Andrew's Chicago Bulls Dynasty - November 2006

[Andrew]

March 26th, 2006
Chicago (98) at Boston (89)
Bulls pick up road win after third quarter push
[ Boxscore ]

When Ben Gordon nailed a three pointer with 3.8 seconds remaining in the second quarter to give the Bulls a 52-51 lead, few expected it to be the basket that put Chicago ahead for good. However, a 10-2 run to begin the third quarter gave Chicago an advantage they would hold for the rest of the game as they defeated the Celtics 98-89 in Boston.

Paul Pierce led all scorers with 21 points on 9/14 shooting but played sparingly in the fourth quarter due to foul trouble. Ricky Davis also found himself on the bench after picking up three quick fouls in the first half and finished with 10 points on 2/6 shooting in just 30 minutes. Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich led the way for Chicago with 17 points apiece.

Andres Nocioni was the standout player for the Bulls though, very quietly finishing one rebound shy of a triple double with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists. "I didn't know how close I was until after the game," Nocioni admitted. "I'm just glad we were able to come here and pick up the win and that I was able to do my part in getting the victory." Latrell Sprewell helped keep the Bulls afloat in the second quarter hitting three threes and scored 11 first half points, but was quiet in the second half going scoreless in both quarters.

Mike Sweetney injured his knee during the second quarter and though he returned in the third he played sparingly while clearly favouring his left leg. He remains questionable for Chicago's next game.

March 27th, 2006
Sweetney out three weeks with sprained knee

CHICAGO, IL -- Mike Sweetney is expected to miss up to three weeks after spraining his right knee in the Chicago Bulls' 98-89 victory over the Boston Celtics last night. Sweetney came down awkwardly after being fouled by Ricky Davis in the second quarter and had to be helped back to the locker room for examination. He returned briefly in the third quarter but was visibly favouring his left leg and soon left the game for good.

Sweetney is one of only two Bulls to appear in all 70 games for the Bulls so far this season, starting four times and posting averages of 5.9 ppg and 3.3 rpg. He was acquired in the trade which sent Eddy Curry to the New York Knicks last summer.

Bulls Notes

• Shawn Kemp is the only Bull who can possibly finish the season having played and started in every contest. Kemp has only played all 82 games twice before in his career; first in 1994/1995 (starting 79 games) and then again in 1999/2000 (starting all 82).
• Ben Gordon's wrist seems to have completely healed. The Bulls' starting guard told reporters after today's practice that he is no longer experiencing any soreness in the wrist, describing himself as being at 100%.

NBA Notes

• Miami (44-27) have become the first team to clinch their Division. No other team in the Southeast Division is currently above .500; Washington is in second place at 30-39, 13 games behind the Heat.
• Five teams have clinched a playoff berth: San Antonio, Cleveland, Miami, Dallas and Houston.

[Andrew]

March 28th, 2006
Orlando (85) at Chicago (93)
Bulls win fourth straight
[ Boxscore ]

The Chicago Bulls overcame a poor shooting night from starting point guard Kirk Hinrich to defeat the Orlando Magic 93-85 in the United Center. Ben Gordon registered game highs of 24 points and 14 assists and scored 16 of the Bulls' 32 fourth quarter points leading them to their third straight win since his return from injury and fourth straight overall.

Veteran forward Grant Hill led the Magic with 19 points and had his team up by three at the end of the third quarter. Orlando looked strong early in the fourth but Gordon made a three pointer to put the Bulls up 77-76 then intercepted a pass intended for Steve Francis and pushed the ball up court, feeding Andres Nocioni for a dunk and a 79-76 advantage. The Bulls never looked back and led by as many as nine in the final two minutes.

Steve Francis and Deshawn Stevenson scored 14 points apiece for the Magic and Keyon Dooling added 10 points in 16 minutes off the bench. Andres Nocioni had 18 points and 6 rebounds for the Bulls, while Luol Deng had 14 points and 4 rebounds and Latrell Sprewell added 15 points in 18 minutes off the bench. Chicago outrebounded Orlando 43-33 including 15-9 on the offensive glass.

March 31st, 2006
Chicago (103) at Charlotte (90)
Gordon erupts for 61, leads Chicago to fifth straight win
[ Boxscore ]

Ben Gordon was forced to sit for more than a month with a broken wrist. It seems the NBA is about to feel his wrath.

The second year player and only player to win the Sixth Man of the Year award as a rookie exploded for a career high 61 points against the Charlotte Bobcats, the second time he has topped the 60 point mark this season. Gordon was 22/38 from the field, dished out five assists and scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Bulls to a 103-90 victory of the Bobcats in Charlotte.

Kirk Hinrich once again struggled from the field, making only one of his 11 attempts. Latrell Sprewell went scoreless for the first time since signing with the Bulls and missed all six of his field goal attempts. With his teammates struggling Gordon managed to pick up the slack throughout the game, scoring 16 in the first quarter, 8 in the second (while handing out four of his five assists) and 17 in the third before his fourth quarter barrage.

"I knew it was going to be a big one for Ben tonight, after the start he had," said teammate Shawn Kemp. "We were struggling out there like we were a couple of weeks back, and I guess Ben's seen too much of that while he was out. He came out and played like a superstar tonight. He's going to be a fantastic player for years to come."

The Bobcats kept the game competitive for most of the first three quarters but fell behind by double digits by the end of the third and never really challenged through the final six minutes. Emeka Okafor, a teammate of Gordon's at UConn and last season's Rookie of the Year scored 16 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in the loss, and praised his former teammate after the game. "Ben was simply phenomenal tonight...to drop 61 points, that's insane. I'm proud of what he's been able to do this year," Okafor said before adding "I just wish he hadn't done it to us."

Chris Duhon left the game after injuring his hand in the third quarter and did not return. X-rays were negative but he is expected to be a gametime decision when the Bulls face the Celtics tomorrow in Chicago.

March Recap
Current Record: 41-31
Stats through March

April 1st, 2006
Monthly Awards for March

NEW YORK, NY -- Andrew Bogut and Chris Paul have once again earned top rookie honours having been named East and West Rookies of the Month for March. It is the fourth time both players have been named as the top rookie in each conference, with Bogut receiving the honour the last two months running while Paul is getting the nod for the third straight month. Bogut averaged 17.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.6 bpg as the Bucks went 7-8 while Chris Paul led the Hornets to a 5-10 record during and averaged 20.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 5.5 apg and 1.6 spg during the month of March.

Tracy McGrady was named Western Conference Player of the Month for the second straight time and the third time overall this season. McGrady is the league's leader in scoring (28.7 ppg) minutes (42.1 mpg) and averaged 27.9 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 7.1 apg, 1.3 bpg and 1.8 spg leading the Rockets to a 10-5 record. In the East, Paul Pierce took home Player of the Month honours for the second time this season posting averages of 29.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 5.1 apg and 1.6 spg as his Celtics went 5-11.

Standings

Northwest


Southwest


Pacific


Atlantic


Central


Southeast


Leaders

Points


Rebounds


Assists


Steals


Blocks


Field Goals


Three Pointers


Free Throws


Minutes


Playoff Race

EAST
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (50-21) - Clinched Berth
2. Miami Heat (45-27) - Clinched Berth & Division
3. Philadelphia 76ers (44-27)
4. Detroit Pistons (44-28)
5. New Jersey Nets (43-28)
6. Indiana Pacers (42-29)
7. Chicago Bulls (41-31)
8. Boston Celtics (34-38)
--------------------------
9. Toronto Raptors (34-38)
10. Milwaukee Bucks (31-41)

WEST
1. San Antonio Spurs (53-19) - Clinched Berth
2. Portland Trailblazers (41-30)
3. Phoenix Suns (39-33)
4. Dallas Mavericks (48-25) - Clinched Berth
5. Houston Rockets (47-25) - Clinched Berth
6. Memphis Grizzlies (45-28) - Clinched Berth
7. Golden State Warriors (35-36)
8. Los Angeles Clippers (35-36)
--------------------------
9. Denver Nuggets (35-38)
10. Sacramento Kings (35-38)

[Jugs]

61 points , wow .

The Blazers have practically made the play-offs . Woooooo!!12!@

Ben Gordon is great, equal 2nd in scoring, just wow. So good for a 2nd year player.

[funk99]

2-7 are very close together. u could get a good rank

[Andrew]

April 1st, 2006
Boston (93) at Chicago (84)
Davis, LaFrentz hereos in fourth quarter
[ Boxscore ]

Heading into the fourth quarter up 69-57 after buzzer beating three pointer by Chris Duhon, it appeared the Chicago Bulls were on their way to their sixth straight victory. The Boston Celtics, who are currently battling the Toronto Raptors for the eighth and final seed in the playoffs, had other ideas. Ricky Davis scored nine of his team high 22 points in the fourth quarter and Raef LaFrentz hit back to back three pointers as the Celtics outscored the home team 36-15 and walked away with a stunning 93-84 upset victory.

Chicago scored the first six points of the game and was in control most of the way, holding Boston to 14 first quarter points and led by 15 at halftime. The momentum began to swing in the Celtics' favour during the third quarter but the Bulls regained control and looked confident after Duhon's three to end the third.

The fourth quarter however was unkind to the Bulls as they found themselves missing easy layups and making costly turnovers. After Boston narrowed the gap to 75-73, Chicago appeared to steady itself and scored soon led 81-76. Boston's run was only just beginning as they scored two quick baskets before Ricky Davis threw down a dunk to give the Celtics their first lead at 82-81. After Ben Gordon missed a jumpshot, LaFrentz connected on a three to extend the lead to four. Kirk Hinrich's pass to Gordon was broken up on the next trip down the floor leading to a second three by LaFrentz, putting the game out of reach of the Bulls.

Gordon led all scorers with 24 points but shot only 10/28 from the field, going 0/7 from downtown. He also had 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Luol Deng contributed 18 points and 5 rebounds, Kirk Hinrich had 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Paul Pierce scored only 11 points for the Celtics, playing only 26 minutes due to foul trouble. LaFrentz finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds with a perfect shooting night, making all four of his field goal attempts and both his free throws.

(Out of character note: What a joke. This was one of the most frustrating examples of the comeback logic gone awry I've experienced in a while. Pretty much every blown layup of mine was answered with a tough fadeaway to beat the shot clock under heavy pressure which always seemed to find nothing but net. It's my last matchup with them as well, so I probably won't get a chance for revenge this season even if they make the Playoffs.)

[Its_asdf]

These type of games simply waste your effort. I can understand how frustrated it must've been, because there have been countless losses in my dynasty (heck, I think all of my losses), have simply having the computer bail itself out with an insane amount of "fouls" from behind the three point line or something ridiculous like that.

[Andrew]

Tell me about it. We need the comeback logic in some form to keep the CPU competitive but it just gets too aggressive to the point where it will erase a 15 point lead in a matter of minutes by unfairly tilting the game in the CPU's favour. You know the comeback logic's completely taken over when you go to FSS moves to bail yourself out and even those fail.

[kibaxx7]

Come on man, you can get that 2nd seed

[Andrew]

No I can't. Remember, the Division winners own the first three seeds.

April 4th, 2006
Indiana (128) at Chicago (127) OT
Gordon drops 55, but Pacers win in OT
[ Boxscore ]

Ben Gordon's scoring rampage continued as the second year guard scored 55 points but the Pacers would withstand a Bulls charge to send the game into overtime where they escaped with a 128-127 victory. Jermaine O'Neal scored a team high 28 points shooting 14/15 from the field and grabbed 15 rebounds, none bigger than his offensive board with 6.3 seconds left that led to two free throws to put Indiana up by three. After a timeout, Tyson Chandler tipped in Gordon's missed three point attempt at the other end for the final scoreline.

Indiana dominated Chicago through the first two quarters and led by 15 at the half. The Bulls opened up the third quarter determined to cut into the deficit scoring the first eight points of the quarter. Gordon's 39th point of the night tied the game at 84 heading into the final quarter, setting up a back and forth battle that the Bulls appeared to have won late in the game. Sarunas Jasikevicius and Stephen Jackson saved the day for Indiana with their three point shooting as they answered every Chicago basket with a long bomb.

Trailing 114-111, Jackson drew a foul on Gordon on a three point attempt then made all three from the line. Gordon missed a potential game winner out of a timeout sending the game to overtime. Chicago came out aggressively at the start of the extra period but found themselves missing easy layups while Indiana had regained their shooting touch. The Bulls forced a rushed shot in the final ten seconds but gave up the offensive rebound, leading to O'Neal's game-clinching free throws.

Kirk Hinrich scored 24 points and dished out 5 assists in a losing effort, while Shawn Kemp contributed 18 points and 6 rebounds and Andres Nocioni had 13 points and 15 rebounds. The Bulls got little help from the bench however as Tyson Chandler and Latrell Sprewell combined for 5 points on 1/8 shooting. Jasikevicius scored 16 points in 23 minutes off the bench for the Pacers, making three of his five three point attempts. Fred Jones and Austin Croshere were also in double figures for Indiana, coming off the bench to score 13 and 10 points respectively.

(See my comment about the last game and the comeback logic. This one was even worse since it taunted me with the third quarter comeback before Jasikevicius went ballastic from downtown and Gordon decided to foul Jackson on the three.)

[Jugs]

Jonathon Bender with a double-double .

It looks like the CPU doesn't want you to make the play-offs..

[Srbija]

Wow, close game. Unlucky loss.

Gordon's 55 points still couldn't get the win.

[funk99]

gordon for ppg leader

[Old School Fool]

Tell me about it. We need the comeback logic in some form to keep the CPU competitive but it just gets too aggressive to the point where it will erase a 15 point lead in a matter of minutes by unfairly tilting the game in the CPU's favour. You know the comeback logic's completely taken over when you go to FSS moves to bail yourself out and even those fail.

Actually, when its a close game I break out the FSS and become cheesy just like the CPU.

[Andrew]

I was trying to do that since it's the only way to really contend with the comeback logic on Superstar when it really gets aggressive, but even that wasn't working.

[elitethatsme]

can you post some videos?

[Andrew]

Sorry, I don't have any to post.

Since this thread has been bumped, I would like to mention that I am keen to finish this season off before NBA Live 07 comes out but unfortunately I can never really go back to the previous instalment of Live after playing the newest one and thanks to the Community Day that's happened earlier than usual. If I do finish this one, I'll be sure to post the results as usual.

[funk99]

cmon andrew get up there and find some time to finish it. if you dont ill understand

[Andrew]

It's not so much the time, it's the enthusiasm and anticipation of NBA Live 07. I'm a little closer as of this afternoon though...

April 5th, 2006
Chicago (108) at Philadelphia (92)
No AI gives Philly no Answer for Chicago
[ Boxscore ]

Despite a close call in the third quarter, the Chicago Bulls managed to stay on top of the Philadelphia 76ers who are still without the injured Allen Iverson, defeating them 108-92 in an impressive road victory.

In a game that saw several back and forth runs, it quickly became apparent that the Bulls had much more in the tank than the depleted Sixers. After capturing the lead midway through the first quarter Chicago leapt out to a double digit lead thanks to Ben Gordon's 14 first quarter points. Chicago ended the quarter on a 12-4 run to take a 9 point lead into the second. However, they would be surprised by a scrappy Sixers team and saw their lead dwindle to one as veteran Chris Webber and rookie Louis Williams led a 10-2 run in the first four minutes. The charge was short lived as Gordon added 15 more in the period to put his Bulls up by ten at halftime.

The second half would not be kind to Gordon though as he went 0/6 and scored just one point. Undaunted the standout sophomore found other ways to contribute finding his teammates for easy baskets including a daring thread-the-needle pass to Tyson Chandler for a layup as Chicago tried to withstand a surging Philadelphia. The Sixers narrowed the gap to one for a three minute stretch in the third quarter but found themselves down by eleven heading into the fourth, where they appeared to run out of steam. Chicago maintained control throughout the final period and pulled their starters with a 16 point lead and three minutes left to play.

Notes: Both Andres Nocioni (Chi) and Andre Iguodala (Phi) left the game due to injury. Neither are expected to miss any time. Iguodala returned late in the fourth but did not score in just 20 minutes of action...The two teams will meet again Saturday night in Chicago.


April 8th, 2006
Bulls clinch playoff berth

CHICAGO, IL -- The Chicago Bulls have qualified for the postseason for the second straight year, clinching after a berth thanks to wins last night by the Philadelphia Sixers and New Orleans Hornets over the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors respectively. Chicago will face Philadelphia tonight in the United Center, having defeated the Sixers 108-92 three nights ago in Philadelphia.

"It sounds cliche but this season has really been a rollercoaster ride," commented Bulls' coach Andrew Begley. "We've endured some tough times but we're confident we can surprise a few people in the Playoffs."

April 8th, 2006
Philadelphia (73) at Chicago (112)
Bulls win season series in style
[ Boxscore ]

The Bulls may have already clinched a playoff berth thanks to losses by the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors yesterday, but it seems the team from the Windy City is determined to prove they need no favours and that they belong in the postseason. Chicago charged out in front during the first quarter and never looked back as they soundly defeated the Philadelphia Sixers 112-73.

The victory may have come at a price though as Shawn Kemp left the game in the second quarter in obvious pain after a hard collision with the Sixers' Chris Webber. Kemp would not return and although x-rays were negative his status is questionable. Tyson Chandler played 31 minutes in The Reignman's absence and grabbed 17 rebounds. Ben Gordon and Luol Deng top scored for the Bulls with 17 points while Samuel Dalembert led the way for the Sixers with 16.

"They're playing with a lot of determination right now," Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks said of the Bulls after the game. "They had a rough couple of months while Ben was out but you can see they're eager to make up for lost time. We stepped in front of a freight train tonight." The Sixers, still without Allen Iverson, once again found themselves shorthanded as Andre Iguodala was scoreless in four minutes as he was plagued by foul trouble. "My head wasn't in the game," he commented after the game. Iguodala played a scoreless 20 minutes against the Bulls three nights ago in Philadelphia missing most of the game after falling awkwardly on his right elbow.

With the victory, Chicago has moved ten games above .500 with six games left in the season. They remain in seventh place in the East, two games behind Philadelphia.

Notes: The Bulls have won the season series against the Sixers 3-1, with the Sixers lone victory coming on February 16th (95-92) in Chicago. Since then the Bulls have won all three games against the Sixers by an average of 36 ppg (136-82, 108-92 and 112-73)...with the victory, Chicago ensured they will finish no lower than seventh in the East...Tyson Chandler and Luol Deng were the only Bulls to play at least 30 minutes...the Sixers attempted just three free throws for the game making only one, an all-time club low...Chicago won the battle of the boards 50-27 and enjoyed a 23-13 advantage on the offensive glass.

April 9th, 2006
Shawn Kemp may miss three weeks

CHICAGO, IL -- Shawn Kemp is expected to be out of action for up to three weeks after injuring his shoulder in last night's 112-73 victory over the Philadelphia Sixers. The Reignman left the game during the second quarter after a hard collision with Chris Webber and did not return. Team doctors have described the injury as a strained shoulder which may keep Kemp out of action into the first round of the Playoffs.

Andrew Begley has said that he is confident the team can rally but admitted Kemp's injury had dealt them a "huge blow". He added "I feel really bad for Shawn, he's given us 110% this year and he's had a fine season. I think he's exceeded a lot of people's expectations." Begley remained optimistic about the Bulls' chances in the Playoffs though. "From what I understand (Shawn) will likely miss the first round but we hope to have him back by the second."

Kemp, 36, made a comeback to the NBA last year after sitting out the previous two seasons. He is the only Bull to appear in each of their 76 games posting averages of 11.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg and 1.6 apg while shooting 61% from the field. The Bulls are also without Mike Sweetney who is recovering from a sprained knee.

[---]

louis williams had a pretty nice game, and great rebounding by tyson chandler in a blowout. hey Andrew, have you ever completed a full season + playoffs 82 games dynasy in any of the Lives?

[Andrew]

Without simulating? Yes I have, most recently in NBA Live 2004.

April 11th, 2006
New Jersey (89) at Chicago (96)
Bulls' team effort trumps Nets' Big Three
[ Boxscore ]

New Jersey's big three of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson combined for 52 points, 8 assists, 8 rebounds and 5 steals but it wasn't enough to overcome a well-rounded team effort by Chicago. Spurred on by a capacity crowd, the Bulls won their third straight game and appear to be ready for the challenge of the postseason.

The game began as a defensive chess match but soon took on a more up-tempo pace beginning in the second quarter. New Jersey struck first and jumped out to an early 28-19 lead before Chicago turned some defensive stops into fastbreak points to get back into the game. The first half ended with both teams deadlocked at 39.

Chicago began to pull away in the third quarter behind Latrell Sprewell's 11 points. They remained in control until late in the fourth quarter when Carter, Kidd and Jefferson sparked a final push that cut Chicago's lead to two at 88-86. Andres Nocioni was fouled on the next play and sent to the line where he made the first free throw but missed the second. Tyson Chandler, starting in place of the injured Shawn Kemp, grabbed the offensive board and was fouled sending him to the line for a pair. He missed the first but made the second giving the Bulls a 90-86 edge.

Jason Kidd missed a three pointer out of a timeout and Andres Nocioni chased down the rebound, dishing off to Kirk Hinrich who was fouled. After Hinrich's free throws put Chicago up by six the Nets advanced the ball with a timeout and then found Richard Jefferson on the right wing for a three to cut the lead in half. Chicago called for time and inbounded the ball to Gordon who was sent to the line where he made both, while also fouling out Kidd. The Nets would not score again as the Bulls eventually prevailed 96-89.

Notes: Six Bulls scored in double figures led by Hinrich's 21 while only three Nets were in double figures led by Carter's 20...three Bulls registered double-doubles...New Jersey committed 24 fouls giving up 28 free throw attempts...Chicago bettered New Jersey in every statistic category except steals (4-6) and turnovers (13-9).

[funk99]

tough loss but they are one of the best teams in the league with Vinsanity, kidd and RJ

[Andrew]

Actually, I won that game.

[funk99]

my bad thought it was 89-86

[---]

damn the satisfaction u must of felt after completing it lol... im gonna read some of it if its on here

[Andrew]

It's still on here, in the NBA Live 2004 Dynasty section. You'll have to search for it manually though since it hasn't been posted in since we had those server problems, so the Search function won't find it. I believe I went 64-18 in the first year and swept my way to the title, then I simmed most of the second year and the Playoffs, played the Finals and won back to back.

April 12th, 2006
Chicago (106) at Atlanta (99)
Bulls take fourth straight behind fourth quarter explosion
[ Boxscore ]

The Bulls may have doubters as they ready themselves for a run in the Playoffs but it's unlikely any of those doubters are members of the Atlanta Hawks. Chicago appeared to be down and out after a dismal third quarter which saw the Hawks run up a 17 point lead heading into the final 12 minutes.

That's when help came from an unlikely lineup.

Chicago began the fourth quarter with a lineup of Elden Campbell, Eric Piatkowski, Steve Smith, Matt Carroll and Chris Duhon after self-destructing in the second and third quarters, seemingly calling it a night. However, the game was far from over. Led by Piatkowski, the Bulls unloaded a three point barrage while aggressively played the passing lanes and Atlanta suddenly found themselves on the ropes. There seemed to be no answer for the seldom used Piatkowski, who scored 20 points in the fourth quarter and shot a blistering 6/8 from beyond the arc.

As the teams approached the midway point of the fourth, the Hawks lead had dwindled to two. A layup by Campbell tied the game though Atlanta rallied and scored four points before Pike nailed another three. Ben Gordon soon returned to help shoulder the scoring load as Pike continued to sink treys. A pair of free throws gave Chicago the lead for good at 92-90 as they would hold off a final Hawks run to escape with a hard earned 106-99 victory.

Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 24 points and added 5 rebounds and 6 assists in the victory. Kirk Hinrich tallied 16 points and 4 assists, Elden Campbell contributed 10 points (all in the fourth quarter) and 10 rebounds and Andres Nocioni overcame a poor shooting night to score 10 points and grab 6 rebounds. Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 23 points while Tyronn Lue had 18 points and 6 assists. Al Harringon had an impressive 19 point, 18 rebound performance in the loss while Zaza Pachulia also contributed a double double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The Bulls may have lost Latrell Sprewell to injury however. The veteran guard landed awkwardly on a drive to the hoop and had to be helped off the court. He did not return.

With the victory, Chicago has moved into sixth place in the East and would face New Jersey, whom they have beaten twice in three games this season including a 96-89 win in Chicago last night.

Notes: Darius Songaila played his first game against his former club since being traded midseason. He scored 6 points in 14 minutes. Jannero Pargo, who was part of the same trade, played 6 minutes tallying 2 points and 2 assists...Atlanta outrebounded Chicago 51-45 including a 19-14 edge at the offensive end...with Shawn Kemp missing this contest no Bulls player will finish the season having appeared in all 82 games.

April 13th, 2006
Spree day to day with foot injury

CHICAGO, IL -- Veteran guard Latrell Sprewell is listed as day to day after sustaining a foot injury in last night's stunning victory over the Hawks in Atlanta. Sprewell landed awkwardly on a drive to the hoop and had to be helped off the floor. He did not return.

Although no major damage has been sustained Sprewell is apparently still suffering soreness as a result of the injury, which doctors have described as being a mild strain. He will likely play sparingly through the final week of the season to protect the injury and ensure a full recovery in time for the Playoffs.

Sprewell was signed on April 24th to replace Ben Gordon who missed six weeks with a broken wrist. He has averaged 10.9 ppg, 1.7 rpg and 1.5 apg in 21 games with the Bulls, including six starts. He sat out most of the season after failing to come to terms with the Minnesota Timberwolves as a free agent this past offseason.