Drink: Hecula Monastrell (Spanish red)
TGITaj. With Boozer out a second straight game, Taj Gibson put on an intangible clinic. He and Kurt Thomas combined for nearly 37 offensive rebounds in the first quarter. Taj added solid interior D that in no way resembled the game of a second-year pro. Unfortunately, draft-bust extraordinaire Kwame Brown got going and the Bulls had some lapses on D and turnovers. Derrick Rose even committed a soft foul on DJ Augustin for a 3 point play as part of a 13-4 run. But Rose was his normal fierce self on the offensive end with 10 first quarter points. After one, the Bulls were down to the Robertcats by 3.
In the second stanza, Ronnie Brewer was cold earning a paycheck. He hit a couple of jumpers and improved the Bulls team D. Tyrus Thomas, who blew up his old team last week to the tune of 17 points and 13 boards, played like the jobber he is. “Never Practice Tyrus” got his shot blocked and missed some free throws in a vintage Ty performance. The Bulls got going, highlighted by a Korver to Brewer jamonica. The Bobkittens brought Kwame back on the court only to watch him stand in quicksand while the Bulls came up with two offensive boards leading to a Korver three that cut it down to one. Coach Paul Silas called a TO to berate Kwame. The bust-out responded by dragging down Kurt Thomas and was yanked. With Kwame out, the Bobbies went on a little run. At the end of the half, Brewer was clearly fouled with no call and Augustin scored by traveling as blatantly as you will ever see in a non-Harlem Globetrotter game. The half ended with the Bulls down 47-44.
Both coaches must have mailed in their half-time speeches cuz the game was Sam Cassell ugly to begin. Rose was the only player to show up in dominant fashion and gave Chicago the lead with a jumper from beyond the arc. Deng followed by picking off a lazy ass pass in route to an old fashioned 3 point play. The Bulls went cold for a bit as they were playing with just 4 players and Keith Bogans. Augustin and Rose took turns not defending each other, scoring at will. The rest of the Bulls were playing really rabid team D. The Bulls found themselves up 2 going into the fourth.
The Bulls continued to block most every shot the Bobcats took with Taj registering 6 himself. Sloppy play by both teams led to a scoreless quarter for the first two-and-a-half minutes. With Rose out, CJ Watson hit a 3 for the Bulls first bucket. Boris Diaw was too busy coughing up a ham sandwich to contest a Kurt Thomas jumper, but did respond with his own doughy fade-away. The Bulls came out of a TO up 73-70 with just over 5 to play. Rose came back in and Charlotte came back with all their starters. In a bizarro play, Brewer went up for a lay-up, missed and was tea-bagged by Gerald Wallace. Wallace rolled his ankle, kicked Brewer and was given a flagrant foul. Korver hit the free throw to put us up 2 with 3 to play. With his balls freshly steeped, Wallace came to life with a rebound dunk, an offensive board and pair of free throws to tie it up at 76. Rose was clutch with a bad ass lay-up and righteous half hook. Taj blocked and altered a shot, but Wallace and his balls of fury raced down court for a lay-up and one, putting the Boobclots (kinda a stretch) up one with just over a minute to play. After trading baskets, Luol missed a wide open three after Brewer passed on going up with the ball under the rim. Stephen Jackson hit two from the charity stripe and Rose came back with a flip shot to cut it to 1. The Barbcuts had the ball and lead, but turned it over on an in-bounds play that was originally ruled in favor of Charlotte. The officials overturned it after looking at the replay. Korver got his shot blocked on a lay-up and Rose missed a fade-away at the buzzer.
The Bulls have dropped to this awful team twice in less than a week. Yes the boys are short-handed, but they should have won this game. They still sit at 28-14, good enough for 3rd in the conference. With the front court injuries this year, ya gotta be pleased with the team. Hopefully Boozer will return Thursday when the Dallas Mavericks come to town.
No Bulljive 
