Chicago Sun-Times

Regarding Derrick Rose return, Thibs doesn’t concur with Kerr

Thu, 02 May 2013 02:29:23 -0500

Former Bulls guard Steve Kerr’s comments didn’t go unnoticed. There just weren’t a lot of people at the Berto Center who agreed with what he said about Derrick Rose. During the Game 5 telecast on TNT, Kerr was asked about Rose working through the mental hurdles of coming back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and said, “I think where the Bulls are now with this series with Kirk Hinrich struggling with the calf injury, if Derrick is OK and there’s no threat to further injury, I think he’s got to play. He has to put …

Injured left calf makes Bulls’ Kirk Hinrich iffy for Thursday

Thu, 02 May 2013 02:29:12 -0500

It’s hard to talk tough with a limp. After practice Wednesday, Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich dragged his bruised left calf to the makeshift podium at the Berto Center. A game-time decision for Game 6 Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets at the United Center, Hinrich isn’t the type to get caught up in a war of words with the opposition. After Brooklyn’s victory in Game 5, Nets forward Gerald Wallace said, “We’re the better team.’’ On Wednesday morning, teammate Andray Blatche told the media at practice, “There’s no doubt in our mind we are the better team. We’re just in a …

Bulls practice without Hinrich, Deng and Gibson

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:42:00 -0500

Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich said his injured left calf is getting better, but it still prohibited him from practicing on Wednesday and left his status uncertain for Thursday’s Game 6 against the Brooklyn Nets at the United Center. In addition, Taj Gibson and Luol Deng stayed at home Wednesday with what coach Tom Thibodeau called “flu-like symptoms.” The Bulls hold a 3-2 lead over the Nets in the first-round series. …

Bulls just play better with Kirk Hinrich

Wed, 01 May 2013 13:43:37 -0500

Gerald Wallace didn’t feel like making the point once was enough. “We’re the better team,’’ the Brooklyn forward said. And he said it repeatedly to waves of reporters after his team’s 110-91 win over the Bulls in Game 5 on Monday Memo to both teams: Series aren’t won or lost in the media. They’re won on the court, which the Bulls will be looking to do in a second consecutive elimination game Thursday at the United Center. Now, if only Kirk Hinrich’s bruised left calf would cooperate. Coach Tom Thibodeau has frequently defended the importance of having a healthy Hinrich, …

‘D’ key for Bulls to rebound in Game 6

Wed, 01 May 2013 02:20:24 -0500

Minutes after Monday’s game, with teammates soaking their feet in ice tubs around him, Bulls forward Taj Gibson already wanted to erase from his memory what had transpired for two and a half hours at the Barclays Center. “It was just a frustrating night, a night you just want to throw away and get rid of and then get ready for the next one,” Gibson said. “This one leaves a bad taste in our mouth.” The most bitter pill was the number 17, as in how many offensive rebounds the Brooklyn Nets collected in a 110-91 win to force Game …

TELANDER: Game 6 is ailing Bulls’ last, best chance to advance

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:40:21 -0500

NEW YORK — Here at the ‘‘Rusty Tug’’ — also known as the Barclays Center — we had another Blackout Night for Brooklyn Nets fans. For Bulls fans, it was pretty much Blot-Out Night. They might as well forget the 110-91 loss Monday in Game 5 of the first-round Eastern Conference playoff matchup. The Bulls still lead the series 3-2, so all is not gloom. Plus, you have to tip your hat to the fans who started ‘‘ooh’’-ing while Nate Robinson was in the midst of an ankle-breaking drive in the second quarter. The play ended in a layup and …

Nets force Game 6 with 110-91 win over banged-up Bulls

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:50:35 -0500

NEW YORK — The suntan lotion and South Beach will have to wait. At least for now. Hoping to read the Nets their last rites in Game 5 at the Barclays Center Monday night, it was instead the home team that survived, pulling away in the fourth to win 110-91. “Frustrated,” was the common statement made by a Bulls team that now has to try and finish the best-of-seven series Thursday night at the United Center. Basically, time to get back to being “grimy.” “We’ll bounce back, it’s at home,” Bulls guard/forward Jimmy Butler said. “You want to end a …

Despite 20 points, Nate Robinson can’t repeat magic against Nets

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:25:48 -0500

NEW YORK — Nate Robinson couldn’t muster up an encore to his brilliant Game 4 performance Monday night at the Barclays Center. With Kirk Hinrich sidelined with a left calf injury, Robinson started and played a game-high 43 minutes, 34 seconds, but he couldn’t put together another magical fourth quarter scoring spree. Robinson paced his team with 20 points, but he made just two of five shots in the fourth, when the Nets outscored the Bulls 33-18. Asked about his game, Robinson said, “Not good enough. “It’s not about points. I had a crucial turnover down the stretch that really …

Hinrich, Stackhouse have different reactions to Jason Collins’ news

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:26:00 -0500

NEW YORK – Two former teammates of Jason Collins, who announced today that he’s gay, had very different reactions at the Barclays Center Monday evening. Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich didn’t have much to say and called it a distraction, while Nets forward Jerry Stackhouse insisted the news is bigger than the game itself. Asked about the significance of Collins becoming the first male athlete to come out in a major sport, Hinrich said, “It’s really not significant to me. “It surprised me but it’s just a big distraction right now. I was surprised after reading all that. “It doesn’t really …

Video: Bulls’ Carlos Boozer on Game 5 vs. Nets

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:34:00 -0500

Bulls forward Carlos Boozer discusses Game 5 vs. the Brooklyn Nets.

Bulls’ Nate Robinson ready for starting role

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:36:56 -0500

Meet public enemy No. 1 in Brooklyn. All 5-feet-9 of him. And Nate Robinson wouldn’t want it any other way. If the Bulls point guard thought the spotlight was on him and his Game 4 heroics Saturday, that light is about to be turned up a notch tonight, as Robinson is the likely starter for an injured Kirk Hinrich, and doing in what could be a close-out game for the Bulls in the best-of-seven series.