Bulls not alone when it comes to injuries
While the Bulls could be missing as many as four players because of injuries tonight against Atlanta, the NBA seems to be experiencing a spate of maladies to key players, and most of the Bulls' upcoming opponents will also be without some talent.
Atlanta won't have forward Josh Smith, who suffered an ankle injury Friday. He did not accompany the Hawks on their road trip, which began in Oklahoma City on Sunday.
Dallas' Josh Howard (sprained left wrist) sat out against the Clippers on Sunday, though the Mavericks are hoping he'll return tonight against the Lakers. Indiana's Mike Dunleavy has yet to play this season with a knee problem.
On their upcoming road trip, the Bulls are likely to miss Portland center Greg Oden (foot), while Golden State guard Monta Ellis (ankle) is definitely out.
Utah still isn't sure when point guard Deron Williams will return from the sprained ankle he suffered in preseason at the United Center. The Bulls are in Salt Lake on Nov. 24.
Two days later, they visit San Antonio, which could be missing both Tony Parker (ankle) and Manu Ginobili (foot). Parker was hurt Friday against Miami and is expected to be out for a month, but Ginobili has resumed workouts and could conceivably be back earlier than the original projection of mid-December.
Hawks flying high: Atlanta surprised the NBA world by taking Boston to seven games in the first round of the playoffs last spring. Still, they were just 37-45 last season, and few people expected the Hawks to be a contender for the Eastern Conference title.
But Atlanta is off to a 5-0 start, which includes wins over Orlando, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Toronto. The Lakers are the only other team still unbeaten.
"Their starting lineup is all first-round picks," Toronto coach Sam Mitchell said in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Have you all ever thought about that? There is a reason they've got talent."
Two keys for the Hawks have been strong play by guard Joe Johnson (25.2 ppg) and stellar defense. Through Sunday, the Hawks ranked second in the league in points allowed (85.8) and third in defensive field-goal percentage (. 404).
"It's cliché but true," Johnson said. "Defense wins championships. And in our case, defense can help get you to that next level."
Simeon grad says: The normally quiet Derrick Rose had some interesting this to say Monday. First, he was asked how he would react to missing three months with an injury.
"It would probably be worse than dying," he said. "I would hate that. That would be the worst time of my entire life. God blessed me, I'm still playing."
He was also asked about the guidance he's received from the team's veteran guards.
"I'm kind of in a lucky position right now," he said. "Everybody on the team, they try to help me. I look at them as my big brothers. They just help me when I'm out there because they know we could be all right if everybody gets on the same road."