With playoff spot wrapped up surging Bulls reach .500
The Bulls already had a playoff spot wrapped up, so it was natural to wonder if forward John Salmons should take some time off to rest a groin strain that has been a problem for about two weeks.
After some slight hesitation in the afternoon, Salmons decided to keep playing. Of course, when he was 3-for-15 from the field through three quarters against Charlotte on Saturday, it looked like the wrong move.
But Salmons stepped up to score 11 points in the final 5 1/2 minutes and Ben Gordon poured in 39 points to lead the Bulls past the pesky Bobcats 113-106.
"I was just off. I can't blame it on the injury," Salmons said. "We know we're playing for more than just making the playoffs. We want to try to move up as far as we can. I'm just trying to help my team win. I think they need me out there."
The Bulls (40-40) hit the .500 mark for the first time since they were 5-5 on Nov. 15, improved to 14-1 at the United Center since the all-star break and moved a game in front of Detroit, which lost at Indiana, for seventh place in the East. That sets up a showdown with the Pistons on Monday at the Palace of Auburn Hills: Loser gets LeBron.
Actually, that's not quite true. The Bulls could lose in Detroit and still avoid eighth place if the Pistons lose their finale in Miami. But with a win on Monday, the Bulls would guarantee that they would not face LeBron James and the top-seeded Cavaliers in the first round.
"The top three teams are really good," Gordon said. "I don't know if it matters much. But it would be a lot better to not play Cleveland. They've been playing really well on their home court."
The top three spots in the East are now official, since Orlando lost to New Jersey on Saturday. Cleveland is No. 1, Boston No. 2 and the Magic No. 3. The Bulls are a half-game behind sixth-place Philadelphia, which plays at Toronto today, and still has a slim chance of moving up to fifth.
"I don't really care who we play," center Joakim Noah said. "I think we match up well against Cleveland. I know they're very, very good. I think everybody in this locker room should be confident right now. We're playing good basketball and we've just got to keep it up."
Even though Charlotte was eliminated from the playoffs on Friday by losing to Oklahoma City, the Bobcats hung tough and led 92-88 with 7:51 remaining. But the Bulls have trailed in the fourth quarter during three of their last four home wins and knew what to do.
Salmons put the home team ahead by nailing a 3-pointer with 5:26 left to make it 95-93. Gordon buried a 3-pointer on the next trip and Salmons added another with 3:17 remaining to cap a 14-1 run and put the Bulls in command at 102-93.
Gordon felt good all night, hitting 13 of 25 shots overall and 7 of 12 from 3-point range. Rookie Derrick Rose also had his jumper going, finishing with 22 points and 7 assists.