I'm not really sure if that title makes a lick of sense, but either way, the Chicago Bulls easily defeated the Toronto Raptors last night, 96-80. With Derrick Rose out with his injured hamstring, the Bulls received a great all-around performance from the starting lineup, as every starter notched double figures in scoring.
DeMar DeRozan exploded for 37 points, but the Raptors couldn't buy a bucket outside of him and Rudy Gay. The Bulls rotated extremely well defensively, interrupting all of the Raptors' outside attempts.
Taj Gibson Impressed
Taj Gibson continues to impress me this season. He was off last year, perhaps due to the pressure of a new contract, and some injuries. Whatever the reason, it looked like letting Omer Asik walk was a terrible decision, and I completely hated the decision at the time.
Flash forward to 2013, and Gibson looks like the player who impressed during his first three years in the league. While he hasn't added the 3-point shot he's talked about since his rookie season, Taj has looked explosive and done a fantastic job defensively, less a weak performance against David West. Last night Taj played just 21 minutes, but managed to chip in 6 points, 6 boards, and 2 blocks. Plus, Taj does a great job closing out and altering shots in the Bulls' rotation heavy defense.
Deng is so good
Though Rudy Gay was a little more efficient that I predicted, scoring 20 points on 7-15 shooting, Luol Deng did a masterful job grabbing rebounds and scoring an efficient 19 points. Deng never does anything flashy, and he still isn't a great ball handler, but the Bulls were +24 with him on the court. He doesn't necessarily fill up a stat sheet like you'd think an all-star would, but make no doubt about it, Deng is an elite small forward. He's going to get paid in the offseason.
Strong Three Point Shooting
The Bulls were 7-16 from the three point line last night, and I was encouraged to see Jimmy Butler nail a pair of triples. Hinrich missed 5 threes, many of which were wide open, but overall, he did an admirable job filing in for Derrick Rose.
This is a short recap, but my beloved Blue Demons played today, and I've got to knock out a preview for tonight's huge matchup.
Let's go Bulls.
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