# Game #20 - Bulls vs Pacers - Game Thread



## bullsger (Jan 14, 2003)

* vs *









*
Game 20, Home Game 9
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 – 7:00 PM CT
United Center
CSN/NBA-TV / ESPN 1000 AM/WRTO 1200 AM
*

BULLS VS. PACERS ALL-TIME
ALL-TIME ................... Bulls Lead 84-73
BULLS CURRENT STREAK.......1 Loss
BULLS HOME STREAK..............7 Wins
BULLS ROAD STREAK ............... 1 Loss

Game Notes










*Chicago Bulls (16-3)*
Home 8-0
Road 8-3

*Bulls Averages:*
PPG: 96.8 (Opp: 85.8)
RPG: 45.42 (Opp: 38.74) 
APG: 23.1 (Opp: 18.8)
SPG: 7.32 (Opp: 7.16) 
BPG: 6.16 (Opp: 4.63) 
TO: 14.00 (Opp: 14.42) 
FG%: .464 (Opp: .425)
FT%: .744 (Opp: .702) 
3p%: .380 (Opp: .361)

*Probable Bulls starters*





































Derrick Rose - PG - 
Richard Hamilton - SG -
Ronnie Brewer - SF - 
Carlos Boozer - PF -
Joakim Noah - C - 

*Bulls Stats Leaders*
Points:Rose 20.9, Deng 15.9
Rebounds: Boozer 8.5, Noah 8.4
Assists: Rose 8.6, Watson 4.4
Steals: Watson 1.30, Deng 1.22
Blocks: Gibson 1.41, Asik 1.32

FG%: Asik .532, Boozer .528
FT%: Rose .880, Watson .828
3FG%: Brewer .500, Watson .483

*Injury report*
Taj Gibson (left ankle sprain) is day-to-day.
Luol Deng (left wrist) is day-to-day.

For a full report and the latest on Bulls' injuries, check out the AthletiCo Injury Report.










*Indiana Pacers (11-5)*
Home 5-1
Road 6-4

*Probable Pacers starters*
Paul George - PG
Darren Colligson- SG
Danny Granger - SF
David West - PF
Roy Hibbert - C

*Injury report*
Jeff Foster, sore lower back, out


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## Firefight (Jul 2, 2010)

I'm glad Foster is out. I hate that guy..and every time the Bulls play Indy I'm afraid he's going to take Rose out.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

The teams bench takes a huge hit with Foster not in the lineup. We were blown out last night against the magic, so this is a huge game for us against the best team in the league.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Firefight said:


> I'm glad Foster is out. I hate that guy..and every time the Bulls play Indy I'm afraid he's going to take Rose out.


Not to mention they don't have McRoberts anymore. Glad about that, too.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Was excited for the game, but I guess I'm not going to be home. 

Me and KJ have an avatar bet on this if I remember correctly. 

1 month of the other teams logo sound fair? Let me know.


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## garnett (May 13, 2003)

We're really going to miss Taj in this game. Indiana will be bringing Hansborough off the bench, we'll be bringing in Scalabrine. That won't end well.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

R-Star said:


> Was excited for the game, but I guess I'm not going to be home.
> 
> Me and KJ have an avatar bet on this if I remember correctly.
> 
> 1 month of the other teams logo sound fair? Let me know.


It's fair if he's giving you 20 points


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

DunkMaster said:


> It's fair if he's giving you 20 points


Ah, one of the posters eh?

No, its a win or lose bet. I don't think you've been following the NBA this year if you're expecting a 20 point blow out.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Yeah, I'd be pretty stoked if the Bulls won tonight by twenty.

Not expecting it, though.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

R-Star said:


> Ah, one of the posters eh?
> 
> No, its a win or lose bet. I don't think you've been following the NBA this year if you're expecting a 20 point blow out.


Just joking, I remember how tough that series was last year, and now they're even better. I like a team that has some hustle and passion, Indiana is fun, I just hope they don't beat up Rose.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

DunkMaster said:


> Just joking, I remember how tough that series was last year, and now they're even better. I like a team that has some hustle and passion, Indiana is fun, I just hope they don't beat up Rose.


Team is a lot less tough without Foster on the floor, but we still play some tight defense.

If the Pacers actually show up unlike last night, it should be a hell of a good game.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

Did Rose call glass there?


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Rose dominant in the 1st. 15 of the Bulls 26 points.

We're going to need it because against the Pacers this might be the first game where we're really going to see how the injuries affect us.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Nevermind. Make that 12 pts.

The three didn't count.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Nice back and forth game here. 

Really entertaining thus far.


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## garnett (May 13, 2003)

Have they missed a jumper yet? Goddam.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Pacers really shooting the ball well tonight.

Doesn't seem like they're getting anything from in the paint and yet they're still keeping it close.

On the negative, for them, we're living in the paint right now. Brewer just keeps driving it with no consequence.


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## garnett (May 13, 2003)

Brewer taking over!


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## mvP to the Wee (Jul 14, 2007)

Ronnie Brewer!!


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Brewer destroyed the Pacers in that quarter. Pretty fun to see.

And we really stepped it up defensively at the end of the quarter.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Man, Granger really is a chucker.

He hurts himself with those shots.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

Bulls came out sloppy in the 2nd half, I think that will change quickly.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Well that lead evaporated quickly.

Silly turnovers. Stupid fouls.

We gave that lead away.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

I'm sensing a lot of DRose free throws in the 4th quarter


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Just when I said this game was getting fun.

Now it's ugly basketball by both teams.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

It would be nice if Scal became a little bit of a dirty player for the Indiana and Miami teams, he's playing really well though.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Down by 1.

Rose time.

Hopefully Granger goes into hero mode too. That would help us.


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## garnett (May 13, 2003)

Scal is good for a laugh during a blowout but we really should've signed another big man instead of him. Our rebounding is terrible when he's in there.


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## Gonzo (Oct 14, 2004)

Pay Ton said:


> Hopefully Granger goes into hero mode too. That would help us.


How dare you


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Gonzo said:


> How dare you


LOL.

Man, we look like the Bulls of last year right now. Horrible offensive possessions.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

Its more of a question of "How the Bulls will win" then "If the Bulls will win".


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

We're just going cold out there. 

Pretty ugly to watch.

This is what worries me about the playoffs versus the Heat.

If the same team as last year shows up where we go cold for long stretches, we have no chance.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

DunkMaster said:


> Its more of a question of "How the Bulls will win" then "If the Bulls will win".


I don't agree.

Pacers are more than capable and we're due.


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## garnett (May 13, 2003)

Pay Ton said:


> We're just going cold out there.
> 
> Pretty ugly to watch.
> 
> ...


Derrick needs to start attacking again. Enough of this deferring.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

Pay Ton said:


> I don't agree.
> 
> Pacers are more than capable and we're due.


You're probably right, though its kind of crazy how Drose doesn't get the calls, not even the obvious ones.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

garnett said:


> Derrick needs to start attacking again. Enough of this deferring.


Yeah, Rose pisses me off sometime.

It's like, get ****ing selfish.

I want Kobe to mentor this kid.


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## SWIFTSLICK (Aug 22, 2009)

BULLS asleep at the wheel in the 4th Quarter. Not a good time to go cold, Gentlemen.


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## Gonzo (Oct 14, 2004)

Indiana with their heads in their asses when the quarter gets under 4 mins.

Don't let our record fool you.


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## garnett (May 13, 2003)

Indiana just cannot keep Noah off the offensive glass.

Still plenty of time.


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## Hoodey (Jul 3, 2011)

garnett said:


> Derrick needs to start attacking again. Enough of this deferring.


This is the worry... that people are going to blame Derrick, just like they used to blame Jordan in 90 when the problem was simply that Pippen needed to get older and better for them to beat a team like Detroit.

Derrick Rose has shot 9-17 tonight. He's fine. He's doing what he needs to do.

We're struggling because Boozer, Noah and Asik have combined to shoot 41.6%, or 10-24 FG as of the time of this post. Roy Hibbert is shooting 61.5%.

Derrick doesn't need to be aggressive. JP needs to go get us better players in the frontcourt.


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## SWIFTSLICK (Aug 22, 2009)

And Rip Hamilton stupidly fouls. I thought veterans were supposed to make sound decisions.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

This one's slowly drifting away.

Looking a lot like the Bulls of last year.


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## SWIFTSLICK (Aug 22, 2009)

Brewer offensive foul. Boo's rains down, refs change it. That's it Chi-Town, scare them refs.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

F-Yeah, nice game here....


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## SWIFTSLICK (Aug 22, 2009)

Yeesh. With all these bricks we might as well build housing for the homeless.


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## garnett (May 13, 2003)

Scal in to guard West. 

Get well soon Taj.


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## SWIFTSLICK (Aug 22, 2009)

Rose to WHITE MAMBA? Brick. WTF?


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

Scalllllll...hit that!


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## Gonzo (Oct 14, 2004)

White Mamba?


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## SWIFTSLICK (Aug 22, 2009)

Turnover, Joakim. Silly backdoor pass. L.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Rose really pissing me off today.

Looking like Lebron. Not wanting to take a shot.

Get aggressive.


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## Gonzo (Oct 14, 2004)

Good game boys.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

Good game.


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## Hoodey (Jul 3, 2011)

By the way, Ronnie Brewer showing you what you can easily get at the SF position for 5 million dollars. Really good game by Brewer. You don't pay 13.3 for a SF unless he is an absolute superstar game changer.


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## jnrjr79 (Apr 18, 2003)

Boy, that Scal for Boozer substitution was the stupidest thing ever. May well have decided the game. Dumb, dumb, dumb.


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## Pay Ton (Apr 18, 2003)

jnrjr79 said:


> Boy, that Scal for Boozer substitution was the stupidest thing ever. May well have decided the game. Dumb, dumb, dumb.


Yeah, really didn't like that at all.

This game was very reminiscent of last year's Bulls team with the cold droughts on offense.

Didn't bring up good memories.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

The Bulls just pissed this game away, while people will praise Noah for getting a double double he was absolute crap defensively, he along with Boozer created NO IMPACT defensively in the paint. 

Thibs made a huge mistake with sticking with CJ Watson as long as he did, 0-6 and his shoot first mentality helped Indiana come back. 

Rose did not stay aggressive, combined with the Ref's calling a shitty game spelled doom. 

I don't mind a loss like this, I just mind when we lose to a bunch of tards like the Pacers. Just can't stand those mouth breathers.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

Don't let the numbers fool you, Boozer and Noah played poorly, especially on defense.


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## Gonzo (Oct 14, 2004)

Yeah, Indiana is a bunch of thugs.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

Hoodey said:


> By the way, Ronnie Brewer showing you what you can easily get at the SF position for 5 million dollars. Really good game by Brewer. You don't pay 13.3 for a SF unless he is an absolute superstar game changer.


if he plays like that every game, he gets 13.3.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

I love Thibs and I think hes arguably a top 3 coach in the NBA but he let his emotions get the best of him, he used up almost all his timeouts with over 5 minutes left in the fourth, he should have played Omer instead of Noah in the fourth and he put too much trust into CJ Watson when it was completely obvious that CJ was not having a good game. 

They went away from the Rose and Brewer combo that grew a big lead, they forced it into Boozer and it really slowed down the game.


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## DunkMaster (Mar 1, 2011)

thebizkit69u said:


> I love Thibs and I think hes arguably a top 3 coach in the NBA but he let his emotions get the best of him, he used up almost all his timeouts with over 5 minutes left in the fourth, he should have played Omer instead of Noah in the fourth and he put too much trust into CJ Watson when it was completely obvious that CJ was not having a good game.
> 
> They went away from the Rose and Brewer combo that grew a big lead, they forced it into Boozer and it really slowed down the game.


Rose played 38 and Watson played 10, can't see it being much different especially considering Rose's injury. 

I see where you are coming from about Asik playing over Noah in the 4th, but I think Noah is more of a gamble play which is benificial for the long run. I think that it is more likely that Noah can get going on both ends than Omer.


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## thebizkit69u (Feb 12, 2003)

DunkMaster said:


> Rose played 38 and Watson played 10, can't see it being much different especially considering Rose's injury.
> 
> I see where you are coming from about Asik playing over Noah in the 4th, but I think Noah is more of a gamble play which is benificial for the long run. I think that it is more likely that Noah can get going on both ends than Omer.


Minutes where not the problem with CJ, I had a problem with the way CJ was playing, he was just jacking up a bunch of dumb shots and missing them badly. He had no flow to this game at all. 

Omer actually does a good job of finishing around the basket when given the opportunity and Omer is a just a flat out better defender than Noah. I COMPLETELY understand giving Noah some more time in order to get his confidence up, but against an annoying team like the Pacers I would have rather played the best players than to give Noah a break.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Time for a Pacers avy KJ.


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## Marcus13 (Jul 17, 2002)

thebizkit69u said:


> I don't mind a loss like this, I just mind when we lose to a bunch of tards like the Pacers. Just can't stand those mouth breathers.


LOL - I've never heard of anyone hating the Pacers before


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## Gonzo (Oct 14, 2004)

Marcus13 said:


> LOL - I've never heard of anyone hating the Pacers before


Yeah we don't have enough fans to have haters.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Gonzo said:


> Yeah we don't have enough fans to have haters.


Think there's only 3 or 4 of us who post regularly on here.


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## Gonzo (Oct 14, 2004)

R-Star said:


> Think there's only 3 or 4 of us who post regularly on here.


It might just be you and I. Our own mod doesn't even post regularly.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

Gonzo said:


> It might just be you and I. Our own mod doesn't even post regularly.


The Pacers could do worse than having 2 of the greatest posters in the world supporting them.


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## Gonzo (Oct 14, 2004)

R-Star said:


> The Pacers could do worse than having 2 of the greatest posters in the world supporting them.


Many drunken debates/rants and maybe I will be that caliber.


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## giusd (Apr 17, 2003)

I watched the game and to me the bulls just ran out of gas against a very deep and hurgry Pacers team that i prediced would finsh 4th before the season started. They are very deep, tall, and physical team and without TG and Deng as well as Rose still hurt they just wore the bulls down. This is a rough season with some many games in so few days and every team is going to go through cycles of being tried and not playing that great. The bulls have been pretty lucky but they still have a ton of road games coming up this team will have a rough time. And as for our big men imho this schedule is a lot harder on the Centers and PFs than the guards and SF because the big men carry a ton of weigh and that has to really be rough on the muscles and joints.

I think one home loss without Deng and TG is just not that big a deal. More inportant that this team get healthy and rest up!!

david


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## Hoodey (Jul 3, 2011)

DunkMaster said:


> if he plays like that every game, he gets 13.3.


Not really. The new CBA signaled the end of paying really good role players or 3rd options money that is way too close to what the superstars make.

The problem with the old CBA is that you could go out and get Lebron for 18 million OR, if you struck out, you had to pay 15 to get Carlos Boozer. Ben Wallace made money that was way too close to the Kobe's and Shaqs of the world when we signed him, and that's why a lot of NBA teams claimed they were in financial trouble. It was never that Chris Bosh makes what he makes or that Kevin Durant gets paid. It's that if Lebron makes 18, Deng should make 9-10, not 13.3.

You won't see guys who aren't true centers with a big advantage, superstars or legit sidekicks on a title team getting 13.3. Those guys will be getting 7-9 or even 9-11 if they play down low. 

Brewer was a good signing as his actual value may end up being closer to 7-8 by the end of his deal. 

If you control the paint and have a guard who can use space really well, control the game and finish you can generally go with role players at the other guard spot and SF and be fine.


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