BenchMob Report

Tuesday, February 28 :: Hornets 95 @ Bulls 99 :: Bulls...

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:02:17 -0700

Tuesday, February 28 :: Hornets 95 @ Bulls 99 :: Bulls 28-8

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 19 points, 12 reb, 4 ast, 4 stl and 6 block

BM GAME WRAP: The Bulls were finally back to full-strength featuring a starting lineup of Derrick Rose, Rip Hamilton, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah. However, it appeared as though the entire Bulls team was suffering form the All-Star break “hangover”. The Bulls had a hard time finishing off the Hornets, but it was Derrick Rose who hit the game winner to finish them off.

“We have to knock some of the rust off,” said Derrick Rose, who scored 32 points and dished out nine assists.

The Bulls jumped out to an early lead but let it slip away in the second and third quarters. Shockingly it was the Hornets bench that outscored the Bench Mob 39-19 and help grind the Hornets back into the game.

“You have to find different ways to win,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We had the resolve. That part is encouraging.”

The Bulls (28-8) travel to San Antonio on Wednesday to take on a very good Spurs team at 8pm (cst) which will be featured on ESPN.

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Taj Gibson came off the bench to provide a much needed defensive spark. Taj finish with 5 points, 7 boards, 5 blocks and 2 steals in just 18 minutes.
————————————————————————————-

Thursday, February 2 :: Bulls 105 @ Knicks 102 ::...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:52:51 -0700

Thursday, February 2 :: Bulls 105 @ Knicks 102 :: Bulls 19-6

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 25 points, 10 reb, 1 ast, 6 stl and 3 block

BM GAME WRAP: N/A

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): CJ “Quiet Storm” Watson was a key contributor finishing with 12 pts, 1 reb, 3 stl in just 19 minutes.
————————————————————————————-

Wednesday, February 1 :: Bulls 82 @ 76ers 98 :: Bulls...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:44:00 -0700

Wednesday, February 1 :: Bulls 82 @ 76ers 98 :: Bulls 18-6

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 38 points, 15 reb, 9 ast, 2 stl and 4 block

BM GAME WRAP: N/A

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): CJ “Quiet Storm” Watson came up big in the loss finishing with 20 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast and 1 blk
————————————————————————————-

Monday, January 30 :: Bulls 98 @ Wizzards 88 :: Bulls...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:39:41 -0700

Monday, January 30 :: Bulls 98 @ Wizzards 88 :: Bulls 18-5

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 8 points, 8 reb, 3 ast, 3 stl and 0 block

BM GAME WRAP: N/A

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Taj Gibson provided effort an hustle finishing with 5 pts, 3reb in only 13 minutes.
————————————————————————————-

Sunday, January 29 :: Bulls 93 @ Heat 97 :: Bulls...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:34:35 -0700

Sunday, January 29 :: Bulls 93 @ Heat 97 :: Bulls 17-5

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 17 points, 10 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl and 1 block

BM GAME WRAP: N/A

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Kyle “HotSauce” Korver came off the bench to score 9 pts, 5reb, 1 ast and 1 stl in only 17 minutes.
————————————————————————————-

Friday, January 27 :: Bucks 100 @ Bulls 107 :: Bulls...

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:45:02 -0700

Friday, January 27 :: Bucks 100 @ Bulls 107 :: Bulls 17-4

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 21 points, 11 reb, 3 ast, 1 stl and 2 block

BM GAME WRAP: The Bulls coming off a tough home loss to Indiana seemed focused and ready for this game. Playing without Luol Deng (wrist) and Rip Hamilton (thigh), it was D. Rose with a season-high 34 points, along with Carlos Boozer (20 pts, 13 reb) and Joakim Noah (15 pts, 16 reb) leading the way.

The Bulls yet again showed their depth having to start Bench Mob members Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer. But is was CJ Watson who came in with a big spark finishing with 13 points.

“C.J. gave us a big lift,” Thibodeau said. “Ronnie didn’t score, but his defense was good. And Kyle was just really solid.”

Let’s all be honest though, this game was simply a warm-up for the first showdown against the Miami Heat on Sunday.

“Sunday is definitely not another game,” Noah said.

“We know people will try to blow it up to this championship game,” Rose said. “We’re not worried about that. We’re just worried about ourselves.

“They’re a good team. But we’ll be ready.”

The Bulls (17-4) will begin a grueling 9-game road trip that start on Sunday to take on the Miami Heat at 2:30pm (cst).

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): CJ “Quiet Storm” Watson came off the bench to finish with 13 points, 1 board and 2 dimes in 18 minutes.
————————————————————————————-

Wednesday, January 25 :: Indiana 95 @ Bulls 90 :: Bulls...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:07:29 -0700

Wednesday, January 25 :: Indiana 95 @ Bulls 90 :: Bulls 16-4

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 8 points, 6 reb, 2 ast, 0 stl and 3 block

BM GAME WRAP: It looks like the injury bug finally was able to bite. Sure the Bulls are deep and should have beaten Indiana. However, it looked as if the Bulls simply ran out of gas in the second half and that could be due to injuires to both Luol Deng and Taj Gibson. As the last remaining unbeaten team at home, the loss to the Pacers stings just a bit more.

“I will never forget how they celebrated just from winning this game,” Derrick Rose (24 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast) said. “I can’t wait to play them again.”

The Bulls are bitter about this loss and the assumption is that they will come out hungry against the Bucks on Friday Night.

“You always feel like (crap) after you lose,” Joakim Noah (10 pts, 13 reb) said. “We’ll watch some film and learn from this. If you can deal with the good, you have to be able to deal with the bad and learn from your mistakes.”

The Bulls (16-4) will look to fix those mistakes and come back to the Madhouse with revenge on Friday, January 27 as they host the Milwaukee Bucks at 7pm (cst).

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Ronnie “Basline” Brewer started in place of the injured Luol Deng and filled in nicely. Brewer played 42 minutes (the most on the team) and finished with 20 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast and 3 steals!
————————————————————————————-

Monday, January 23 :: Nets 95 @ Bulls 110 :: Bulls...

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:09:03 -0700

Monday, January 23 :: Nets 95 @ Bulls 110 :: Bulls 16-3

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 25 points, 10 reb, 8 ast, 0 stl and 1 block

BM GAME WRAP: With the rash of injuries the Bulls have endured lately, it seems more like “duck, duck…goose” then basketball. However this team has shown it’s true grit and played through to the tune of a NBA-best 16-3 record.

“We’ve got more than enough to win with,” said coach Tom Thibodeau, who refuses to make excuses or let players feel sorry for themselves when asked about the Bulls injuries.

D.Rose was able to return from injury to play 36 minutes and record 22 points, 5 reb, 8 ast and 1 steal. All five starters reached double figures with Rip Hamilton (22 pts, 10 ast, 4 reb) and Joakim Noah (16 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast) posting double-doubles.

Even though the starters logged big minutes, it was The Bench Mob that yet again came through with “The White Mamba”, Kyle Korver, C.J. Watson and Omer Asik lending hands.

A congratulations is in order for Rip Hamilton who scored his 15,000th career points. Quite a milestone for a quality player. Since returning from injury, Rip has proved to be an excellent fit and could be the “missing piece” for a Bulls team with championship aspirations.

On the injury front, Luol Deng will seek medical opinions on his injured wrist.

“We’re disappointed that he’s injured because he’s put so much work into it,” Thibodeau said. “You can’t say enough about what he brings to the team in all areas. You start with his leadership and toughness. He’s our best defender. He guards multiple positions. He plays to win. He sets a great example in practice. He’s having an All-Star-type year.”

“He said he was able to move it and he was feeling a lot better (Monday) than (Sunday). He feels like it will be day-to-day. I’m good with that. He’s mapping out the course he wants to take.”

The Bulls (16-3) will have a much needed day off, then return to lead the surprising Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, January 25 at 7pm (cst).

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Omer “The Turkish Hammer” Asik recorded 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 dime and 1 block in only 10 minutes. Please Hammer, don’t hurt em!
————————————————————————————-

Saturday, January 21 :: Bobcats 89 @ Bulls 95 :: Bulls...

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:10:28 -0700

Saturday, January 21 :: Bobcats 89 @ Bulls 95 :: Bulls 15-3

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 13 points, 4 reb, 12 ast, 2 stl and 1 block

BM GAME WRAP: If teams, not individuals win championships, then consider this the Bulls year. Depth…That might just be the on-going theme for the Bulls this season. As the team continues with a rash of injuries, we might have to come up with a new nickname for the Bench Mob. CJ “Quiet Storm” Watson again started in place of D.Rose (toe) and Omer “The Turkish Hammer” Asik got his first career start with Joakim Noah as a late scratch (ankle). Additionally, the Bulls were without Taj Gibson (ankle) and John “Carlton” Lucas III (groin).

At this point in the season, with the best record in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls are showing what a team is all about. When one man goes down, the next steps up and fills their roll.

“I’ve said all along, we have the right guys,” Thibodeau said. “No matter who is out, we have more than enough to win. The next guy steps up. He knows what he has to do. He knows what his role is.”

It has been a true enjoyment to watch this team consistently overcome obstalces without missing a beat or complaining once about injuries. Traits like this are what makeup a championship team. Just ask newly acquired Rip Hamilton what is takes to win a title and he sees the same.

“To win a championship, that’s what you have to do: Everybody has to be in it for one reason, and that’s to win,” Hamilton said. “If you look across the league, you see it all the time — guys playing for totally different reasons other than trying to win. … Not just the chemistry on the court, but the chemistry off the court is important. Guys in this locker room really like each other.”

With the absence of Derrick Rose it has been vetrans Rip Hamilton (20 pts), Carlos Boozer (23 pts, 9 reb, 3stl) and Luol Deng (2 pts, 8 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl) that are leading the way.

“He really is the glue to our team,” Thibodeau said of Deng. “There’s nothing that he doesn’t do well.”

The Bulls (15-3) will have a much needed day off on Sunday, then host the 4-12 New Jersey Nets at the Madhouse on Monday, January 23 at 7pm (cst). The hope is that Derrick will be able to return, as well as Joakim and John Lucas. Taj Gibson was seen in a walking boot as was not sure when he would be able to return to action.

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Mike James welcome to the Bench Mob! The newly signed point guard filled in nicely finishing with 9 points and 10 dimes in only 17 minutes.
————————————————————————————-

Friday, January 20 :: Bulls 114 @ Cavaliers 75 :: Bulls...

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:03:12 -0700

Friday, January 20 :: Bulls 114 @ Cavaliers 75 :: Bulls 14-3

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 38 points, 16 reb, 11 ast, 2 stl and 10 blocks

BM GAME WRAP: D.Rose sat out again to rest his injured toe, but that proved to be only a minor bump in the road as the Bulls rolled through Cleveland for an easy win. The team showed it’s depth yet again as the Bulls had everyone except Taj Gibson and Jimmy Butler scored.

The Bulls were a Joakim Noah basket away from all five starters again reaching double figures, topped by Luol Deng’s 21 points and eight rebounds. Carlos Boozer added a double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds and Noah posted 10 rebounds despite not playing in the fourth because of the blowout.

“That’s the thing about our team: We have more than enough to win with,” coach Tom Thibodeau said.

This game did come with some cost however as the Bulls lost Taj Gibson to a sprained left ankle (questionable for Saturday) and John “Carlton” Lucas III to a strain left groin (says he can go Saturday).

Overall is was the “Thibs formula” of solid defense (held the Cavs to 30.3 percent shooting) and unselfish play (27 assists) that has kept these Bulls rolling even without key pieces along the way.

“We’re really moving that ball, y’all,” Boozer said. “We’re hitting the open man. Thibs told us after the game that everybody seems to be in great rhythm. We’re sharing the ball and seeing what’s open. We’re taking advantage of mismatches and pushing the ball in transition.”

The Bulls (14-3) head back to the Madhouse where they will begin a much needed four-game homestand. Saturday, January 21 at 7:00 pm (cst) they will host the Jordan owned Charlotte Bobcats.

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Kyle “Hot Sauce” Korver lived up to his nickname as he came in on Fiii-Yahhh! He scored 14 points on 5-8 shooting in only 15 minutes.
————————————————————————————-

Check out the latest D.Rose video. Adidas Derrick Rose: adiZero...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:49:56 -0700

Check out the latest D.Rose video. Adidas Derrick Rose: adiZero Rose 2.5 - Sneaker Review

Tuesday, January 17 :: Suns 97 @ Bulls 118 :: Bulls...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:38:28 -0700

Tuesday, January 17 :: Suns 97 @ Bulls 118 :: Bulls 13-3

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 25 points, 12 reb, 13 ast, 1 stl and 2 blocks

BM GAME WRAP: With the embarrassing loss to the Memphis Grizzlies the day before, one could tell this was a focused Bulls team. The Bulls posted season highs for points in a quarter (39 in the first), half (67) and game. Playing without Rose for the second straight game, the Bulls depth was on display as all five starters scored in double figures.

CJ Watson stepped in for Rose and finished with 23 points, 4 reb, 5 ast and 2 steals. Carlos Boozer was on fire scoring 31 points (26 at the half) to go along with 6 boards. Joakim Noah looked solid with 13 points, 3 ast 1 stl and 12 boards. And the cherry on top was the return of Rip Hamilton (11 pts, 6 ast).

“I think we’re the deepest team in the league,” Boozer said.

The Bulls (13-3) will travel to Clevland to take on the rebuilding Cavaliers Friday, January 20 at 6:30 pm (cst).

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): CJ “Quiet Storm” Watson in his second game back from injury, CJ played 33 minutes and finished with 23 points, 4 reb, 5 ast and 2 steals. The three times Watson has played for an injured Derrick Rose, Watson has averaged 24.3 points.
————————————————————————————-

Monday, January 16 :: Bulls 86 @ Grizzlies 102 :: Bulls...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:35:35 -0700

Monday, January 16 :: Bulls 86 @ Grizzlies 102 :: Bulls 12-3

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 37 points, 14 rebs, 4 ast, 5 stl and 6 blocks

BM GAME WRAP: This is a game the Bulls will hope to forget as soon as possible. With a game time scratch of Derrick Rose due to his injured toe, the Bulls seemed to think that defense and rebounding were scratched as well.

The Bulls allowed 54 percent shooting (69.2 percent in the first half), got outrebounded 46-34 and watched the Grizzlies score 26 points off 19 turnovers.

“If you don’t defend, rebound and turn it over, you don’t give yourself a chance to win,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Early start, we have to be ready. I have to do a better job of getting them ready.”

Down by 27 points in the second half, the Bulls were out of this one early, but The Bench Mob tried to make a run in the forth closing it to within 8. However this was as close at the Bulls would get.

The lone bright spot was the return of CJ Watson from injury. CJ, playing through pain, gutted out 28 minutes and looked solid despite having to “shake off the rust”.

The Bulls (12-3) will look to stay perfect at home when the host the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, January 17 at 7:00 pm (cst). Derrick Rose will be a game time decision.

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): CJ “Quiet Storm” Watson in his first game back from injury, CJ played 28 minutes and finished with 17 points, 1 reb, 3 ast and 1 steal. Shaking the rust off, CJ looked good and was able to play through pain to help fill the void for the injured D.Rose.
————————————————————————————-

Saturday, January 14 :: Raptors 64 @ Bulls 77 :: Bulls...

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:50:46 -0700

Saturday, January 14 :: Raptors 64 @ Bulls 77 :: Bulls 12-2

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 22 points, 18 rebs, 1 ast, 1 stl and 2 blocks

BM GAME WRAP: With both the Raptors and Bulls playing their fifth game in six nights, this was not a pretty game. Led by double-doubles by Derrick Rose (18 pts, 11 ast and 3 stl) and Carlos Boozer (17 pts, 13 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl and 1 blk), the Bulls played shut-down defense at home to pull out a win.

We’re not concerned with the aesthetics,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We just want the wins.”

With their stellar defense, the Bulls giving up only 66.8 points per game to opponents, continued their NBA record for fewest points allowed in the first five home games.

It was the Bench Mob coming through again in the fourth to help seal the win. Taj Gibson scored nine of his 11, and John Lucas added eight of his ten in the fourth.

“They gave us energy,” Rose said. “On this team, you never know who’s going to step up. Taj and John Luke work hard. The team knows what they can do.”

The Bulls (12-2) will get a much needed day off, then travel to Memphis on Monday to face off against the Grizzlies. The NBA will celebrate Martin Luther King day with this game tipping off Monday, January 16 at noon (cst).

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Taj Gibson finished with 11 points and 12 boards in only 22 minutes. Gibson scored nine of his eleven points in the fourth including a monster put-back dunk off a D.Rose miss.
————————————————————————————-

Friday, January 13 :: Bulls 88 @ Celtics 79 :: Bulls...

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:47:48 -0700

Friday, January 13 :: Bulls 88 @ Celtics 79 :: Bulls 11-2

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 8 points, 2 rebs, 1 ast, 0 stl and 1 blocks

BM GAME WRAP: The Bulls had to make this one interesting. Letting a 20-point lead get cut to one in the third, DRose and the starters took over in the fourth.

As has been the pattern, Derrick Rose (25 pts, 7 ast, 4 reb) and Loul Deng (21 pts, 16 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk) provided both big minutes and huge numbers. Rose at one point scored seven straight in the fourth including a pair of clutch 3-pointers.

“We work hard. Everybody on our team sacrifices a lot and dedicates themselves to making this team better. And everybody knows their role. That’s what makes us a good team.” Rose said when asked about the Bulls league best 11-2 record.

Maybe the biggest surprise was the play of Boozer and Noah in the fourth quarter. Noah came alive to finish with 10 points, 12 boards and 4 blocks. Meanwhile, Boozer played a all-around game finishing with 12 points, 8 boards and 5 dimes. It was a welcome sight to see all five of the Bulls starters score in double figures and have that same unit finishing the game.

The Bulls (11-2) will come home to the Madhouse and host the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, January 14 at 7:00pm (cst).

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Taj Gibson finished with 6 points and 2 boards in only 14 minutes. This was a rare game for the Bulls that The Bench Mob was not needed quite as much to seal the W.
————————————————————————————-

Wednesday, January 11 :: Wizards 64 @ Bulls 78 :: Bulls...

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:58:00 -0700

Wednesday, January 11 :: Wizards 64 @ Bulls 78 :: Bulls 10-2

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 31 points, 26 rebs, 4 ast, 0 stl and 7 blocks

BM GAME WRAP: With D.Rose sidelined with “Turf Toe” and the Bulls playing the third game in three nights (7 games in the last 9 nights) this was not the prettiest of games. But as always, this team gutted it out and found a way to win.

With the injuries to Rose, Hamilton and CJ Watson, the big story of the night was the first career start for seldom used John Lucas III. Everyone knew that Lucas could score (he dropped a 60 spot over the summer against Durant), but he put on a show for the fans at the Madhouse! Lucas sized the opportunity to lead the team finishing with 25 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists.

“I give John a lot of credit,” Thibodeau said. “He stayed ready. There’s a lot of fight in our team.”

“I just kept telling myself, ‘Keep fighting. They’re never going to pull me out of this game,’” Lucas said. “Personally, I know I’m capable of playing with the best. As a team, this shows our heart. One of our captains went down and we all stepped up.”

In addition to JLIII aka “Carlton” (look alike from the Fresh Prince) playing extended minutes, Luol Deng played 45 minutes to finish with 12 points, 15 rebs, 2 ast, 3 stl and 2 blocks.

As they have all year, the Bulls showed why the are considered the deepest team in the league. When one solider falls, the next man up steps in and they continue forward. With the win, the Bulls are now tied for the best record in the league at 10-2 (4-0 at home).

The Bulls (10-2) will travel to Beantown for a much anticipated matchup again the Celtics on Friday, January 13 at 7:00pm (cst).

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): John “Carlton” Lucas III for filling in for the injured Derrick Rose. In his first-ever NBA start he fell just 2 points and 2 rebounds shy of a triple double. Lucas finished with 25 points, 8 boards and 8 dimes.
————————————————————————————-

Tuesday, January 10 :: Bulls 111 @ Timberwolves 100 :: Bulls...

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:54:10 -0700

Tuesday, January 10 :: Bulls 111 @ Timberwolves 100 :: Bulls 9-2

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 27 points, 12 rebs, 5 ast, 2 stl and 5 blocks

BM GAME WRAP: The Bulls started strong (33-17 at the end of the first), decided to take a nap and the woke up to finish the game strong. Winning for the second time in as many nights, the Bulls moved to 9-2 on the season.

“I didn’t think we played tough with the lead,” coach Thibs said. “I did like our resolve at the end.”

As usual, Derrick Rose gave a MVP-worthy performance scoring 31 points and adding 11 dimes (to go along with a steal and 2 blocks). Loul Deng (21 pts, 11 rebs) and Ronnie “Basline” Brewer (17 pts, 4 reb,3 ast) played big minutes and played well throughout the game.

The Bench Mob came through as always with Kyle “Hot Sauce” Korver, Taj Gibson and Omer “The Turkish Hammer” Asik holding it down for the Bulls as they struggled through the second and third quarters.

The Bulls (9-2) will host the cellar-dwelling Washington Wizards Wednesday, January 11 at 7:00pm (cst). The Mad House will be rocking as the Bulls will need the crowd’s energy to finish up the final game of this back-to-back-to-back swing.

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Kyle “Hot Sauce” Korver for scoring 13 points in 24 minutes while shooting lights out (5-6 FGs, 3-3 from deep). He also added 1 rebound, 2 assists, a steal and a block.
————————————————————————————-

Monday, January 9 :: Pistons 68 @ Bulls 92 :: Bulls 8-2 BENCHMOB...

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:04:35 -0700

Monday, January 9 :: Pistons 68 @ Bulls 92 :: Bulls 8-2

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 27 points, 17 rebs, 3 ast, 4 stl and 3 blocks

BM GAME WRAP: The Bulls were looking to shake off the blowout loss to the Hawks, and shake off they did! With yet another dominant defensive effort at home (only allowing 69 avg/pts per game at home) the Bulls blew out the Pistons 92-68.

Derrick Rose was back to his standard MVP form scoring 22 points and adding 8 dimes. Carlos Boozer (23 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk) and Ronnie “Baseline” Brewer (12 pts, 4 ast, 2 reb) both chipped in with strong showings yet again. But it was The Bench Mob who again provided quality minutes.

“I liked the way we started on both ends,” coach Thibs said. “Our ball movement was really good. It got us into a rhythm. Carlos played terrific. And our bench came in and gave us a lift.”

The Bulls (8-2) will travel to Minnesota to take on the T-Pups Tuesday, January 10th at 7:00pm (cst). They will be looking to win their second game in as many nights, as they are in the middle of a back-to-back-to-back

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Taj “The Tajmanian Devil’ Gibson for scoring 9 points, grabbing 3 boards plus a steal and a block in 21 minutes. He finish tied in the plus/minus category with a +18.
————————————————————————————-

Saturday, January 7 :: Bulls 94 @ Hawks 109 :: Bulls 7-2BENCHMOB...

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:28:41 -0700

Saturday, January 7 :: Bulls 94 @ Hawks 109 :: Bulls 7-2

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 62 points, 25 rebs, 10 ast, 6 stl and 3 blocks

BM GAME WRAP: The Bulls looked sluggish to say the least in this one. Atlanta playing their third game in three nights, looked fresh and ready to avenge their loss to the Bulls the week before. The Hawks scored off the opening tip and did not let up until they had built a 29-point lead in the third quarter.

The lone bright spot was the play of “The Bench Mob” who got extended minutes and was the only group to show some grit. Korver, (13 pts), John Lucas (16 pts), Taj Gibson (11 pts) and rookie Jimmy Butler (12) all scored in double digits.

The Bulls (7-2) will host the Detroit Pistons on Monday, January 9th at 7:00pm (cst). You can be sure that the Madhouse will be rocking, and this will be a focused Bulls team.

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): The entire Bench Mob deserves the nod here. However we will give it to rookie Jimmy Butler for scoring 12 points and grabbing 3 boards in only 12 minutes (not to mention a perfect night from the floor/line 3-3 FGs, 6-6 FTs).
————————————————————————————-

Friday, January 6 :: Bulls 97 @ Magic 83 :: Bulls 7-1BENCHMOB...

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 05:00:23 -0700

Friday, January 6 :: Bulls 97 @ Magic 83 :: Bulls 7-1

BENCHMOB TOTALS: 29 points, 10 rebs, 5 ast, 4 stl and 2 blocks

BM GAME WRAP: “It’s not the size of the Dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog that matters.”

If you’re into cartoons this game could have been titled “Superman” vs. “Mighty Mouse”, and in this case, the little guy won. Playing with a bruised left elbow, the result of hitting the deck Wednesday night on a foul by the Pistons’ Damien Wilkins. D.Rose wore a protective sleeve, but it was tough to tell if the injury affected him (he finished with 21 pts, 10 ast, 8 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk).

“I thought (Rose) had a really good command of the game,” Thibodeau said. “He did a great job of play-making and when he needed to score, he scored.”

The Bulls showcased yet another solid defensive effort, and featured a balanced scoring attack. In addition to Rose, both Carlos Boozer (20 pts, 13 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk) and Loul Deng (21 pts, 4 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl) reached 20-plus points. In addition to the Bulls “big 3”, The Bench Mob’s own Kyle “Hot Sauce” Korver seemed to have found his stroke again, connecting on 5-7 three-point attempts and finishing with 18 points.

The Bulls (7-1) are off to their best start since winning 12 of 13 to open the 1996-97 season. The latest victory began a brutal stretch for Chicago that includes seven games in nine nights. The Bulls will travel to Atlanta to take Hawks Saturday, January 7th at 6:00pm (cst).

————————————————————————————-
‘MOBBER OF THE NIGHT (MoN): Kyle “Hot Sauce” Korver regained his form and was on fire in this one. In 31 minutes of action, he finished with 18 point on 6-8 shooting (5-7 from deep), 2 boards, 2 dimes and 3 steals. This is a great sign of things for the Bulls and The Bench Mob if the “Hot Sauce” continues to pour it on!
————————————————————————————-