Blogs.Bulls.com

Derrick Rose will be there in Miami Friday when the Bulls get their first crack this season at the defending champion Miami Heat. But it’s not quite the same, obviously, with Rose sidelined likely another few months recovering from his knee injury and surgery.

These were the kind of games you circled the calendar for the last few years, the …

Will Joakim Noah be an All-Star this season?

It’s looking like it will be a close call with the NBA Thursday releasing the second voting returns.

Noah remains seventh among Eastern Conference frontcourt players. The fan voting is for three front court players as the center position was eliminated this season and two backcourt players.

The second results were similar …

It was a good thing Joakim Noah didn’t add Houston to that list of questionable vacation cities, like Cleveland and Philadelphia, when the Bulls were there last month.

Because based on the first All-Star game returns released by the NBA Thursday, my guess is Noah has a good chance of being added to the team that will play in Houston …

After all those mostly underperforming “M’s,” — Minnesota, Milwaukee and Memphis — the Bulls get a look at a real contender Tuesday at the United Center, the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

Though mostly overshadowed by the Lakers and their high profile additions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, most around the NBA still consider the Thunder the favorites …

The Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers open the NBA playoffs Saturday at noon Central time in the United Center. And if the first round doesn’t hold all that potential suspense—though there is some with Miami and the Knicks—then the answer to the ultimate question certainly does.

Because the identity of a potential champion is as uncertain this season as it’s ever …

This season for the Bulls has been about whether they can get past the Miami Heat, much like the Bulls of the late 1980’s struggled with the Detroit Pistons.

It’s been about being able to counter the star power of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and lately, whether Derrick Rose will be healthy enough for the Bulls to make that …

These so called big national TV No. 1 vs No. 2 games can get confusing because no one in charge says they mean anything.

Yes, Derrick Rose is out again for Thursday’s rematch in Miami, which we expected. Luol Deng is back playing, but the Heat surprisingly kept Chris Bosh out with Dwyane Wade returning.

“This is a good opportunity …

And now, it’s back to Miami for the Bulls in not exactly the condition they’d like to be in, though getting closer.

The Bulls Wednesday dominated the awful Charlotte Bobcats, 100-68, in an efficient bounce back effort behind 22 points from Richard Hamilton and a vital bench output of 42 points with no starter playing more than 24 minutes.

Which …

No Derrick Rose and no Luol Deng Wednesday against the Bobcats, which raised the question about whether either would play in the second part of the back-to-back Thursday against the Heat.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau before Wednesday’s game, predictably, declined comment since the Bobcats appeared in his pregame report to somewhat resemble the ’96 Bulls.

But given there would be …

Thursday was not only a good day for the Bulls with their 96-86 overtime victory over the Miami Heat, but it was an important day for the rest of the NBA one of those days you’ll remember where you were.

That’s because it was the day the Miami Heat, 21 months after coming together and declaring a dynasty, lost its …