Halftime Hype

Happy Thanksgiving to all you elite readers out there!

There's no doubt that had the Bulls resigned Ben Gordon, he could have helped the team very much. However, had that happened, we may never have seen the full arsenal of Luol Deng. For awhile, he was the equivalent of what J.R. Smith is to the Nuggets right now - a good scorer, but never a consistent threat. Now the Sudanese native is really carrying the offensive load. In the thirteen games so far, he's proved he's just as much of a threat as his teammate Rose. At the moment, he's averaging career-highs in: minutes played, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, free-throw percentage, rebounds, blocks, and points. Might I add, all this improvement after continuous seasons of statistical deterioration ever since Deng entered the league.

If you've ever watched the Bulls play, you've probably noticed a seemingly tall, mobile bush boxing out for a rebound. The big fluff of hair belongs to none other than Joakim Noah. In only his third year of professional play, he has reached, if not surpassed, the ranks of his former college teammate, Al Horford. I remember very well the hype that surrounded the face of the Florida basketball program, Noah, upon the 2007 Draft. Nevertheless, the expression on his face wasn't one of content when he was selected as the 9th overall pick - after two of fellow Gators, Horford and Corey Brewer. His first two years were a little rough, to say the least. He was suspended for smoking weed, with critical reception (a.k.a. the media) not surprised by the allegations. What's worse, his teammates voted to lengthen his exile from the team, thus adding more agony to his suspension. Yet, despite his unfortunate past, near the opening of the season, critics claimed Joakim was snubbed by not being placed on the All-Star ballot. My favorite part about his recent recognition come when he caused a report to literally "eat his own words."

In addition to the scoring prowess of Deng and comeback of Noah, there's another special element on Chicago's roster: Derrick Rose. A Callipari product, made an immediate impact upon his arrival in the NBA, with a Rookie of the Year award to prove it. Drafted ahead of such hypemen as O.J. Mayo and Michael Beasley, causing expectations thrust upon him instantly. Contrary to many in his situation, he delivered and quite possibly exceeded the goals people had for him. He definitely turned away haters during the first round of the playoffs last year, when he practically led the Bulls throughout the seven game series. It's never easy facing the three-headed beast that is Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. As history shows, the Bulls managed to push the series to a decisive Game 7, with Derrick Rose countering a Ray Allen 3-pointer with a drive of his own - night, after night, after night. Sharing the offensive load with Deng, Rose's speed and ball handling will surely be assets for the team.

With a 6-7 record - and a Thanksgiving matchup against Utah today - the Bulls would look a little better if they were above .500. Let's not forget, though, that it's still very early in the year; there's plenty of time to improve in the wins column. Even so, if the playoffs began today, the Bulls would be a 7 seed versus their previous opponent, the ever-so-daunting Celtics. I wonder how that series would go down this year.