Bulls' Duhon, Thomas to the rescue
SALT LAKE CITY -- On paper, it seemed to be the mismatch of the season.
The Bulls were missing three of their top four scorers and playing for the second consecutive night, while the high-powered Golden State Warriors had been idle for five days and welcomed Chris Webber into the lineup for the first time.
Then it was almost as if the Bizarro Bulls showed up to play. Chris Duhon poured in a career-high 34 points, Tyrus Thomas took over in the fourth quarter, and the Bulls pulled off a surprising 114-108 victory Thursday night, snapping an eight-game losing streak at Golden State.
"Well, I didn't see that coming," Warriors coach Don Nelson said after the game. "We couldn't guard them and our energy wasn't there."
Duhon started the night averaging 5.2 points and his previous season high was 13, which he surpassed before the first quarter was over.
In his first two years with the Bulls, Duhon used to get scorching hot from 3-point range every once in awhile. But that hadn't happened in more than a year.
"I've seen over the years Du have those kind of games," coach Jim Boylan said. "He came out last night and looked like the old Du from a couple years ago. It was nice to see, and the timing of it was perfect."
Thomas, meanwhile, scored 13 of his 15 points in the final 6:48 when the Bulls clung to an often-precarious lead. When Baron Davis brought the Warriors within 99-98 with 2:55 left, Thomas answered by drilling a 17-foot jumper.
"Our defense was terrible," Warriors guard Stephen Jackson said after the contest. "When they're giving it to Tyrus Thomas in the fourth quarter to get buckets and he's scoring, our chances of winning the game are real slim."
The Bulls didn't necessarily game plan for Thomas to take over. But they thought he had an advantage working against Mickael Pietrus, and they took advantage of it. Thomas and Joakim Noah also did an impressive job of protecting the basket on defense.
"He was attacking the basket, getting fouled, getting defensive rebounds and blocking some shots," Boylan said of Thomas. "When he's aggressive like that and plays around the basket, he's a good ballplayer. That's what he needs to do, play to his strengths."
With the upset victory complete, all that's left for the Bulls is deciding what to make of their last two performances. Without arguably their three best players in the lineup, they battled Portland before losing 100-97, then knocked off Golden State.
A couple of staple characteristics for the Bulls the past three years finally began to surface -- their willingness to outwork opponents and the confidence to close out games in the fourth quarter.
"We've been playing hard for a while," Boylan said. "We've had some ups and downs. We've had some injuries that have kind of worn on us a little bit. It's been a little bit of a crazy year.
"A lot of things have gone on. But I think we're starting to get our feet back underneath us a little bit and people are starting to play the way we had been playing (in previous seasons). Our intensity level is up. Our defense is getting better."
The Bulls' final stop on a six-game road trip is a tough one. Tonight they'll face Utah, which won 10 straight heading into Friday's game at Sacramento. Hinrich (bruised ribs) and Gordon (sprained right wrist) are still listed as day-to-day.
Tonight's tipoff
Bulls vs. Utah Jazz at Energy Solutions Arena, 8 p.m.
TV: Channel 9
Radio: WMVP 1000-AM
Update: After slumping for a while, Utah rang up a 10-game winning streak heading into Friday's road trip to Sacramento and has taken over the lead in the Northwest Division. Former Illini star Deron Williams is averaging 19.2 points and 9.7 assists, while Carlos Boozer is at 21.6 points and 10.7 rebounds.
Series history: The Bulls have actually played well in Salt Lake City recently. During the past four years, they've won twice and lost two games by a combined 7 points.
Next: New Orleans Hornets at the United Center, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday
-- Mike McGraw