Bulls and Del Negro Overmatched By Yao and The Rockets

Don’t buy those playoff tickets just yet. 

After an encouraging three-game winning streak the Bulls took at step back last night in Houston; It took the Bulls nearly four minutes to get their first field goal.

Despite the slow start they were able to rally several times in the first half behind the hot shooting of Loul Deng. The Bulls trailed by just 3 points at the break and probably would have been ahead if not for their abysmal free throw shooting.  

The Rockets, behind Yao Ming’s 28 points, opened up on the Bulls in the third quarter. Vinny Del Negro seemed completely unable to figure out how to stop the big Houston center. It seemed like he was content to allow Joakim Noah to try to play Yao one and one.

Noah was unable to do any such thing and he fouled out after playing just over 17 minutes. Del Negro, instead of doubling down on Yao down the stretch (a strategy that seemed to work early on), just kept letting the Rockets center dominate the game.

It seems that Del Negro really didn’t expect that to happen.

Despite Yao’s dominance the Bulls rallied early in the fourth to pull within five, but a pathetic three play sequence by Joakim Noah put the game back out of reach. After the Rockets missed a three ball out of the corner it looked like the Bulls would get a chance to pull closer.

Instead, Noah couldn’t get a clean rebound and the ball slipped off his hands out of bounds. He then got completely lost on the in bounds plays and allowed Yao to get an easy slam, making sure to foul him on the way. On the other end Noah missed a make-able tip in, then took another bad foul inside and was gone.

A five point deficit was quickly a ten point one thanks to Joakim Noak who continues to struggle with his consistency.

The night was not all bad for the Bulls. They fought tough all night and remained competitive. They turned the ball over just 8 times and got to the line 28 times.  Unfortunately they shot just 60.7 % from the line.

Loul Deng led the Bulls with 28 points but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Bulls miserable play down low. Sure, Tyrus Thomas had 14 point but he shot just 33% and had three turnovers.

Noah’s line was downright ugly, but not unusual for the former first round pick.  In just 17 minutes he had 2 points, 6 fouls, and one, count them one rebound.  

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