McGraw: Bulls get presidential seal of approval
The Bulls might have felt a wave of confidence Friday after getting a plug from the First Fan - President Barack Obama.
During an appearance on ESPN Radio, Obama weighed in on whether he thought the Bulls could beat Cleveland in the playoffs.
"The Cavs are starting to jell, but I just like (Tom) Thibodeau as a coach," Obama said. "The guy's tough. They play hard. (Joakim) Noah's a fighter. (Derrick) Rose, even if he doesn't come back to MVP level, if he's playing at an all-star level, I think the Bulls can beat the Cavs this year.
"You remember what happened with Miami when LeBron went down there the first time. There's something to be said for team chemistry. You look at San Antonio and how they've performed. Part of that is just (Gregg) Popovich, (Tim) Duncan, (Tony) Parker, (Manu) Ginobili - they know each other, know the system. They trust it. The people are selfless. It takes time for people to develop that kind of chemistry."
Before Friday's game, Thibodeau wasn't sure he was on board with Obama's description.
"I don't know if I'm tough," Thibodeau said. "We just understand how much he supports us and it's greatly appreciated.
"We know he's a big fan. We have a lot of respect for all he has done and we certainly appreciate his support. It's great for our team and I know he supports all the teams in Chicago. So we appreciate it."
Thibodeau said Obama has his vote. Of course, Obama can't run for president again, but maybe he'll make a play for director of the retired basketball coaches association someday.
McDermott set for surgery:
Rookie Doug McDermott will be on the shelf for a while. The Bulls announced Friday the 6-foot-8 forward will have an arthroscopic procedure done on his right knee.
McDermott has missed the last five games with soreness in the knee. The Bulls will give a time frame for his return once the procedure is done.
McDermott is averaging 3.2 points, while playing in 17 games this season. He hasn't gotten enough playing time to get his outside shot in rhythm. He's hit just 6 of 26 attempts from 3-point range.
Jordan should drop soon:
Kobe Bryant needed 31 points against San Antonio late Friday night to pass Michael Jordan for No. 3 on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone rank No. 1 and 2.
For the record, Jordan played in 1,072 career games. Friday was Bryant's 1,268th regular-season game in the NBA.
Bull horns:
LaMarcus Aldridge's 21 points in the first quarter was 4 off the United Center record for points in a quarter, set by Jalen Rose against Indiana on Dec. 21, 2002. … The Blazers were 10-0 against the Eastern Conference heading into this game.