AP The Charlotte Bobcats had lost 18 games in a row.
Until they met the Chicago Bulls on New Year’s Eve.
The Bulls played like they were thinking about where they were going to be at midnight — or like they started the party the night before — and the Bobcats played like a team that didn’t want to lose 19 in a row.
Charlotte opened the fourth quarter of a tied game with a 10-0 run and held on to beat Chicago 91-81. That is eight wins on the season for Charlotte. It snaps the Bobcats losing streak and gives Chicago a new low point for the season.
This was all about the Bobcats backcourt outplaying a Bulls backcourt (the one that still awaits Derrick Rose). Kemba Walker had a team-high 18 points, Gerald Henderson added 16, and both Ramon Sessions and Ben Gordon each had 15 points. The Bobcats backcourt had 63 points, the Bulls just 28.
Usually the Bulls try to make that up in the paint, but Joakim Noah might as well have stayed home. He moved at the speed of a three-toed sloth and had two points, four rebounds and two assists for the game.
But it wasn’t just Noah, the Bulls bad offense was a team effort — Chicago shot 35.1 percent for the game and was 4-of-16 from three. In the end, the Bulls had an offensive rating of 82.7 points per 100 possessions, which is just epically poor. They were good on defense but the rules of the game still dictate that you have to score to win. The Bulls didn’t bother.
Charlotte got their win without Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who is out with an eye injury.
It’s just one game of 82, it doesn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know — that the Bulls struggle without Derrick Rose in the lineup. And the Bobcats still have some NBA players on the roster that can get it done if they need to.
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Spurs show they have too much offense for Grizzlies to handle in Game 1 destruction
May 19, 2013, 10:01 PM EDT
In getting to the Western Conference Finals, the Grizzlies played two teams that couldn’t put together solid execution on the offensive end of the floor anywhere near consistently over the course of those playoff series. A lot of the credit for that goes to the Memphis defense, of course. But in the first round, the…
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Report: Dwight Howard will consider multiple teams in free agency, is said to be most intrigued by the Rockets
May 19, 2013, 8:34 PM EDT
AP
We already know what we’re in for in terms of the steady stream of reports and rumors that will flood us leading up to the free agent decision of Dwight Howard this summer. It even has a nickname, and although he’s technically not a free agent for another six weeks or so, the Dwightmare has…
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When the Spurs started the 2010-11 season with a 17-3 record – on their way to a conference-best 61-21 finish – Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated profiled a team that no longer resembled previous San Antonio squads. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili had played together under Gregg Popovich since the 2002-03 season, and…
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Spurs would like to remind you they are very good, crush Grizzlies in Game 1
May 19, 2013, 6:35 PM EDT
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The San Antonio Spurs are never the “it” team. Never the sexy squad with high-flying stars casual fans gravitate toward in the postseason. The collective national will was behind Stephen Curry and Golden State last round. Then a whole lot of prognosticators — very smart, good ones — picked Memphis this round. The Grizzlies were…
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Tony Parker’s top 10 plays of the 2012-13 regular season (VIDEO)
May 19, 2013, 5:07 PM EDT
AP
In honor of the way Tony Parker is currently carving up the Grizzlies in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, here’s a look at a compilation of his top 10 plays of the 2012-13 regular season. And just think — this doesn’t even include the circus shot he hit over the Warriors, which would…
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LeBron takes offense to something that Pacers’ head coach Vogel didn’t actually say
May 19, 2013, 3:34 PM EDT
Now that the Conference Finals are upon us and there are just four teams left for both local and national media to cover, the amount of focus on each, along with everything that’s said will be magnified exponentially. Our first case study of this postseason comes out of Miami, where reporters talked to Heat players…
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PBT Draft preview: Dieng can help your defense now. The offense….
May 19, 2013, 2:01 PM EDT
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PBT continues profiling likely first-round draft picks in the upcoming NBA Draft. Today we look at a key member of the NCAA title team in Louisville. Rim protection matters. It mattered in college at Louisville and it matters in the NBA. And that is what Gorgui Dieng brings to the NBA — and can bring…
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J.R. Smith, likely entering free agency, says he ‘wants to retire a Knick’
May 19, 2013, 12:30 PM EDT
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J.R. Smith had an incredible regular season for the Knicks, and was every bit deserving of the Sixth Man of the Year honor he was given for that performance. He also was brutal in the postseason, struggling to find his shot ever since he was suspended for Game 4 in the first round of the…
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LeBron James, Chris Paul teach and motivate future NBA stars at a 2008 camp (VIDEO)
May 19, 2013, 11:00 AM EDT
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This video was recently released by the folks that run the website for LeBron James, and it gives us a glimpse into the types of motivational words and teachings that young NBA prospects received from James and Chris Paul five years ago. The highlights come from a 2008 summer camp that took place before the…
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One of the more popular cries from the Thunder fan base after the dismal all-around postseason performance of Kendrick Perkins was that the team should rid themselves of his contract (two more seasons at nearly $19 million total) by using the amnesty provision on him this summer. In the new collective bargaining agreement, teams have…
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SEASON RECORDS Memphis: 56-26, fifth seed in the West San Antonio: 58-24, second seed in the West PLAYOFF RECORDS Memphis: Beat the Clippers 4-2 in the first round. Beat the Thunder 4-1 in the second round. San Antonio: Beat the Lakers 4-0 in the first round. Beat the Warriors 4-2 in the second round. SEASON…
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Pacers advance to the Eastern Conference Finals with Game 6 win over Knicks
May 19, 2013, 12:01 AM EDT
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The Pacers sent all five members of the starting lineup to the podium for the postgame press conference following their 106-99 Game 6 win over the Knicks, which goes a long way in telling the story of how they were able to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. The team defensive effort that Indiana exhibits…
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Eastern Conference Finals schedule is set for Pacers-Heat matchup
May 18, 2013, 11:12 PM EDT
WIth the Pacers’ win over the Knicks in Game 6 on Saturday in the books, the schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals is now set. Miami will host Indiana beginning on Wednesday, May 22, and all games will be televised nationally on TNT with a start time of 8:30 p.m. Eastern. Game 1 – Wed …
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Roy Hibbert with the monster block on a dunk attempt from Carmelo Anthony (VIDEO)
May 18, 2013, 10:52 PM EDT
Midway through the fourth quarter of Game 6 and with the Knicks surging and clinging to a two-point advantage, Carmelo Anthony drove baseline and elevated, almost certainly expecting to finish this dunk over Roy Hibbert to further extend his team’s lead. Hibbert got there first, however, and met Anthony at the rim for this monster…
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Getty Images
Nate Robinson wasn’t only the Bulls’ main scoring punch during the playoffs, he symbolized the team’s heart, as well. Robinson put in many memorable performances during his injury-ravaged team’s run into the second round, including leading Chicago to a thrilling triple-overtime win over the Nets in the fourth game of that series, and helping to…
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By winning Game 5 against the Pacers, the Knicks have turned their series. After it seemed Indiana had a decided advantage, each remaining game is basically a tossup. Both teams could make arguments for why they have the upper hand in Game 6 tonight: In the Pacers’ favor: The Knicks are 0-4 at Indiana this…
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Reuters
UPDATE: 6:28 p.m. ET: George Hill has been cleared to play in Game 6, the Pacers announced. Here’s the official release: “Over the last two days under the care of the Indiana Pacers’ medical staff, George Hill has participated in each step of the NBA’s Return-to-Participation Exertion Protocol as part of the NBA’s Concussion Policy.…
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Dennis Schroeder bows out of combine in Chicago, plans on skipping Eurocamp due to likely draft promise
May 18, 2013, 5:30 PM EDT
Dennis Schroeder is an international prospect from Germany that has been rapidly moving up draft boards. The 19-year old point guard is listed at 6’2″ with a 6’7.25″ wingspan, and the speed and flair with which he plays is already eliciting comparisons to Rajon Rondo in terms of ability, body type, and style. Schroeder was…
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For months, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has maintained he’s done as Team USA’s basketball coach. But he might be having a change of heart. Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated: Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski acknowledged in a phone interview Saturday that he’s in discussions to return as head coach of USA Basketball through the 2016 Olympics.…
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adidas to release special Rookie of the Year edition shoes for Damian Lillard (PHOTOS)
May 18, 2013, 4:00 PM EDT
Damian Lillard is getting special edition shoes from adidas to honor his Rookie of the Year campaign with the Blazers. As with all commemorative releases, it’s the small design details that make them something worth coveting. From the official release: “The shoe’s sockliners feature Damian’s Twitter handle, an Oakland satellite print and “9800s” to represent…