Bulls hit 50-win mark with rout of Kings
As the Bulls pushed their lead to 30, 35 and finally 40 points against Sacramento on Monday night, the last thing on anyone’s mind was last season’s colossal Kings comeback.
The Bulls did squander a 35-point lead and lose to Sacramento at the United Center on Dec. 21, 2009. But DeMarcus Cousins, Francisco Garcia and Marcus Thornton weren’t about to generate enough inspiration on this night to even keep the deficit below 30.
The Bulls won going away 132-92 by placing eight players in double figures and piling up a season-high with 34 assists. This was the Bulls’ highest-scoring game since April 14, 2008, when they beat Milwaukee 151-135.
“It’s fun to be able to watch our second unit come in and kick butt,” said Carlos Boozer, who returned to the starting lineup after missing five games with a sprained left ankle. “For us, that’s a plus. We can rest and get ready for tomorrow.”
The next game is the one that dominates the memory banks. The Bulls (50-19) head to Atlanta, where they blew a 17-point halftime lead March 2. That probably was the most gut-wrenching loss of the season, and the Bulls responded by going 9-1 since it happened.
“I don’t think any of us on the team can forget that game,” Derrick Rose said. “You’ve got to remember it. I think if we get a lead like that down there again, we won’t let them come back like they did.”
The game in Atlanta will be a nice measuring stick in the Bulls’ quest for first place in the Eastern Conference. A road victory would set them up nicely, because it’s followed by seven winnable games leading up to the April 7 showdown against Boston at the United Center.
Monday’s lopsided triumph gave the Bulls their first 50-win season since 1997-98. They’ve also won 13 straight home games.
Rose and Kyle Korver led the balanced attack with 18 points each. Boozer hit 6 of 10 shots for 16 points and 5 rebounds in his first game action since March 9.
“He actually scored more efficiently than I thought he would,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “So I thought it was encouraging.”
Thibodeau credited Boozer’s presence for the Bulls knocking down 12 of 17 shots from 3-point range. Sacramento’s invisible defense also helped.
“I’m used to our offense. I’m used to my teammates,” Boozer said. “It makes it easy to come back and play. Being out, I was able to watch everything we did and see what coach wants us to do out there.
Taj Gibson ignored his case of turf toe to grab 6 rebounds in 18 minutes. After the game, his right foot featured the usual protective plantar fasciitis tape job, with a special extension wrapped around his big toe.
“The toe is something totally different from the plantar,” Gibson said. “You need this to jump. I’m just doing my job. Derrick played hurt. Joakim (Noah), Booz, I don’t want to let my teammates down.”