Thomas lights it up as Bulls keep winning
There was no doubt where Bulls fans wanted the ball to go.
Whenever he caught it, a buzz could be felt inside the United Center in anticipation of another smooth set shot settling into the net.
Yes, Kurt Thomas had it going.
The 38-year-old center produced 22 points, his highest-scoring effort since 2005, as the Bulls cruised to a 92-83 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
This was not only Thomas' first 20-point game in six years, it was his largest point total since he finished with 24 on Jan. 25, 2005, while playing for New York.
“I'm mad that he's not a little bit younger, I could play with him a little bit more,” teammate Derrick Rose quipped. “I'm just going to cherish these times I'm playing with him.”
Thomas was locked on automatic early in the game. After hitting his first 2 shots of the third quarter, he was 9-for-12 from the field for 20 points. He missed 3 of 4 attempts the rest of the night.
The veteran center, who spent last season playing with Milwaukee, logged a season-high 44 minutes, adding 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocks.
Most every basket was the same — a 17-footer off a pick-and-roll or ball rotation. A reliable shot and strong defense are the reasons Thomas has lasted 16 seasons in the NBA.
“I still feel young,” Thomas said. “I feel like it's my second or third year in the league. My teammates just kept telling me to shoot the ball when it's there. When it's there I'm just letting it fly.”
The Bulls (31-14) continued to pile up home victories and improved to 10-0 against Central Division opponents.
If there was any bad news, it was Rose complaining about being banged up after the game. The Bulls do have three days off before facing Orlando.
“My back is killing me right now,” he said. “Getting time to rest, get a lot of treatment and hopefully it will heal by the time we play Friday.”
The Bulls didn't shoot well but dominated the second quarter and opened a 48-32 halftime lead. The Bucks (16-26) made a comeback behind 30 points from forward Chris Douglas-Roberts, Rose's college teammate at Memphis.
But the visitors never got closer than 7 points in the second half.
Rose felt another key Monday was strong ball movement. The Bulls piled up 25 assists and just 8 turnovers, with Thomas often turning out to be the open man.
“(Assistant coach) Ron Adams was telling us in the first half of the season, first 10 or 15 games, we were moving the ball well and it kind of slipped,” Rose said.
“Tonight, that's what we were trying to do — get back to our old selves, moving and keeping people on their heels.”
The Bucks know the drill with Thomas. Last season he rarely played, then ended up starting in the playoffs against Atlanta when center Andrew Bogut (18 rebounds) took a hard fall and severely injured his right arm.
This year Thomas waited on the bench until Joakim Noah suffered a right thumb injury.
“Kurt is a really smart player,” Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles said. “He doesn't shoot a contested shot. In the first half he was open and we weren't quick enough getting back to him.”
Mike McGraw's game tracker
Bulls 92, Bucks 83
<B>More of the same:</B> The Bulls improved to 10-0 against Central Division opponents by coasting past Milwaukee. Oddly enough, the Bulls were the team that shot less than 40 percent from the field, but they won offensive rebounds, free throws and turnovers.
<B>Age is a number: </B>Center Kurt Thomas, 38, produced his first 20-point performance since 2005. He hit 10 of 16 shots for 22 points, to go with 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks.
<B>Memphis connection: </B>Chris Douglas-Roberts, college teammate of Derrick Rose, led the Bucks with 30 points. “(Rose) is the hardest guard to guard in the league,” he said. “Is he MVP? He's been running without (Joakim) Noah and (Carlos) Boozer and still winning. That is MVP caliber right there.”