Little-used Sefolosha provides big lift in win over Jazz
The way Thabo Sefolosha has been ignored lately, he couldn't be blamed for wearing street clothes beneath his warmups.
Until being pressed into service Friday against Boston, Sefolosha's only action during the previous nine games was six minutes at Memphis on Dec. 12.
Even though the Switzerland native is about as calm, cool and cultured as any player in the NBA, he admitted getting frustrated by the lack of playing time.
"Of course, sometimes you go home and you're like, 'I wanted to play so much tonight. I feel like I could have helped them,' " he said. "I just spend time with my family. It's the best thing in the world having a little (seven-month old) baby. Everybody helps me keep my head up."
The work he put in to stay ready paid off Saturday when Sefolosha was pressed into 33 minutes of action and played a major role in the Bulls' 106-98 victory over the Utah Jazz at the United Center.
Playing without Tyrus Thomas (concussion) and Drew Gooden (sprained right ankle), the Bulls rode a small lineup most of the night. Sefolosha finished with 10 points, 4 steals, 4 rebounds and guarded 6-foot-11 Mehmet Okur down the stretch.
Late in the game, the Bulls went with about as small a lineup as an NBA team can get away with, using a front line of the 6-foot-7 Sefolosha, 6-7 Andres Nocioni and 6-5 Larry Hughes.
Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 26 points, but this was also a statement game for rookie Derrick Rose, who was nearly unstoppable driving to the basket. He finished with 24 points and hit 10 of 17 shots, compared to 19 points for Utah star Deron Williams.
Utah (17-12) doesn't have great shot blockers protecting the rim, but Rose felt that didn't factor into his plans.
"There were a couple of games I've been relaxed a little bit," Rose said. "But now it's aggressive from now on. If they stop me, that's what my teammates are for. If they don't, I'm going to shoot a layup or a jump shot."
The Bulls (13-14) were outscored in the paint by Boston 60-32 on Friday, but managed to turn the tables by attacking the basket against Utah to produce a 54-42 advantage.
"Since we're small, if you just start taking jump shots and you're not on, they're going to make you pay for it, because they execute too well," coach Vinny Del Negro said. "On some of those high pick-and-rolls, (Rose) has a tendency to go east to west instead of when he turns that corner, using his explosiveness and athleticism he has and make people rotate."
Both teams had to be a little travel-weary. Because of heavy snow, Utah spent Friday night in Detroit after polishing off a double-overtime win. The Bulls managed to make it back from snowy Boston, but were playing their fourth game in five nights.
Utah started to impose its will late in the third quarter using some vintage Jerry Sloan-style execution. But even while the Jazz scored on seven of eight possessions, the Bulls never fell behind by more than 5 points.
They took the lead for good with 4:51 remaining on a pair of Rose free throws. Then following a Nocioni steal, Rose wove past Williams, leaned back to avoid a block attempt by C.J. Miles and finished a fastbreak bank. When Gordon pulled up and drained a 3-pointer, the Bulls were ahead 98-92 with 4:05 remaining.
Utah had a couple possessions trailing by 3 but couldn't convert, and the Bulls pulled away at the foul line.
"I think the biggest thing in this game is that they just out-hustled us," Sloan said. "We just took too many 3-point shots and didn't take advantage of our size. If our 3s don't go in, you saw the track meet we got into."