Bulls finish preseason with a big thud
This could have been so easy. Finish the game with the five guys at the end of the bench, put an end to the preseason and start prepping for the real games.
The Bulls did not take that path Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Coach Tom Thibodeau sent in the starters to finish the game and instead they blew a 13-point lead and lost 113-112 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis.
After the game, Thibodeau met reporters with all the cheeriness of a smashed Halloween pumpkin.
“We've obviously got a lot of work to do,” he said. “That's what it reveals to you. Give up 30, score 21 (in the fourth quarter) ... blow a 13-point lead and turn the ball over like crazy.
“We have to play with an edge. We have to play defense. There's no getting around that. We have to be in great shape. There's no getting around that. We've got to play with a lot more toughness. I know that.”
The bad news for the Bulls was the loss, the 18 turnovers and giving up 64 points in the first half. They open the regular season Wednesday at New York.
On the other hand, there was also very good news Friday, mainly another solid performance from Derrick Rose. He finished with 27 points and 5 assists in 32 minutes, while hitting 12 of 23 shots from the field.
In the final two preseason games, Rose averaged 28.5 points, shot 59 percent and didn't even play regular minutes. Maybe it's already time to put the rust issues to sleep.
Center Joakim Noah also looked good in St. Louis, with 17 rebounds and 9 assists, to go with 6 points. Mike Dunleavy added 17 points, while Kirk Hinrich — starting again for the injured Jimmy Butler — and Taj Gibson scored 14 each.
Rose checked back in with 8:15 remaining and the Bulls ahead 101-90. He quickly assisted on a Gibson jumper and the lead was 13.
Dunleavy returned at the 6:13 mark, then Pau Gasol and Hinrich took the court with 5:22 remaining. At that point, the Bulls led 104-94.
The problems began when Gasol threw bad passes on consecutive possessions, both leading to baskets by Minnesota and starting a 9-0 run. The Timberwolves took a 107-106 edge with 2:06 left on an Anthony Bennett jumper.
After the Bulls missed three chances to take the lead, a basket by rookie Zach LaVine and tip-in from Gorgui Dieng put Minnesota up by 5. Rose and Dunleavy hit late 3-pointers, but it wasn't enough.
Ricky Rubio led the Timberwolves with 19 points, while Bennett had 17. Top draft pick Andrew Wiggins did not play because of a sore back.
Turnovers were an issue for Gasol in the preseason. He had 7 on Friday and 5 in last Sunday's win over Charlotte. On this topic, Thibodeau looked on the bright side.
“He's probably overpassing right now,” Thibodeau said. “I'd rather have that problem and then get him to look to score more than having a guy who's not unselfish. It wasn't all on Pau.”
Before the game, Butler told reporters he expects to be able to come to an agreement with the Bulls on a contract extension. The two sides have until next Friday to get it done or Butler will be a restricted free agent next summer.
Get the latest Bulls news via Twitter by following @McGrawDHBulls.