Luol Deng: Will He Be the Difference in Rematches Against 76ers and Pacers?
Chicagoโs next two games are against conference opponents with whom the Bulls have a score to settle.
The Indiana Pacers and the Philadelphia 76ers are both 1-0 against the Bulls and are definitely looking to continue their winning ways against one ofย the Eastโs best.
Despite the win advantage these teams have over Chicago, there is one glaring difference between the games played back in late January and early February: the presence of Luol Deng.
Dengโs seven-game hiatus caused by a torn ligament in his left wrist came at a crucial stretch in Chicagoโs schedule; they were slated to face teams that boasted Danny Granger, Andre Iguodala, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.
Granger scored 22 points in his teamโs effort of besting Chicago, and Philadelphia got 19 points from both Iguodala and Thaddeus Young in their dominant 16-point win.
Itโs hard to ignore the coincidence of the Bulls losing games to teams with very athletic small forwards in the absence of Deng.
Dengโs presence is such that he can neutralize the impact of those athletic small forwards.
On the offensive end, he can match or even exceed their scoring output.
On the defensive end, he can make scoring more difficult.
The Pacers have a lot more to worry about than just playing a Bulls team that is now completely manned.
Indiana also has to worry about Derrick Rose, who is looking to dole out a big slice of humble pie to Granger and crew.
Upon giving the Bulls their first home loss, they couldnโt help but celebrate on their sideline.
Maybe they thought they had arrived as a top team in the Eastern Conference, but their jubilation was not without consequence.
โI'll never forget how they celebrated just from winning this game. I can't wait to play them again," Rose was quoted by ESPNChicago.com as saying after the loss.
Itโs one thing to face the most dynamic point guard in the NBAโitโs another thing to face said player when he has big chip on his shoulder.
As for Philadelphia, they will have the comfort of playing on their home floor again, but Chicago has won eight out of their last 10 road games.
The Bullsโ most recent road victory was a textbook demonstration of controlled, defensive basketball that helped them beat the usually homecourt dominant San Antonio Spurs.
Chicagoโs first half of the season saw them win despite a variety of hardships the team had to face down.
Since the All-Star break, the Bulls have their complete roster and are looking to show what they are really capable of.
Indiana and Philadelphia are their first big tests.
With Deng, as well as Richard Hamilton, back in the mix, the Bulls stand a pretty good chance at evening the score.
