Although they lead by 2 in the loss column over the Heat right now for the #1 seed, the Bulls' lead is 3 1/2 games over Miami for the top seed in the East. Keep in mind also that the Bulls have played 3 more games than the Heat, too.

Tonight marks game #53 for Chicago, and only #50 for Miami as play starts. The Bulls have the Pistons at home this eve, while the Heat hopes to follow up their big win over the NBA Champion Mavericks last night with a road game in Toronto vs. the Raptors starting an hour earlier.

The bolded happened yesterday. Hopefully they get past the awkwardness soon. Despite national yakkers believing the Bulls may lose 1st place, I don't see it. MIA still has 11 games against some quality competition. If the Bulls can beat them once of two (2) tries, they should be #1 seed at the end of the year.

Derrick and Rip have yet to look good on the floor together. That concerns me.

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"Cowabunga? Cowa fucking piece of dog shit! This game is diarrhea coming out of my dick!"

Yup. BoilerRick aptly noted how poorly Hamilton and Rose looked (in person...bastard) in the game day thread. We got 9 games to straighten that out or every game is going to be a real struggle.

Hamilton is going to have to start playing more. Not sure how that is going to fit into Thibs rotation plans, but it has to happen. That dude has to be on the court in crunch time in the 4th before the playoffs. I want to see what a game looks like with Rip's potential scoring, defending and ball handling at the end. That has to get better this year or the Bulls are still toast.

They've got about 10 games to figure it out. I wasn't expecting much yesterday, with Rose's first game back, and that being Rip's 3rd. If it gets down to the last couple games of the season, then I will be definitely be concerned. But for right now, Rip needs to stay on the court. I don't know if it's conditioning, or lack of confidence with Thibs, but he's got to be out there. Beni has it right.

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The one thing that was most disturbing about Rip in the game against NYK was Rip couldn't hold the ball. His little tit for tat with Chandler when they were falling over each other was weird and bad. Really hope he didn't screw that shoulder up again.

Not a very good team at all.

28 wins.

I don't think either knows what to do. The only way it would work is if Derrick defers to Rip and lets him do his thing but unfortunately, Rose is so much better that doesn't work. Therefore, Rip is basically useless out there.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Lost in the whole shuffle was that the Bulls turned the basketball over 19 times yesterday in the OT loss to the Knicks in New York. I kept hearing Bulls' head coach Tom Thibodeau repeat that "turnover" word in his postgame presser when the Bulls lost a week ago to an even more desperate Rockets' team at the U.C. It's not just that word that's very disturbing. It's also the fact that the Bulls felt behind by 21 in the 1st quarter. That should piss Coach Thibs off as much as the "t" word.

He needs to watch Korver. I think the speed is the problem. He's not sure what Rose is going to do at any moment and where he should be. The Bulls have a few extra practice days to figure it out.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

49

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!