Morning Box Score: Bulls Trample Bobcats, Hawks In A Slump
By Tim Bearden in News on Feb 11, 2012 3:30PM
Derrick Rose missed Friday's game nursing his back injury, but you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at the score. It doesn't hurt when you're playing against the worst team in the NBA—which happens to be owned by former Chicago Bull Michael Jordan, one of the best players the game has ever seen. Irony anyone? Joakim Noah helped boost the Bulls to victory with 17 points and 14 rebounds, securing a double-double for the evening. Back-up point guard C.J. Watson filled Rose's shoes nicely with seven points, five assists and four steals without any turnovers. Luol Deng showed why he made the All-Star reserve team by stepping in and scoring 10 of his 12 points in the first half, which included two three pointers, which helped secure a 30-16 lead for the Bulls early. The Bulls have now won four consecutive road games by 20-points or more without a stop at home, a league record.
There's no doubt the Chicago Blackhawks are in a slump—they've lost seven straight games, including the first five of a nine game road trip, and nine straight road games, causing them to fall further from the playoffs' good graces. The Blackhawks gave up three power play goals and have now given up 10 in their last 13 games. The Hawks fell behind the Sharks 2-0 early in the first period, but two goals from Marcus Kruger and one from Brian Bickle helped tie the game early in the third period. A goal from Sharks center Ben Ferriero shortly after Bickle's game tying effort put the Sharks back-up by one and Jamie McGinn's final power play goal secured the win for the Sharks.