Bulls benefiting from up-tempo offense
The victory over the Knicks on Tuesday provided a good illustration of what the Bulls are all about these days.
They weren't all that sharp on offense, shooting 43.3 percent from the field, but still scored 110 points, with five players tallying at least 17.
"Last night was a crazy game, it was up and down," guard Ben Gordon said following Wednesday's light practice at the Berto Center. "I felt like I was in a YMCA."
First-time coach Vinny Del Negro succeeded in promoting a fast-paced offense this season, and the numbers have grown since John Salmons joined the starting lineup. The Bulls are averaging 106.4 points since March 1, up from 102.1 for the full season.
"Overall, if we can guard and get in the open court, with Derrick (Rose), Ben and John coming at you, and Kirk (Hinrich) and our athletic guys, we can put some pressure on teams," Del Negro said. "That's what we're trying to do."
Of course, offense is only half of the package. There are plenty of high-scoring NBA teams who put little effort into playing defense.
In the last 10 games, for example, the Bulls have been the league's fifth highest-scoring team at 107.7 points. During that time, they've gone 7-3 and produced a point differential of plus-4.3.
Three of the teams that rank above the Bulls in scoring over the last 10 games - Phoenix, Golden State and Sacramento - have basically given up trying to play any defense.
"From the jump, when coach Del Negro got here, he said he wanted to play up-tempo," Gordon said. "Him coming from Phoenix, that's what he was accustomed to, with coach (Mike) D'Antoni.
"I'm not surprised that now we're one of the highest scoring teams in the league, especially with the personnel we have. It definitely is a fun style to play and it's something that's been working for us as of late."
Playoff update: If they can beat Philadelphia tonight at the United Center, the Bulls would pull within 1 1/2 games of sixth place in the East.
The 76ers would still hold the tiebreaker against the Bulls based on conference record, though. So the Sixers would have to lose three of their final four games for the Bulls to have any chance of moving up. Philadelphia's last four games include two with Cleveland, Boston at home and Toronto on the road.
Bosh looks ahead: Toronto's Chris Bosh talked about what lies ahead for him with one year left before he can become an unrestricted free agent in 2010. Bosh would be in high demand if he hits the open market, so the Raptors might try to trade him first.
"I know this next year is really going to be a roller coaster because of the speculation and everything," he said in the Toronto Star. "This year was a lot, but next year? I can only imagine."
Bull horns: The Bulls set a world record for most assists before making a basket, with the help of 400 kids from Chicago Youth Centers, on Wednesday at the Berto Center. Joakim Noah lifted the basket-scorer up to the rim. ... The Bulls aren't sure when Tim Thomas will return. He missed Tuesday's game against New York due to a family emergency. ... Bulls playoff tickets go on sale Friday at 11 a.m. The magic number for clinching a playoff spot is 2.