Bulls notebook: Former Bulls forward Gooden wins ‘bowl’ game over Noah
BY JOE COWLEY jcowley@suntimes.com November 26, 2012 10:52PM
Bulls center Joakim Noah hooks a shot over Milwaukee forward Larry Sanders in the first quarter of the Chicago Bulls-Milwaukee Bucks NBA game Monday November 26, 2012 at the United Center. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times
Updated: December 28, 2012 6:28AM
If it had been an actual Twitter battle, Bucks forward Drew Gooden would’ve won by TKO.
He convinced a Bulls fan to throw a Kirk Hinrich jersey in the toilet and take a picture of it for two tickets to the game Monday night.
It started Sunday, when Gooden, who played parts of two seasons with the Bulls, tweeted out, “Just made it to Chicago. Bulls tomorrow payback’s a b----.’’
Gooden’s close friend Joakim Noah then fired back: “Quit clownin and eat your food goodybagz.’’
Then it was Gooden’s turn: “Heard you eating @PFChangs tonight. Don’t get the chopsticks tangled in your wig.’’
Gooden then decided to have a Twitter contest for his game tickets, calling for a fan to throw a Bulls jersey in the toilet, then send the picture out on Twitter. @Kruppsanity won.
“They’re in the ticket box right there if you want to get them on tape,’’ Gooden said an hour before the game, showing that he honored his contest by putting two tickets under Zack Krupp’s name. “I hated for it to be Kirk, but it’s all fun and games.’’
Gooden said he was trying to create some excitement for the game, an early-season battle for first place in the Central Division.
Getting defensive
For the fourth consecutive game, Jimmy Butler stole minutes away from Marco Belinelli.
It started last week in Portland when Butler played 20 minutes and Belinelli, who was signed as a free agent to replace Kyle Korver’s outside scoring, played 19.
Butler played 30 minutes in the loss to the Rockets, and Belinelli was in for only six minutes. On Saturday against the Bucks, Belinelli played four minutes.
Coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t go into details, but it’s no secret that Belinelli has struggled to play the high-level defense demanded by Thibodeau.
“I think he’s still learning and putting forth great effort, and he’ll continue to improve,’’ Thibodeau said of Belinelli’s defense.
“His attitude is great, his approach is great, so he just has to be patient.’’
