Bulls-Rockets Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Nov 20 2012 5:28PM

Some uncharacteristically poor defense has plagued the Chicago Bulls during their current rough stretch.

How challenging their next test will be likely depends on the health of Houston's James Harden.

The visiting Bulls look to avoid losing three straight regular-season games for the first time in more than 2 1/2 years when they try to hand the Rockets a fourth consecutive defeat Wednesday night.

Over the past two seasons under coach Tom Thibodeau, Chicago has been the NBA's top defensive team allowing 89.9 points per game and holding opponents to 42.6 percent shooting. The Bulls (5-5) gave up 88.7 and held their foes to a 42.1 field-goal percentage while winning four of the first six but have since struggled to guard the basket.

In losing three of four, the Bulls have yielded an average 102.5 points. In Sunday's 102-94 loss to Portland, the Trail Blazers shot 49.4 percent.

"The defense right now, the intensity, we've got to get that part right," said Thibodeau, whose team is 1-2 on a five-game trip.

While Chicago has not dropped three in a row since a 10-game slide Feb. 27-March 19, 2010, it has not allowed 100 points in five straight contests since a 12-game stretch in the same season.

"We have to learn to put stops together," forward Luol Deng told the Bulls' official website. "I don't like comparing teams, but that's what we did well last year. The second unit came in and got stops in a row. Everyone talks about offense, but it's the stops we got. That's how we won games. And that's what we have to get back to."

One of the reasons for Chicago's solid defense and strong bench last year was the inside play of Omer Asik. Although the 7-foot center only averaged 1.0 blocks last season with the Bulls, he clogged the paint and forced opponents to adjust their shots.

After averaging 3.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 2011-12, the Rockets signed Asik to a three-year, $25 million contract in July for his presence in the paint. He's off to a strong start with his new team, averaging 10.0 points and 12.3 rebounds.

Despite upgrading the defense, the Rockets (4-7) return home after allowing an average of 113.3 points and 48.3 percent shooting on a winless three-game trip. Although they're 2-3 in Houston, the Rockets are playing much better defensively in front of their home fans, allowing an average of 95.8 points.

Houston's biggest concern in the opener of a three-game homestand is if Harden has recovered from his bout with the flu. Averaging 24.2 points, Harden scored six on 1-of-6 shooting while lasting 17 minutes in Monday's 102-91 loss at Utah

"We shut him down, gave him some medicine and tried to get him ready for Wednesday," said Kelvin Sampson, who continues to serve at acting head coach as Kevin McHale still deals with a family emergency.

The Jazz opened the second quarter with a 13-0 run and Rockets, who shot a season-low 34.9 percent, were never able to recover. Patrick Patterson had a season-high 19 points and Jeremy Lin added 13 on 5-of-15 shooting.

After signing a lucrative deal with Houston, Lin is averaging 6.6 assists but 10.5 points on 34.2 percent shooting.

Nate Robinson, one of the many new faces on Chicago's bench this season, had 18 points as the Bulls shot 49.3 percent against the Trail Blazers, but committed 19 turnovers.

With star Derrick Rose recovering from a torn ACL, Deng is averaging a team-high 18.1 points and Joakim Noah a career-high 14.8 with 10.0 boards.

Deng scored 24 and Noah added 15 when Chicago's five-game winning streak over the Rockets ended with a 99-93 home loss April 2.

Harden scores 28 in Rockets' win over Bulls

By CHRIS DUNCAN
Posted Nov 22 2012 12:09AM

HOUSTON (AP) James Harden peeked at the television in the Houston Rockets' locker room after their 93-89 victory over the Chicago Bulls and saw Jeremy Lin featured in a car commercial.

Lin was noticeably absent from the spotlight at the end of the actual game, following another poor shooting night.

Harden scored 28 points, Patrick Patterson added 20 and the Rockets snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Bulls on Wednesday night.

"Defensively, we played pretty well," Harden said. "That's what kept us in the game. Offensively, at times, we struggled, but our defense really locked in at key moments down the stretch."

Toney Douglas, who replaced Lin late in the game, swished a 3-pointer and sank two free throws in the final 1:11 as Houston won for the 33rd consecutive time when holding its opponent below 90 points, the NBA's longest current streak.

Lin went 2 for 9 and scored only four points in his final game before facing his former team when the New York Knicks on Friday. He came in shooting 34 percent from the field and 24 percent from 3-point range.

"I'm happy because we had lost three in a row and needed a win," Lin said. "Me, in terms of how I'm playing, I'm a little disappointed in myself. It's just a matter of continuing to fight, continuing to get better."

Lin went 5 for 15 in a loss in Utah on Monday night, and he was 15 for 50 overall from the field over his previous five games. He was getting the shots he likes on Wednesday night, they just weren't falling.

"It was just one of those things where I haven't had the rhythm I've wanted to have," Lin said. "That'll come over time."

Nate Robinson scored 21 off the bench, Luol Deng added 19 and Carlos Boozer had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Bulls, who've lost three in a row for the first time in Tom Thibodeau's three seasons as coach.

The Bulls forced 23 Houston turnovers and outrebounded the Rockets 48-45, but went 2 for 16 from 3-point range and struggled to find any offensive flow.

"There are a lot of things we need to do," Deng said. "We've just got to put a whole 48 minutes together, just got to stay mentally strong. We've got to get a win and get it rolling again."

Robinson had the highlight of the game, spinning around Lin in midair for a layup with five minutes left to put the Bulls up 81-79. Robinson swished a 3-pointer on Chicago's next possession, and Lin went to the bench.

Douglas guarded Robinson after that, and Robinson only scored two points the rest of the way.

"I felt like Toney gave us our best chance to win," Houston interim coach Kelvin Sampson said. "He was a better matchup with Nate."

The Bulls' offense bogged down at the end, and Douglas' 3-pointer with 1:11 remaining put Houston up 86-84. The Rockets acquired Douglas in a trade that sent Marcus Camby to New York in July.

"He works so hard," Harden said of Douglas. "He had the courage to step into that shot and shoot it."

The Bulls got two offensive rebounds, but Robinson flipped a wild pass from under the basket that hit Deng's hands and went out of bounds.

Douglas sank two free throws and former Bulls center Omer Asik blocked Noah on a drive.

Chicago has lost three in a row for the first time since a 10-game slide between Feb. 27 and March 19, 2010. The Bulls held a team under 100 points for the first time in five games, but couldn't get the stops when they absolutely needed them.

"Our defense is not what it used to be," Noah said. "It's not what it was last year, that's for sure. We have to do better. Losing three in a row is unacceptable. We're better than that."

The Bulls led the league in scoring defense last season (88.2 points per game), and Thibodeau is seeing inconsistency this year.

"The big thing on defense is everyone has responsibility," he said. "We have to stay disciplined and we have to stay attached and we can't make things up. The fourth quarter is different. Your intensity is higher and you have to stay disciplined."

Notes: Chandler Parsons had 18 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for Houston. ... Harden tied a career high with five steals. ... The Rockets have won the last two meetings with Chicago after losing the previous five. ... Boozer has three double-doubles in his last four games.

Notebook: Rockets 93, Bulls 89

Matt Miller, For NBA.com
Posted Wed Nov 21, 2012 11:51 PM - Updated Wed Nov 21, 2012 11:51 PM

THE FACTS: The Chicago Bulls know it is too early in the season to panic, but they have entered unfamiliar territory. They are under .500 after dropping three consecutive regular-season games for the first time in the coach Tom Thibodeau era.

James Harden scored 28 points and collected five steals, while Patrick Patterson poured in a season-high 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds to guide the Houston Rockets past Chicago 93-89 on Wednesday night at Toyota Center. Chandler Parsons added his fourth double-double (18 points, career-best 13 boards) in his last five games for Houston (5-7), which snapped a three-game losing streak.

Nate Robinson netted 13 of his season-high 21 points in the fourth quarter, but that was not enough to save the Bulls (5-6) from another disappointing result. Carlos Boozer finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Luol Deng scored 19, but was limited to 3-for-14 shooting from the floor after halftime.

QUOTABLE: "Obviously, you hate the losing part of it. I'm more concerned with us doing things the right way and focusing in on our improvement. ... We can't pick and choose. We have to be tied together the entire time. We can't do the easy thing. We have to do the tough thing."

-- Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau

THE STAT: The Rockets' franchise-record 33rd straight victory when limiting an opponent to less than 90 points coincided with Chicago's first three-game losing streak in the regular season since a 10-game slide Feb. 27-March 19 of 2010.

TURNING POINT: After Robinson capped a 9-1 Chicago spurt with a 3-pointer to give the Bulls an 84-79 lead with 4:41 left in the fourth quarter, Houston's defense refused to budge another inch. The Rockets held the Bulls scoreless for the next 4:30, which was more than enough time for them to rip off a 7-0 run -- capped by a Toney Douglas trey from the top of the key with 1:11 remaining to regain the lead.

QUOTABLE II: "Our defense kept them away from doing what they really wanted to do [in the final five minutes of the game], and that caused Nate to go one-on-one at the end of the shot clock."

-- Patrick Patterson

HOT: Patterson has made significant strides defensively this season, and his offensive production is also on the rise over the last four games. Patterson has netted at least 14 points in four consecutive contests, averaging 17.0 points on 52.6 percent (30-for-57) shooting during this period.

NOT: The Bulls' backups sparked Chicago during the second quarter for a change after it fell behind 30-23 early in the period. The Bulls held Houston without a field goal for nearly six minutes while also forcing four turnovers during a 16-1 run that put Chicago ahead, 39-31.

GOOD MOVE: After allowing each of their last three opponents to connect on at least 40.0 percent of their 3-point attempts, the Rockets avoided collapsing on penetrating ball-handlers. They also made solid defensive rotations around the perimeter Wednesday to limit the Bulls to a season-worst 12.5 percent (2-for-16) effort from behind the arc.

BAD MOVE: Chicago failed to concentrate and make the most of its attempts at the charity stripe, where it finished a dismal 11-for-19 (57.9 percent). Four different Bulls converted on no more than half of their free-throw attempts.

NOTABLE: Houston played without reserves Carlos Delfino (strained groin) and Cole Aldrich (sprained right ankle). ... The Rockets have won two in a row over Chicago after losing each of the previous five meetings with the Bulls. ... Houston improved to 2-7 this season when Harden scores less than 30. ... The Rockets committed a season-worst 23 turnovers.

UP NEXT: For the Bulls, Saturday @ Milwaukee, Monday vs. Milwaukee, Wednesday vs. Dallas. For the Rockets, Friday vs. New York, Tuesday vs. Toronto, Wednesday @ Oklahoma City.

• Bulls: Rose
• Rockets: Machado, Motiejunas, White

• Bulls: Robinson
• Rockets: --

• Lead Changes: 9
• Times Tied: 11

• Arena: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
• Officials: #48 Scott Foster, #18 Matt Boland, #38 Michael Smith
• Attendance: 15950
• Duration: 2:20