Winning bring new intensity for Bulls

SALT LAKE CITY — It sounds like a cliché to suggest the Bulls have a target on their backs now that they’ve produced one of the NBA’s six best records.

But watching the Trail Blazers jump around like they’d won a playoff series after beating the Bulls on Monday, it’s probably the truth.

“It’s definitely different,” said Luol Deng, who is in his seventh season with the Bulls. “Before, half of the stadium wasn’t even paying attention to the game. Our record says a lot, (with) the players we have — people want to see us lose.

“The arena’s just louder. You can tell right away. The arena’s loud, lot of posters, people are excited. Behind the bench, people have a lot to say. When you’re winning, it’s going to happen.”

Obviously, the Bulls tried to approach every game with the same energy, even in the 30-win seasons. But Deng admitted the new reality helps keep the players tuned in.

“We know we’re getting every team’s ‘A’ game,” he said. “I think teams are really preparing for us. They want to beat us.”

Noah loses second cast:

Joakim Noah had a cast on his right thumb removed at halftime of Wednesday’s game. After getting the larger cast taken off his right hand and wrist a couple of weeks ago, Noah was placed in a smaller cast that covered the lower half of his right thumb and wrapped around the hand.

A day earlier Noah practiced shooting jumpers, which required the use of his right hand. Noah said he worked on his shot because the smaller cast allowed him to bend his wrist.

Noah said he didn’t think his ability to shoot jumpers means he’s close to coming back from thumb surgery. That could depend on how the thumb feels once it’s freed from all restraints.

Batum backtracks:

According to The Oregonian, Portland forward Nicholas Batum claimed he never said Derrick Rose can’t play defense. Or if he did say it after Monday’s game, he didn’t mean it as an insult.

This Batum news was taken from a blog he writes for a French website and translated into English. Batum’s claim was because Rose picked up an early foul he couldn’t play tight defense against Blazers guard Andre Miller.

“What I said was Derrick Rose is a better offensive player than he is on defense,” Batum wrote, according to The Oregonian. “And, in a game like that, if we can get him to play defense, that can get him in trouble and be better for us.”