Bulls hardly miss Rose; set franchise record for blocks
When word came down that Derrick Rose would sit out his third straight game with a left toe injury on Friday in Cleveland, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau stayed confident, stating he felt they had more than enough to win.
Whether the Cavaliers took that as an insult, we'll never know.
In about as much time as it would have taken to type up the quote and fasten it to the bulletin board, the Bulls were well on their way to a resounding 114-75 victory at Quicken Loans Arena.
Luol Deng scored 21 points, Carlos Boozer produced 19 points and 14 rebounds, while C.J. Watson (15 points, 7 assists) outplayed rookie Kyrie Irving (13 points, 3 assists).
The Bulls (14-3) also set a franchise record with 16 blocked shots. Nine different players recorded rejections in this game and Omer Asik was the only one who collected as many as 3.
Not only have the Bulls won two straight without Rose, they've blown out Cleveland and Phoenix while the league's MVP just watched.
“We know we've got to step up without him out there,” Boozer said. “Everybody did a great job. Our starters played great. Our bench played great. It was one of those nights where everything was clicking like clockwork.”
The common denominator in the two most recent wins is getting guards Richard Hamilton and C.J. Watson healthy again.
Hamilton (13 points, 3 assists) hasn't scored in droves for his new team. But he moves the ball, gets out on the break and provides a scoring threat that opposing teams respect.
In the seven games Hamilton has played, the Bulls averaged 104.6 points and 25.7 assists. In the 10 games he missed with a groin strain, it was 90.3 points and 19.9 assists.
Watson, meanwhile, may not be the best backup point guard in the league, but he could be the best substitute starting point guard. Irving hit 3 early 3-pointers and scored 11 points in the first quarter, but added just 1 more basket.
The only negative for the Bulls was more injuries. Taj Gibson turned an ankle in the second quarter when he landed on the foot of a Cavaliers player and did not return. Gibson left the arena in a walking boot, but told reporters he might play Saturday against Charlotte.
Guard John Lucas III left the game early in the fourth quarter with a groin strain. Joakim Noah, who was very active early, also twisted an ankle, but he stayed in the game and kept playing.
“They're nicked up a little but, but they'll be fine,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We won't really know (their status) until tomorrow.
Asked after the game when Rose might return, Thibodeau dismissed the idea that Rose should sit out Saturday because the Bobcats (3-12) are an inferior opponent.
“Only Derrick knows how he feels,” Thibodeau said. “When Derrick feels like he can play, he'll play. If he feels like he can't, he won't. We're very confident that we have more than enough to win.
“Somehow, there's this notion out there that this team you should beat or that team. It doesn't work like that in the NBA. Every team is capable of beating you. Whoever's ready to go, that's who we're going to go with.”
That said, it would be a surprise if Rose played against Charlotte. No sense breaking up the Watson-Hamilton backcourt when it's playing so well.
#376; Follow Mike McGraw's Bulls reports via Twitter @McGrawDHBulls, and check out his All Bull blog at dailyherald.com.