Wade, Bulls glad to put homecoming games in past
Two emotional homecoming games showed up early in the Bulls schedule.
They lost when Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah returned to the United Center with the New York Knicks last Friday, then beat Miami on Thursday in Dwyane Wade's trip back to South Beach.
Maybe the league did the Bulls a favor. Now the distractions are over - although Wade brought up Tom Thibodeau's return to Chicago on Dec. 13 as one to watch - and the Bulls can work on figuring out how to play consistently well.
"I'm glad it's over with," Wade said after Thursday's game. "When I first looked at the schedule, I was like, 'Why so early?' I'm glad it's over early so we can focus."
Wade hit just 5 of 17 shots from the field in Miami, but the Bulls did just enough to pull out a 98-95 victory.
"I thought I'd shoot better since I've known these rims for a while, but I guess that wasn't in the books for me," Wade said
"Worst basketball game I've ever played in my life. I couldn't wait 'til it was over."
Maybe Wade can take comfort in the fact that Thursday's game was not nearly as bad as Michael Jordan's first trip to Chicago as a member of the Washington Wizards. With emotions churning, Jordan's new team won 77-69 on Jan. 19, 2002 in one of the ugliest games in basketball history.
At least Wade appreciated getting a chance to visit his home in Miami. He invited some teammates to visit Thursday afternoon. Asked what he missed most about Miami, Wade said his house and the weather.
"It's familiar. It's what you know," he said. "The people you know. The places you go. This is what you know. Everything I do in Chicago now is just different."
Saturday's game against Washington will be the last one at the UC before the Bulls head out on the six-game circus road trip.
The winning formula on Thursday against Miami included balanced scoring. The previous night in a loss at Atlanta, Jimmy Butler scored 39 points and Wade had 25, but just one other Bulls player reached double figures.
The same thing happened in the loss to the Knicks, when Wade had 35 points and Butler 26, then the scoring dropped to Nikola Mirotic with 14. Against Miami, Mirotic, Robin Lopez, Rajon Rondo and Doug McDermott all scored in double figures.
The Bulls have held the lead after the first quarter in all five of their victories. None of the five teams the Bulls have beaten had a winning record as of Friday morning.
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Scouting report
Bulls vs. Washington Wizards at the United Center, 7 p.m. Saturday
TV: WGN
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Outlook: The Wizards are just 2-6 after losing at home to Cleveland 105-94 on Friday, but they did record a couple of quality wins over Atlanta and Boston. PG John Wall is off to a good start, averaging 21.3 points and 9.2 assists. C Marcin Gortat is fifth in the league in rebounds (11.9), while SF Otto Porter Jr. (16.9 ppg) is starting to come into his own. SG Bradley Beal (15.4 ppg) did not play Friday because of a hamstring injury. The Bulls went 1-2 against Washington last season, splitting two games at home.
Next: Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on Tuesday, 9 p.m.
-Mike McGraw