With just a few days before Christmas, the Bulls were out Saturday evening like the other holiday shoppers, looking for that perfect last-minute gift. And as everyone knows, it can be frightening.
It was worse. The Bulls ended up being smacked in the mouth with still another dispiriting loss, 116-98 to the Houston Rockets, to drop their record to 9-16 and a sad 5-7 at home. It makes this a time for reflection for the Bulls as they head for San Antonio on Wednesday with losses in three of their last four games, egg nog all over their faces and boos all over the United Center once again.
It looked like there would be some spirits at the United Center for a change, or at least some spirit as the Bulls were sharp to open the game, running their cuts and setting solid screens. Also, there were hints of the player movement that has been missing so much this season.
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Kirk Hinrich led all scorers with 22 points, and Luol Deng added 21. But Tracy McGrady and Bonzi Wells each had 20, with Yao Ming adding 18 to lead the Rockets.
Deng was jab-stepping and hitting his jumper, as was Hinrich, at the start. And Joe Smith (16 points) was particularly active, once slamming the floor in celebration when he got a jumper to go and was fouled.
But as the Bulls jumped out 24-15 with Ben Wallace back in the lineup from a sore left foot and pestering Yao Ming, the Rockets still were controlling the boards. Houston got a charge from Wells off the bench to close the first quarter trailing 26-21.
The Bulls’ momentum and motivation seemed to wane in the second quarter when coach Scott Skiles went to the bench. Aaron Gray was swarmed by the Rockets and committed a quick turnover and three fouls. And Andres Nocioni’s shot continued to go missing while the Bulls again lost a perimeter shooter. This time it was former Illini Luther Head, who banged in three straight shots, two of them three-pointers, to push the Rockets ahead by 10 points midway through the second quarter.
The Bulls pulled within 52-48 at halftime, though they were outrebounded and outhustled 10-3 on the offensive boards. But with Yao out with a sprained thumb, the Rockets blasted off behind threes by Shane Battier and hustling baskets by Luis Scola to go ahead by 18 on Bulls turnovers after back-to-back fast-break baskets from McGrady and Rafer Alston. Houston closed the third quarter leading 86-72, and the home fans were in no holiday mood and in unison calling for a guy named Lou. Or booing. Whichever.
Stunned and disappointed fans, bored finally with booing, began emptying the arena with more than five minutes remaining after still another Head three. Hey! Anyone got that guy? Or anyone else?
By early in the fourth quarter, it was another 20-point-plus rout with the Bulls starters gone from the game, all too familiar in a season for a team that seems to be recalling the glory years of making the playoffs.
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