NEWSLETTER
Countdown to second shot: 2 days
The rest of the BN crew has gotten their full vaccines already, so I’m the lone wolf over here for the next 48 hours. Once we’re all pumped up, though, expect to see us licking the streets of Wrigleyville and kissing the Jordan statue!
Ps: I’m totally kidding. I don’t advise doing any of that. Keep staying safe!
• The Chicago Bulls will look to string together their fourth three-game winning streak of the season tonight with another victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. These two teams saw each other on Saturday at the United Center, where the Bulls managed to put together one of the more complete performances since the trade deadline. Nikola Vucevic led the way with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists on a pretty efficient 10-17 performance from the field, but it was mainly the supporting cast that put the Bulls in a position to pull off the victory. Lauri Markkanen scored 16 points, Patrick Williams added 12, and Coby White dished out 9 assists, and the Bulls will need a similarly productive outing tonight to pick up their second win in three games over this pesky Cavs crew.
• Say what you will about Cleveland (for example, how no one goes on vacation there), but they got some dudes. Collin Sexton and Darius Garland each did their job on Saturday, combining for 44 points, 14 assists (Garland has 12 of those), and 7 rebounds. Big man Jarrett Allen also did what he does best and recorded his 21st double-double of the season. Where the Bulls should have them beat, fortunately, is in the depth department. The Bulls bench outscored Cleveland’s in that last victory 45-15.
• One thing that worries me: The Bulls sank 16 three-pointers in their last meeting with the Cavs, which was their second-highest total since March 19th. Cleveland does allow the 4th-highest opponent three-point percentage per game, so it is possible the Bulls have a similarly productive performance from behind the arc. However, if not, they will have to pound the paint much harder (outscored 42-38 last game).
• In the midst of writing these bullets, the Cavaliers announced that head coach J.B. Bickerstaff will miss tonight’s game due to personal reasons. Hope he’s all good.
Cavaliers Head Coach Will Sit Out Tonight’s Game Against the Bullshttps://t.co/xKrFo7wSlN
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) April 21, 2021
• Two wins and … *clears throat for Joker voice*… everyone loses their minds!!!
Of course it had to be asked of coach Billy Donovan … so are the Bulls better without Zach LaVine?
Read it:https://t.co/BEzLDlld1b
— Joe Cowley (@JCowleyHoops) April 20, 2021
• For all the crazy folks out there who have even pondered whether the Bulls are better without LaVine, let head coach Billy Donovan splash some necessary cold water on your face: “I wouldn’t agree with that. I do think that because of maybe the last two games defensively, what the numbers look like and because Zach’s not here, it may look like, ‘OK, that’s the case.’ But I don’t necessarily agree with that at all,” Donovan told Joe Cowley of the Sun-Times. Thank you. No, let’s not bring it up again.
• K. Let’s do it. What’s your alias?
25 Years Ago Today: Bulls win then regular season record 72 games.
Here was the hotel rooming list that night, courtesy of @sagoatcollctns.
Marcus James = Michael Jordan
Scottie Maurice = Scottie Pippen
Eddie Vedder = Dennis Rodman pic.twitter.com/euo7k0M4SV— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) April 20, 2021
• I feel like there are two options for a good alias: (1) A full name that starts with the same letters as your own first and last name or (2) a celebrity name that is associated with an opposite profession. To satisfy the first option, I initially thought of Ernest Schofield. However, upon a quick google search, an archived article appeared with the headline titled “Ernest Schofield: charged with murder,” so I think I’ll pivot. How about Ernest “Silly-Toes” Shumpert? I’m going for a 1920’s baseball player vibe with that one. You know, like packs meat during the day and plays shortstop for the Boston Braves at night. And, as far as I know, a man under this name has not committed murder.
• For option two, I’d probably pick Neil deGrasse Tyson. Not only am I not worried about any deranged Neil deGrasse Tyson fans showing up at my room, but I also think they would be smart enough to tell me some cool stuff about space if they did. It’s a win-win.
• Shoutout Thaddeus Young for being reliable as hell during this condensed season.
Billy Donovan says he has been concerned with Thad Young’s minutes load over course of year but not to read too much into his minutes being down lately off bench — it was mostly because Lauri Markkanen and Daniel Theis closed the past couple games for matchup/feel reasons.
— Cody Westerlund (@CodyWesterlund) April 20, 2021
• Considering I expect a pretty big change in the roster this offseason, I’m not sure how much fixing these little things right now will help. But if it gives us better basketball to watch over these last couple of weeks, it’s still cool with me.
Better Late Than Never: Bulls Starting to Fix Turnover and Fouling Woeshttps://t.co/UQVALKGtdu
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) April 21, 2021
• The Chicago Bulls released the following statement on the conviction of Derek Chauvin.
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 21, 2021
• So Wendell decided to just start doing stuff like this now huh?
Wendell…
[ronswansonproud.gif] pic.twitter.com/UkFt6jisBk
— Mark K (@mkhoops) April 21, 2021
