Blazer's Edge - Complete Coverage: Bulls vs. BlazersThe ultimate coverage and analysis of the Portland Trail Blazershttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47543/blazersedge-fave.png2014-11-22T01:00:22-08:00http://www.blazersedge.com/rss/stream/70294822014-11-22T01:00:22-08:002014-11-22T01:00:22-08:00Rowdy Crowd Boos Dunleavy as Blazers Beat Bulls
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<p>Special Correspondent Andy P. brings us the skinny from the Moda Center as a raucous Friday night crowd enjoys the Trail Blazers crushing the Bulls.</p> <p>Ladies and Gentlemen, our In-Arena report from the Moda Center as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> crushed the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> 105-87. What did the crowd sound like? Who rocked the best jerseys? How did <span>Nicolas Batum</span> look live in his first game back from injury? Special Correspondent Andy P. gives you the details.</p>
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<p>Ever since Michael Jordan brought 6 titles to Chicago, the Bulls have enjoyed an international following. I was definitely expecting Chicago devotees to infiltrate the Moda Center tonight and they did not let me down. Upon entering the arena I was confronted with a Bulls fan in a zip-up track jacket. On my way into my section there was a guy with a brand spankin' new <span>Derrick Rose</span> jersey. It really set the tone for an overpopulation of the Chicago faithful.</p>
<p>Bulls players were greeted with a fair amount of cheers and boos during their introduction with a definite loud cheer for Joakim Noah. Even I can admit to being a fan of his game. The Blazers retro/old school intro was replaced by a rock/nu-metal style intro complete with bright background lights, intense screaming and clenched fists from all the players. The Friday night crowd seemed to be in this game from the get-go and all the players (including Batum, back in the lineup finally!) got loud cheers from the fans. <span>Meyers Leonard</span> came out and spoke to the crowd and told everyone Happy Thanksgiving. Same to you, Meyers.</p>
<p>I was disappointed to see a couple Bulls fans sitting right in front of me. Boo. Batum distracted me from that with the first two scores of the game, a little how-do-you-do in his first game back. The Blazers definitely came out firing on all cylinders and the crowd responded. Before long it was 25-9 and the Blazers were shooting 80%. Great 1st quarter!</p>
<p>I'd like to take a moment to address something that happens more often than I'd like. Tonight a guy sat behind me that I typically call know-it-all-guy. These guys explain every play to the person they're with and, most of the time, are explaining it wrong. Every 5 minutes I want to turn around and correct the guy or tell him to stop making stuff up. Don't be that guy. (<i>ed. Or his friend.</i>)</p>
<p>In the 2nd quarter the Bulls made a mini-run and got the score within 4 at 39-35. The crowd seemed a bit annoyed. The sizable group of Chicago fans in the arena tried to get into it. When Nikola Mirotic made a nice layup he was rewarded with a decent amount of cheers. All of a sudden <span>Damian Lillard</span> hit back to back 3's and the lead seemed safe again. <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> knocked down a shot to make it 55-39 and the crowd was back. Then Allen Crabbe threw down a massive dunk that brought people out of their seats and everything seemed OK heading into halftime.</p>
<p>The crowd was slow coming back from halftime, probably due to the large lead, and seemed ready to ride this one out. Then out of nowhere Mike Dunleavy Jr absolutely leveled Dame with a flagrant foul out at the 3 point line. <span>Wesley Matthews</span> was immediately in Dunleavy's face and the crowd was right there with him. Dan, the long time season ticket holder that sits next to me, said, "With stuff like this I miss Joel Pryzbilla." I couldn't agree more. For the rest of the game the crowd seemed ready for blood and booed Dunleavy loudly every time he touched the ball.</p>
<p>By the time the 4th quarter rolled around the crowd was pretty quiet. I first noticed people leaving with about 10 minutes left in the game and was a little annoyed that know-it-all-guy behind me didn't go with them. He was too busy proclaiming that the Bulls had absolutely no outside shooters to notice Mirotic knocking down 3s. Whatever, man.</p>
<p>Coach Stotts finally threw the 3rd string guys in. They had trouble scoring, and, at first, the 22 point lead didn't seem safe. Then finally Meyers Leonard hit a 3 and the crowd sighed with relief. With 2 minutes left in the game it was like a fire alarm went off as people exited to beat the traffic. It was fairly quiet in the arena when I heard a drunken fan bellow "Dunleavy sucks!" Dunleavy absolutely HAD to have heard it. Ha ha. I also appreciated that Free Throw Guy was still giving it his all in the last seconds and caused a missed free throw with the game well in hand for the home team. Nice!</p>
<p>Jersey Watch time!</p>
<p>There were a LOT of Bulls jerseys and shirts in the crowd tonight. I gave up counting Derrick Rose jerseys at 7.</p>
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<p>There were no less than 8 Bulls-couples tonight, both wearing Bulls gear. Very disappointing. I definitely liked the guy in the knit Bulls sweater.</p>
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<p>It was cool to see a rare Michael Jordan #45 jersey alongside a guy in a Sabonis jersey.</p>
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<p>Lots of other Jordan jerseys, Bulls hoodies, Bulls hats and Bulls shirts. I also saw a Dennis Rodman jersey, a <span>Carlos Boozer</span> jersey and a Bulls hat on a guy wearing a Fatty's shirt. For the uninitiated, Fatty's is an excellent burger joint in Chicago.</p>
<p>For the home team I saw this awesome Petrovic jersey.</p>
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<p>I also spied a guy in a sweet Stoudamire jersey and a kid rocking some Pippen swag.</p>
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<p>I ran into my friend Liz, along with a friend of hers, and she was rocking an AWESOME Bart Simpson/Clyde Drexler/Blazers shirt.</p>
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<p>Confusing things a bit was a totally-out-of-place father/son duo in opposing <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Lakers</a>/<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Celtics</a> jerseys. What gives, guys?</p>
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<p>All in all it was a great game and I love how the Blazers fans really get up for "marquee" matchups like the Bulls. Next home game is in a week against the red-hot <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.grizzlybearblues.com/">Memphis Grizzlies</a>. I fully expect the Moda Center to be rocking for that one too.</p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/11/22/7266865/portland-trail-blazers-vs-chicago-bulls-damian-lillard-push-mike-dunleavyDave DeckardLetItBe5032014-11-21T22:21:58-08:002014-11-21T22:21:58-08:00Blazers Starters Take Bulls Behind the Woodshed
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<p>Portland's starters put a hurt on the Chicago Bulls that they'll need therapy to get over.</p> <p>Coming into the season pundits had the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> among a small group of contenders for the NBA Title. If tonight was any indication, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> are shoe-ins for a dynasty after putting a 105-87 drubbing on the Bulls tonight.</p>
<p>With Derrick Rose, <span>Pau Gasol</span>, <span>Kirk Hinrich</span>, and eventually <span>Taj Gibson</span> (ankle sprain) out due to injury, this game wasn't anywhere near indicative, of course. But it was a nice win nevertheless.</p>
<p>For those of you just joining us this season, we have a tradition of dispensing with the normal recap format. So let's get right to the 4 exciting things that happened during this contest.</p>
<p>1. Sensing Chicago's vulnerability and lack of depth, the Blazers came out fast and kept the Bulls running hard. Not only did Portland race down the court at breakneck speed during the first period, they took the earliest available shot on most possessions. It was as if the pre-game speech consisted of 3 words: "Don't think, shoot!" Those attempts fell again and again, creating a 14-0 run in the quarter and a 32-21 edge after one. But even had they not fallen, Chicago would have gotten tired just chasing the ball. It was a brilliant strategy...one the Blazers are employing more this season and to great effect.</p>
<p>2. That first-quarter lead could have been a billion had it not been for Portland's bench, which took a 17-point lead with 3:00 remaining in the period and ground it into unidentifiable goo. The Bulls would close to within 41-37 in the second before Portland's starters returned in force and ripped through another 14-0 run. After that the game was over. Portland led 61-43 at the half, 89-65 after three.</p>
<p>3. <span>Allen Crabbe</span> scored 9 points including <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/11/21/7266443/allen-crabbe-dunks-over-bulls-video">a fierce dunk on Chicago's Tony Snell.</a></p>
<p>4.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/11/21/7266557/mike-dunleavy-damian-lillard-push-video-foul"> Mike Dunleavy Jr. shoved Damian Lillard after a flying close-out on a three-point attempt</a>, making no effort to hit the ball or anything but Lillard's body. This precipitated a minor scuffle during which <span>Wesley Matthews</span> got in a nice shove. Dunleavy was assessed a Flagrant 1 while Matthews and <span>Aaron Brooks</span> received technicals.</p>
<p>Other than that, this game had more squash in it than a Minnesota soup line. At no point was the game out of Portland's control. Aside from the brutal bench run straddling the first and second quarters, Portland fans had nothing to do but cheer. It was a dominating way to go 9-3 and a nice affirmation prior to the upcoming 2.5-game road swing (Boston, Philadelphia, Charlotte).</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>Individual Notes</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>Damian Lillard</span> scored a team-high 21 points on 7-9 shooting, a perfect 4-4 from the arc. "Perfect" pretty much describes his evening overall. His 9 assists and 6 rebounds were nice. His 4 turnovers were mostly a result of the faster tempo and didn't impact his team much. It was a tip-to-buzzer display of greatness, maybe his best game of the season overall. The best part of those 21 points? They came in 26 minutes of playing time.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> scored 16 points on 6-13 shooting without breaking a sweat. His 9 rebounds and 2 blocks had as much of an impact as his scoring.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>Nicolas Batum</span> played 21 minutes and hit his shots (4-6) but it was hard to get a good read on him from this game. He looked as smooth as usual, so hopefully the knee injury is behind him.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Wesley Matthews was a large part of Portland's early, fast-attack strategy. "Fast" has seldom been used to describe his offensive game, but he caught and spun in the post with ease tonight, eschewing stationary dribbles. He didn't look bad doing it either. His confidence has grown, not just in his offense but his impact. He looks more in place this season than we've ever seen him.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>Robin Lopez</span> was his usual nifty self with 12 points and 7 rebounds in 23 minutes.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Note:</b> No starter played more than 28 minutes tonight. That's got to be a record for recent-vintage Blazers teams.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">It's hard to judge bench play in a game like this even though the reserves get more minutes than normal. The game situation isn't the same, nor are the lineups. Crabbe performed well, looking in tune with the offense. <span>Chris Kaman</span> ended up taking bail-out shots when nobody else was scoring and shot 4-11 as a result, but he looked fine too. This wasn't Steve Blake's best game but he wasn't bad either. But that's the totality of Santa's "Nice List" tonight.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">On the naughty side of the ledger you have <span>Thomas Robinson</span>, <span>Meyers Leonard</span>, <span>Dorell Wright</span>, <span>Joel Freeland</span>, and Will Barton. Wright tried to stay active but he looked like he was pressing his offense something fierce...like he had been let up for air and air=shots. Robinson and Leonard weren't in the groove. They had nice moments but tended towards their chaotic side. Freeland rebounded well but picked up fouls like they were pennies on the sidewalk. Barton couldn't hang onto the ball.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">But again, you can't really judge bench merit in a game like this, good or bad. It was an opportunity for some of these guys to step up and mostly they didn't...oatmeal mush with a side of Crabbe. Tomorrow's another day for this work in progress.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">And that's about it. Here's the <a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400578475" target="_blank">Boxscore</a>. You can catch all the post-game reaction in our <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/11/21/7266293/blazers-vs-bulls-final-score-portland-dismantles-short-handed-chicago" target="_blank">Instant Recap</a>. <a href="http://www.blogabull.com/">Blog a Bull</a> will be filled with resigned swear words tonight. And don't miss our<a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/11/22/7266865/portland-trail-blazers-vs-chicago-bulls-damian-lillard-push-mike-dunleavy" target="_blank"> In-Arena Report </a>capturing the mood of the crowd, cool jerseys and signs, and the like.</p>
<p>--Dave blazersub@gmail.com / <a href="https://twitter.com/davedeckard" target="_blank">@DaveDeckard</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/blazersedge" target="_blank">@Blazersedge</a></p>
<p>P.S. I've been intrigued with <span>Nikola Mirotic</span> for a while. He played very well tonight. Man, would he look good in a Blazers uniform. It's not just the single-game production, but his style, bearing, and awareness. This guy could be a serious weapon in the right system.</p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/11/21/7266635/blazers-vs-bulls-final-portland-chicago-damian-lillardDave Deckard2014-11-21T21:56:16-08:002014-11-21T21:56:16-08:00Lillard, Blazers Blow Out Bulls Amidst Scrum
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<figcaption>Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Blazers starters put on a shooting display in a win over the ragged Chicago Bulls.</p> <p>The Blazers returned to a full starting lineup Friday night. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> were not as fortunate with <span>Derrick Rose</span>, <span>Pau Gasol</span>, and <span>Kirk Hinrich</span> out. The way the Blazers starters were shooting the ball, it might not have mattered.</p>
<p><span>Damian Lillard</span> had 21 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds, <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> had 16 points, and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> rolled over the Chicago Bulls Friday night at Moda Center to extend their winning streak to six.</p>
<p>The game could not have started any better for the Blazers. Aldridge shot 5-of-7, including two three-point shots. <span>Robin Lopez</span> had 6 on 3-of-3 shooting. On the other end of the floor, the defense suffocated the Bulls. Chicago did not hit a second field goal until 5:33 was left in the period. They did not hit their third until 3:13 was remaining.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, while the bench has been one of Portland's strengths this season, the second unit let the Bulls climb back into the game with a late 10-2 run. <span>Chris Kaman</span> beat the buzzer to end the run, and the Blazers led by 11 after one.</p>
<p>The Blazers bench continued to struggle into the second quarter as the Bulls cut the lead to four. The starters were forced to return to action, and Damian Lillard came off the bench with a passion. He shot 4-of-5 in the quarter, had four assists, and played strong defense to help Portland jump back out to a lead as large as 20. Lillard ended up with a positively ridiculous +33 rating in the first half. On the other hand, <span>Will Barton</span> finished the half with a -15 rating, with <span>Steve Blake</span> and Chris Kaman finishing the half at -9. With the starters rolling, the Blazers lead at the half 61-43.</p>
<p>The game got chippy in the third quarter. Off an Aldridge miss, <span>Joakim Noah</span> was knocked to the floor by his own teammate. The ball was sent out to Lillard, who attempted a three, only to be decked by Mike Dunleavy Jr. <span>Wesley Matthews</span> and <span>Aaron Brooks</span> promptly started a shoving match in defense of their respective players. Matthews and Brooks were assessed technical fouls, and Dunleavy was given a flagrant one foul. On the actual basketball side of the game, Lillard and Lopez remained hot to extend the lead to 24 after three quarters.</p>
<p>The game remained almost entirely out of reach for Chicago in the fourth. Tensions remained high after the third quarter, and seemingly both teams simply wanted the game to be over.</p>
<p>Robin Lopez had 12 points, <span>Nicolas Batum</span> had 9 in his return to action after missing four games, and Chris Kaman had 10. <span>Taj Gibson</span> of the Bulls left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury and did not return.</p>
<p><a href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400578475">Box Score</a> | <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nba.com/games/20141121/CHIPOR/gameinfo.html">Video Highlights</a></p>
<p align="center"><b>Gameday Thread Comments of the Night</b></p>
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<p>Blazers win NBA Title: Here’s two hours of interviews with Kobe and LeBron reacting to this turn of events<br>by <b>RDreamer</b></p>
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<p>Did you guys just see that?!?!?!? Dame said "Kevin Costner is an overrated actor" and MDjr said "No he’s not!!!" and shoved Dame to the floor. Unbelievable<br>by <b>Slinger81</b></p>
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<p>Who here thought the best player on the floor in the 4th quarter would be Nikola Mirotic? Yeah, me neither.<br>by <b>a fan who flunked gym class</b></p>
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<p align="center"><b>Post-Game Reaction</b></p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Blazers?src=hash">#Blazers</a> coach Terry Stotts on Mike Dunleavy's hard foul on Dame: "Obviously it was unnecessary. I don't know what Mike was thinking."</p>
— Joe Freeman (@BlazerFreeman) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlazerFreeman/status/536038480019603456">November 22, 2014</a>
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<p>Tom Thibodeau says he doesn't think Taj Gibson's ankle injury is serious</p>
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/536038943678947329">November 22, 2014</a>
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<p>Thibs: Dunleavy/Matthews incident was "part of the game... Lots of frustration... We gave up four offensive rebounds on that play"</p>
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/536039378313691137">November 22, 2014</a>
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<p>Taj Gibson in calf-length boot, on crutches due to L ankle injury. "Frustrated... re-aggravated... It was already tender... Same old thing."</p>
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/536042385965195265">November 22, 2014</a>
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<p>LaMarcus Aldridge's new nickname for Chris Kaman: "Kobe Kaman."</p>
— Erik Gundersen (@blazerbanter) <a href="https://twitter.com/blazerbanter/status/536042778749181952">November 22, 2014</a>
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<p>Damian Lillard on Mike Dunleavy's hard foul: "Cheap ... I thought it was a cheap play."</p>
— Joe Freeman (@BlazerFreeman) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlazerFreeman/status/536043472390598657">November 22, 2014</a>
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<p>Batum said that with him coming back, Wes could be Wes. "He kept saying the last couple of games 'I have to be you.'"</p>
— Erik Gundersen (@blazerbanter) <a href="https://twitter.com/blazerbanter/status/536046636011499520">November 22, 2014</a>
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<p>Dunleavy very good on flagrant foul. Said he was merely trying to stop action with Noah on ground. Called Lillard "nice kid." Showed remorse</p>— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCJHoop/status/536039857198346240">November 22, 2014</a>
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https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/11/21/7266293/blazers-vs-bulls-final-score-portland-dismantles-short-handed-chicagoRyanASterling2014-11-21T21:11:25-08:002014-11-21T21:11:25-08:00Video: Dunleavy shoves Lillard, starts scuffle
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<figcaption>Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Mike Dunleavy shoves Damian Lillard on a three-point attempt, starting a scuffle on the floor.</p> <p>In the third quarter of the game between Portland and Chicago, <span>Mike Dunleavy</span> shoved <span>Damian Lillard</span> on a three point attempt, causing a scuffle on the floor.</p>
<p>Here's the video:</p>
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<p>The result of the play was a Flagrant 1 foul on Dunleavy, dual technical fouls on Wesley Matthews and Aaron Brooks.</p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/11/21/7266557/mike-dunleavy-damian-lillard-push-video-foulSam Tongue2014-11-21T20:49:43-08:002014-11-21T20:49:43-08:00Video: Allen Crabbe Dunks Over Tony Snell
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<figcaption>Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Allen Crabbe takes it on the fast break and packs it over Tony Snell!</p> <p>Portland Trail Blazers guard Allen Crabbe takes it to the house on Tony Snell of the Chicago Bulls, then brings the roof down.</p>
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> guard <span>Allen Crabbe</span> took a pass on the fast break, and was extremely mean to <span>Tony Snell</span>.</p>
<p>Allen, that qualifies as a "BOOM SHAKA LAKA" throwdown.</p>
<p>From another angle:</p>
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https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/11/21/7266443/allen-crabbe-dunks-over-bulls-videoSam Tongue2014-11-21T01:51:03-08:002014-11-21T01:51:03-08:00Blazers/Bulls Preview (Rose, Gasol, Hinrich Out)
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<figcaption>Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Blazers host the Chicago Bulls tonight, who may be without stars Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol. Nicolas Batum returns to action for Portland.</p> <p align="center"><span class="sbn-auto-link"><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Chicago Bulls</a> (8-4) vs. </span><a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Portland Trail Blazers</a> (8-3)<br>Friday, November 21<br>Moda Center; Portland, OR | 7:30 p.m. PST | Local TV/Radio: ESPN, CSNNWHD; 620 AM<br>Out for the Blazers: <span>C.J. McCollum</span> | Out for the Bulls: <span>Derrick Rose</span>, <span>Pau Gasol</span>, <span>Kirk Hinrich</span><br>SBN Affiliate: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blogabull.com/">Blog-A-Bull </a>| <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/10/28/7082097/portland-trail-blazers-2014-15-season-preview-tv-viewing-guide" target="_blank">Timmay's Viewing Guide</a> |<a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/10/4/6908887/new-orleans-pelicans-2014-15-nba-season-preview" target="_blank"> </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/10/19/7012787/chicago-bulls-2014-15-nba-season-preview">BE's 2014-15 Bulls Season Preview</a> | <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/10/28/7085127/blazers-edge-night-2015-announced" target="_blank">Blazer's Edge Night</a></p>
<p align="left"><b>UPDATE [Friday 2pm]:</b> Rose, Gasol and Hinrich are all confirmed out for the Bulls tonight:</p>
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<p>Derrick Rose, Pau Gasol, Kirk Hinrich all out tonight in Bulls' matchup with Trail Blazers. <a href="http://t.co/WqlssIQIed">http://t.co/WqlssIQIed</a></p>
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/535904839478546433">November 21, 2014</a>
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<p align="left">The Blazers host the Chicago Bulls tonight at the Moda Center, ending a three-game homestand and a stretch of eight home games in the first 11. Over the next 18 contests -- about a calendar month -- Portland will play on the road 13 times.</p>
<p>The Bulls come limping into town on the second night of a back-to-back, with starting point guard Derrick Rose ailing from a hamstring injury that has kept him out of the last three games and power forward Pau Gasol nursing a strained left calf that's prevented him from playing the last two games. Backup point guard Kirk Kinrich <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/NickFriedell/status/535682732534136832">suffered a chest contusion</a> in a <a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400578463">103-88 loss</a> to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Kings</a> last night.</p>
<p>Rose and Gasol are both questionable tonight, and neither is in a <a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/chicago/nba/story/_/id/11908842/derrick-rose-pau-gasol-chicago-bulls-vs-sacramento-kings">particular hurry to return to action</a> if not feeling 100 percent. Hinrich's status is unknown, but his injury last night did warrant an x-ray -- which came up negative -- so he may be held out against the Blazers.</p>
<p>In the absence of its stars, shooting guard <span>Jimmy Butler</span> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blogabull.com/2014/11/15/7224059/jimmy-butler-max-contract-bulls">has been huge</a> for Chicago this season. Over his last five games, Butler has averaged 41.1 minutes, scoring 23.4 points, pulling in 6.6 rebounds and earning 3.4 assists in that span while connecting on 54.1 percent of his field goals and 41.2 percent of his three-point attempts. Butler shoots about a third of his shots at the rim and finishes extremely well, also able to hit the midrange jumper. Against Sacramento last night he led the Bulls with 23 points on 11-for-18 shooting.</p>
<p>Starting small forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/ct-mike-dunleavy-bulls-spt-1120-20141119-story.html">has earned</a> plenty of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blogabull.com/2014/11/19/7246255/in-praise-of-mike-dunleavy-jr">praise</a> lately, but looking at the statistics alone doesn't tell the story. Over the last five games, Dunleavy is shooting a pedestrian 40.4 percent from the floor and 32 percent from deep, but his ability to move the ball for Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau's offense has proven invaluable for a team that has had to <a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago-bulls/post/_/id/20730/injuries-no-reason-to-count-out-thibs-bulls">soften the effects of various injuries</a> recently.</p>
<p>Super-sub power forward <span>Taj Gibson</span> got the start last night in place of the injured Gasol, hitting four of his nine shots for 12 points. He's made 50 percent of his shots the last five games, half of them coming at the rim. Known as a bit of a jumpshooter in the past, Gibson has improved his play in the paint this year and has been an excellent finisher inside. Center Joakim Noah hits just under half his shots, which would be a solid field goal percentage for many players, but over three-quarters of his attempts come at the rim.</p>
<p>With Hinrich likely out or playing limited minutes tonight, <span>Aaron Brooks</span> is the only healthy point guard on Chicago's roster and will be on the court for much of the game. Brooks, the Pacific Northwest native out of the University of Oregon, made 5-of-10 shots last night against the Kings and picked up four assists. His shot has been fairly cold lately -- especially from outside, where he's been good for just 20 percent of his shots in the five games since Nov. 10 -- but he's hit 47.1 percent of his threes on the year and 37 percent for his career. Brooks is definitely in a bad shooting stretch, but he'll likely have plenty of touches tonight to get back on track.</p>
<p>Thibodeau's rotation can go about 11-deep when he has a full roster at his disposal, but with Rose, Gasol and Hinrich possibly shelved tonight, he'll have to either play with a shortened bench or dole out minutes to players who haven't received much playing time up this point in the season.</p>
<p>Rookie forwards <span>Doug McDermott</span> and <span>Nikola Mirotic</span> have received the most consistent minutes off the bench this year for Thibodeau, and both have struggled from the field. Little-used reserve small forward <span>Tony Snell</span> hasn't been much better. Rookie forward <span>Cameron Bairstow</span>, guard E'Twaun Moore and 17-year veteran center <span>Nazr Mohammed</span> may be pressed into action tonight, but they've played a combined 15 minutes this year and have gotten up three total shots between them, so their sample-size this year isn't just small -- it's practically non-existent. Suffice it to say, then, that neither Bairstow, Moore nor Mohammed are likely to be game-changers tonight. McDermott and Mirotic have the potential to positively affect a game for Chicago, but have done so sparingly in 12 games so far this season.</p>
<p>The Bulls, as a team, have a much more dynamic offense than they've had in recent years. This is largely because they've had to get <a target="_blank" href="http://www.si.com/nba/2014/11/20/chicago-bulls-offense-derrick-rose-pau-gasol">contributions from up-and-down the roster </a>with Rose -- who was the focal point of Chicago's offense his first several years in the NBA -- injured most of the last two seasons. The Bulls also dumped over-utilized, under-productive power forward <span>Carlos Boozer</span> in the offseason, opening up plenty of looks for more efficient players.</p>
<p>Chicago features a top-10 offense in several categories, including assists per game, effective field goal percentage, three-point shooting percentage, overall shooting percentage and free throws attempted per game. According to ESPN.com, the Bulls are tied for No. 7 in the NBA in offensive efficiency.</p>
<p>Still, though, Chicago is banged up and will be relying heavily on Butler, Gibson, Brooks and Dunleavy Jr. for much of its offense tonight, with just one fully healthy point guard at Thibodeau's disposal. Expect to see plenty of solid screens and good ball movement for the Bulls tonight, though they lack their normal individual firepower and will have to play as a team to keep up with the Blazers.</p>
<p>Fortunately for Chicago, Thibodeau is known for getting the best out of his teams on the defensive end, and this year is no exception. The Bulls allow opponents to shoot 33.2 percent from deep (No. 8 in the NBA) and 42.9 percent overall (No. 5), while giving up 18.4 three-point tries per game (No. 4) and coming in at No. 7 on ESPN.com's defensive efficiency ratings, making them <a target="_blank" href="http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2014/11/chicago_bulls_will_try_to_wear_you_out_on_both_end.html">one of just four teams to rank in the top-10</a> in both offensive and defensive efficiency so far this season.</p>
<p>The Blazers, meanwhile, are also a top-10 team on both sides of the ball.</p>
<p>Portland scores 104.4 points per game (No. 7 in the league), registers 23.8 assists (No. 6), hits 38.9 percent from deep (No. 5) and takes -- and makes -- more three-pointers a night than every team but the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Houston Rockets</a>.</p>
<p>Blazers point guard <span>Damian Lillard</span> has been on fire for the Blazers lately, shouldering the offensive load with forwards <span>Nicolas Batum</span> and <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> missing games with minor injuries. Lillard has averages of 23.8 points, eight assists and 4.6 rebounds his last five games, shooting 52.6 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from outside on 6.4 three-point attempts per contest.</p>
<p>Aldridge sat out last Saturday's home win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Nets</a> with an upper-respiratory illness, but came back Monday night against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">Pelicans</a> to hit nine of his 18 field goal attempts for 22 points, bringing in nine rebounds and committing zero turnovers in the process. In two games against the Bulls last year, though, Aldridge shot just 20 percent from the field.</p>
<p>Shooting guard <span>Wesley Matthews</span> has cooled off offensively since starting the season out aggressively. He had a 7-for-13 shooting night against the Pelicans Monday, but has made 38.6 percent of his shots and 31.7 percent of his threes the last five games. Tonight will be a matchup of two of the league's upper-echelon two-way shooting guards, as Matthews will be going against Butler for much of the game, who has a several-inch height advantage over the player many Blazers fans refer to as "Iron Man."</p>
<p>Centers Chris Kaman and <span>Robin Lopez</span> have been sources of consistency for Portland so far this year, both hitting well over half their shots. Lopez is more of a safety plug in Blazers coach <span>Terry Stotts</span>' offense, hitting open shots when the opposing defenses don't respect his range and cleaning up on second-chance points under the basket. Kaman is the offensive spark for the second unit, posting up down low -- effectively finishing with both hands -- and stepping into the midrange for jumpers.</p>
<p>Batum hasn't played in four games, but is second on the team in both rebounds and assists for the season. His individual offense has been off to a sluggish start this year, but Batum is a big part of Stotts' offense and uses many of his looks to set up teammates.</p>
<p>Point guard <span>Steve Blake</span> plays over two dozen minutes a night on average off the bench, steadying the team with his five assists per game over the last five outings while connecting on 47.1 percent of his threes in that time.</p>
<p>The rest of Stotts' bench rotation changes on a game-to-game basis, depending on who's available and showing the most in practice. Wing Allen Crabbe got the nod at starting small forward the four games Batum sat, but only shot when open and didn't convert well. With shooting guard CJ McCollum out for the next month, Crabbe could still be in the rotation.</p>
<p>Forward Joel Freeland plays about 12 minutes a night, affecting the game mostly with his hustle. Wing Will Barton has produced inconsistently, though he's been used sporadically. Forwards Dorell Wright, <span>Thomas Robinson</span> and big man <span>Meyers Leonard</span> may go back to collecting DNP-CDs again now that Stotts should have a roster at full health available tonight.</p>
<p>The Bulls are a middle-of-the-road team at rebounding the ball on the offensive end and are downright terrible on the other end, percentage-wise. Their total defensive rebounding numbers are a bit inflated because they allow opponents to shoot a ton of field goals but give up low percentage from the field, therefore creating more overall rebounding opportunities.</p>
<p>Gasol is Chicago's best individual rebounder, but he'll either be out tonight or not at full strength. Noah is also effective on the glass. Otherwise, the Bulls are pretty underwhelming rebounding the ball. Portland has a huge rebounding advantage tonight on paper, as the Blazers excel on the offensive end and are decent defensively. Aldridge, Lopez, Kaman, Freeland and Batum are all good-to-great individual rebounders in the frontcourt and Lillard and Matthews contribute on the boards quite well from the backcourt.</p>
<p>Portland is facing an injured Bulls team that is coming off a 15-point loss last night in Sacramento. Chicago will likely be without two of its top-3 options on offense and will have Brooks as its only healthy point guard. The Blazers haven't played since Monday and will only be missing McCollum tonight.</p>
<p>Ostensibly, this is a winnable game for Portland before the team kicks off one of its roughest stretches of the season Sunday night in Boston, and securing the victory at home against the Bulls would be a solid way to end a very home-friendly start to the year.</p>
<p>-- Chris Lucia | bedgecast@gmail.com | <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/ChrisLucia_BE" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Twitter</a></p>
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https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/11/21/7258669/portland-trail-blazers-vs-chicago-bulls-previewChris Lucia