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Below is my pick-by-pick reaction to the 2011 NBA Draft as it unfolded live on June 23.

1. Cleveland: Kyrie Irving As expected. I still have my doubts, though not because I dislike Irving. The tactic, to me, was to pick Derrick Williams and get a point guard at 4, either Knight or Irving as Minnesota isn’t taking a point …

It didn’t seem like the best time for the NBA Finals shuffle, if that’s what Carlos Boozer’s entry into rap music was at the United Center during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.

I can’t say I noticed with a heck of a game going on. But those 1985 Chicago Bears made their statement and backed it up, and …

Larry Bird has fixed things before, primarily basketball programs, like Indiana State, which he took from no one knowing where it was to the NCAA final game, like the Boston Celtics, who went from 29-53 to 61-21 in Bird’s rookie season, and the Indiana Pacers, who went from 39-43 to 58-24 in Bird’s first season as head coach.

But this …

I happened to exchange a note with Phil Jackson after the Lakers pulled away from the Bulls in Los Angeles just before Thanksgiving to win 98-91, and Phil wasn’t exactly looking forward to his return to Chicago.

“We’re going to have to play a lot better next time,” Jackson said.

Yes, the Bulls lost that game, 98-91, though primarily in …

The Bulls had it going for a long time Tuesday against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Joakim Noah was dominating Pau Gasol, often bullying the Lakers center under the basket and out of bounds as tougher guys once did to Noah. Derrick Rose was making a seen-it-all Hollywood crowd stand and gasp at his dramatic movements to the basket. …

Forget fighting their adversity. Better, the Bulls fought back this time. Now, they just need to turn that into a victory. A baby step, if you will.

The Bulls lost their seventh consecutive game Friday, 108-95 to the Miami Heat with starters Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah all out injured.

But they delivered their own blows this time …

We all take many things for granted.

Like walking, which has become oh so painful of late for, among others, Bulls center Joakim Noah.

Noah missed Saturday’s Bulls win in Houston with a worsening case of plantar fasciitis, and my guess is Noah doesn’t play Monday in San Antonio and perhaps for the remainder of this road trip.

This is …

By Adam Fluck

With the Los Angeles Lakers in town to face the Bulls, Head Coach Phil Jackson returned to the arena where he helped lead Chicago to its last NBA championship. Prior to Tuesday’s game, the Hall of Fame Head Coach spoke on several topics, including coming back to the Windy City, Bulls guard Derrick Rose, the addition of …

James Johnson, the Bulls top No. 1 draft pick last June, didn’t quite know what to expect about the NBA. Though he didn’t quite imagine this, playing less than almost every rookie in the league, averaging 3.3 points in 6.4 minutes per game and not getting into almost half the early season games.

He ranks 28th among rookies in scoring …

Well, at least the Bulls, in being blown out 108-93 by the Lakers Thursday, learned how far they are from being a championship team.

And how tall.

“Our defensive schemes…they just weren’t good enough… not for what they bring to the table,” stammered Joakim Noah, trying to sort through trailing by close to 20 virtually the entire second half. “You …