all over the place, and blocking every one of our shots. … Some of our guys just never reacted in a positive way.”
The Bulls led 50-37 at halftime as Deng drained a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer. Andray Blatche led the Wizards (15-44) with 15 points.
The other storyline Monday was the burgeoning buyout market in the NBA. Veteran guard Mike Bibby and 2007 lottery pick Corey Brewer were among those who reportedly are free to shop for a new team.
Bibby, traded from Atlanta to Washington last week, is thought to be focused on joining Miami, which could use both a point guard and reliable outside shooter.
The Bulls see Ronnie Brewer as a more talented version of Corey Brewer, so they aren’t expected to be a serious contender for Noah’s best friend from college.
Clippers swingman Rasual Butler, 31, appears to have the best chance of landing in Chicago. The 6-foot-7 Butler has the ability to get hot from 3-point range, which would give the Bulls another player who can spread the floor.
Players have to be released by Tuesday in order to be eligible for the playoffs with a new team. Then they have to clear waivers before signing with the team of their choice.