Butler's importance to Bulls 

August, 29, 2013
Aug 29
2:34
PM ET
By Joe Kaiser | ESPN.com
Several big questions surround the Chicago Bulls heading into next season, and Kevin Ferrigan of SheridanHoops.com sums up the main ones very well today. One of the biggest of the bunch regards Jimmy Butler, who stepped into a larger role than anyone would have ever guessed and looks like a player with a chance to evolve into something even better.

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Burning questions: Central Division

August, 29, 2013
Aug 29
10:02
AM CT
By David Thorpe | ESPN Insider

The start of training camp is just six weeks away, with many players returning to their team practice facilities the week after Labor Day to participate in "informals" (small group workouts and glorified pickup runs). Most teams have a clear idea of who their personnel will be, and expectations have been set internally, but there's always a level of uncertainty entering camp, burning questions that each team must ask itself, the answers to which usually hold a key indicator to the level of success that will be achieved this season.

Each day, we'll tackle a different division in the Eastern Conference and answer burning questions for every team. Today, we examine the Central Division.

BURNING QUESTIONS:

NW | Pacific | SW | SE | Atlantic | Central

1. Which Roy Hibbert will show up this season?


The Indiana Pacers showed just how effective Hibbert could be against the Miami Heat during the Eastern Conference finals. And it was no fluke. Hibbert actually played very well in the second half of last season. There's every reason to believe he can hurt the Heat again. He's a big reason why Miami took a chance on Greg Oden. Unfortunately for Indiana, the Spurs might have done Miami a favor: San Antonio forced the Heat to evolve on offense. They made this adjustment and eventually won their second title. So it's fair to expect that Miami will be better prepared for Indiana this postseason.


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Burning Questions: Expectations for Rose

August, 28, 2013
Aug 28
3:45
PM CT
By Nick Friedell | ESPNChicago.com
RoseJesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty ImagesThe Derrick Rose watch mercifully has an end date: Oct. 5 in Indianapolis.
In just over a month the Chicago Bulls open training camp and begin working on what figures to be a promising season. Derrick Rose is back, Joakim Noah had a summer to rest his perennially injured foot and they might have found a long-term shooting guard in Jimmy Butler after his development last season.

But there are still plenty of questions for a team that hopes to return to the NBA's upper echelon with their star back leading the way.

SportsNation

Will Derrick Rose finish in the top five in MVP voting this season?

  •  
    91%
  •  
    9%

Discuss (Total votes: 8,626)

1. Will Rose play at an MVP-level in his first season back from knee surgery?


Count me in the group that believes that after a few months of working out the kinks, Rose will be back to playing like his old self. He is too talented, and has worked too hard on his game over the course of his rehab to believe that he won't be the same player again. He knows there will be pressure on him to perform the same way and he is looking forward to proving all of his doubters wrong.

2. How does Tom Thibodeau make sure his team is healthy at playoff time?


The key for Thibodeau is to follow through on his intended plan. He already stated this summer that Joakim Noah's minutes would come down and that Luol Deng's workload may shrink by a few minutes here and there. He must follow through on that plan now -- even if it costs the Bulls a few regular season wins. Bulls management will continue to try and remind Thibodeau that there is a bigger picture in place, but it will up to the coach to take his foot off the gas ever so slightly. He is well aware of the criticism he receives. Now he has the chance to change the perception regarding how he doles out minutes.

[+] EnlargeLuol Deng, Chris Bosh
AP Photo/Nam Y. HuhA pay cut might be the only thing that keeps Luol Deng in a Bulls uniform past this season.

3. Will the uncertain Bulls futures of Deng and Carlos Boozer be a distraction this season?


Only if both players struggle to contribute early on -- and that's not likely given how solid both have been the past couple seasons, especially Deng. The safest bet is that both players will hit on the fact that they just win this season and they'll see what happens after the season ends. Having said that, both are both smart and they can see the writing on the wall. It's a near certainty that the Bulls will amnesty Boozer at the end of this season and Deng's future with the Bulls is up in the air unless he decides to take a significant pay cut, an option that appears unlikely at this point.

4. Can Butler replicate his playoff success for a full 82-game season?


Butler has spent the summer working on his game and appears confident that he can take the next step in his progression this season. He is going to have an impact this season, but I don't believe it will be as big as the one he had during the playoffs last year. Without Rose, Deng and Kirk Hinrich on the floor during much of the playoffs, Butler was asked to play all 48 minutes most games and be a force on both ends. With Rose back in the fold he won't be asked to do nearly as much. The key is that Butler must find a rhythm with Rose, who he has not played with much in his career. If Butler continues to play solid defense and develops a consistent jumper, his season will be viewed as a success whether his minutes get cut slightly or not.

5. Will the Bulls be dealing with Noah's foot problems again this season?


Yes. Until Noah proves he can stay healthy for an entire season this will continue to be a problem for the Bulls. The All-Star center spent the summer working out with his personal trainer and close friend, Alex Perris, but both he and the Bulls know that they must find a way to get the plantar fasciitis in order. Thibodeau noted Noah's minutes would come down this year -- but it's a situation the organization must continually monitor throughout the season.

Burning questions: Atlantic

August, 28, 2013
Aug 28
10:00
AM CT
By David Thorpe | ESPN Insider

The start of training camp is just six weeks away, with many players returning to their team practice facilities the week after Labor Day to participate in "informals" (small group workouts and glorified pickup runs). Most teams have a clear idea of who their personnel will be, and expectations have been set internally, but there's always a level of uncertainty entering camp, burning questions that each team must ask itself, the answers to which usually hold a key indicator to the level of success that will be achieved this season.

Each day, we'll tackle a different division in the Eastern Conference and answer burning questions for every team. Today, we examine the Atlantic Division.

BURNING QUESTIONS:

Northwest | Pacific | Southwest | Southeast | Atlantic

1. Do the New York Knicks believe they can have another great season?


There can be lots of X's and O's discussions relating to this season's Knicks team. But it won't matter if the players do not believe they can have a season like 2012-13. If the addition of Andrea Bargnani helps them believe they can be even tougher to defend and capable of putting together many huge shooting nights (and consequently more wins), only then will those X's and O's matter.

But after watching their competitors load up this summer (or in the case of the Chicago Bulls, welcoming Derrick Rose back from injury), it is entirely possible the Knicks could enter the season with strong feelings of doubt -- doubt that this season can be as special as 2012-13. Or, for that matter, doubt that they've done enough to keep up with the rest of the Eastern Conference. Absent the belief that they can contend for a title, the Knicks also have the strong potential to be the league's biggest disappointment.


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DA won't file against Scottie Pippen

August, 27, 2013
Aug 27
6:43
PM CT
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Scottie Pippen won't face criminal charges for a fight with a man who authorities say was drunk when he demanded an autograph and photo with the former Chicago Bulls star, then faked seizures after claiming Pippen punched him in the face.

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office said Tuesday there was insufficient evidence to bring assault charges against Pippen for the altercation with Camran Shafighi at Nobu, a restaurant and celebrity hangout on the beach in Malibu.

Pippen was dining with his family June 24 when he was approached by Shafighi inside the restaurant. Pippen obliged to have a photo taken but not with Shafighi, and then Shafighi followed the retired NBA forward outside into the parking lot. He again asked for a photo and an autograph from Pippen, who said no.

Pippen told investigators Shafighi became irate, "grabbing at him, cursing him and then spit in his face," according to a report by the district attorney's office.

Shafighi, 49, said Pippen punched him in the mouth and kicked him several times. The last memory Shafighi had before losing consciousness was seeing Pippen's foot coming toward his face, the report said.

Pippen admitted spitting at Shafighi and pushing him away, but prosecutors said that based on witness accounts, it was unclear whether Pippen was the aggressor or acted in self-defense.

Shafighi, who has filed a $4 million lawsuit against Pippen, was taken to a hospital with a possible concussion. All tests showed there wasn't any internal trauma, but Shafighi returned to the hospital later and told doctors he had been diagnosed with fractured ribs and ankle, the report said. The only visible physical injuries were a small bruise on Shafighi's chin and a cut to his lip.


(Read full post)


Mint Condition: Search For The Unique

August, 27, 2013
Aug 27
11:39
AM CT


video

Join Michele Steele as she finds the coolest and most unique memorabilia at the National Sports Collector's Convention in Chicago, including Michael Jordan's birth certificate and a valuable LeBron James card.

Summer Forecast: The champs

August, 23, 2013
Aug 23
5:37
PM ET
Abbott By Henry Abbott
ESPN.com
Archive
Most agree the Miami Heat are the popular pick to win the 2014 title. But if you ask J.A. Adande and Bomani Jones to pick the Heat or the field, they don't agree.

 video

Best strategies to beat the Heat

August, 22, 2013
Aug 22
4:18
PM CT
By David Thorpe | ESPN Insider

This past May and June, the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs seemingly showed the league a blueprint for how to defeat the Miami Heat.

Both teams pushed LeBron James & Co. to the brink of defeat. And yet, somehow, the Heat managed to survive and win their second consecutive NBA title.

Had the Pacers and Spurs gotten blown out with more conservative tactics or actually won, they would have shed better light on how to beat the Heat. One result would have underscored what to do, the other what not to do.

Just nearly beating the Heat provides a cloudy solution at best. It almost was the exact opposite of what the league needed to see. The Pacers and Spurs didn't win, so should other teams really follow that blueprint, too?

Well, some techniques did work, and contenders should study what Indiana and San Antonio did successfully. With how close the Pacers and Spurs came to defeating the Heat, if a contender can improve upon those performances, an NBA title might be within reach.


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Thibs: The Central is much improved

August, 21, 2013
Aug 21
7:58
PM CT
By Nick Friedell | ESPNChicago.com
CHICAGO -- Tom Thibodeau says he knows it will be a tough haul for his Chicago Bulls team to climb to the top of the Central Division this season. That's because the veteran coach believes the division is as talented as it has been in some time.

[+] EnlargeTom Thibodeau
Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesBulls coach Tom Thibodeau is preparing himself for a tough go this season when it comes to division play.
"Our challenge will be a great one," Thibodeau said in an interview with Bulls TV on Wednesday. "Each year you're faced with new and different challenges. I think the Central Division is as strong as it's been in a long time from top to bottom. Of course, Indiana continues to add quality players to their team. They had a terrific season last season. Cleveland has made a lot of additions to their team, getting the No. 1 pick in [Anthony] Bennett and adding [Andrew] Bynum to the mix, so they'll be dangerous. I think Detroit has added a lot with Josh Smith and then of course Milwaukee, everyone tends to overlook them, but I think they're going to be very good as well. So it will be a great challenge for us."

As far as the early part of the training camp schedule goes, Thibodeau says he knows it will be a little different from normal. That's because the Bulls start their preseason schedule with a pair of road games in Indianapolis and St. Louis (against the Memphis Grizzlies) and then head to Rio de Janeiro to face off against the Washington Wizards.

"It will be a little hectic, but I think it's good for our team," he said. "We're looking forward to going over there. Being on the road early makes it a little different for us because we won't have time in between to really settle down to go over there. We're only going to be over there for four days. But I think it will be a very positive experience. I like it for team-building reasons, particularly early in the season. And then once we get back from Rio, we'll be home for a while so hopefully we can get our legs under us and continue to build and develop and be ready for the season. We have a very tough schedule and we're going to have to be ready for it."

As usual, Thibodeau has already broken down each part of the upcoming schedule.

"We have a lot of road games early," he said. "The back-to-backs are down a little bit, but we also have an inordinate amount of games in which we're playing at home [and] the night before we're playing on the road so we have to be ready for that challenge."

Aside from the schedule, everyone within the Bulls' organization knows the biggest topic of discussion will be the health of superstar Derrick Rose. When it comes to that subject, Bulls general manager Gar Forman sounds confident Rose will be ready to go on the first day of training camp.

"I don't see any reason where he wouldn't be," Forman told Bulls TV. "He continues to make great progress. He's had a good summer of work. He's been in L.A. He's training on a regular basis. He feels good, he's looked good. He's had a couple trips with adidas where he's traveled overseas so everything's real positive on the Derrick front."

Summer Forecast: East champions

August, 21, 2013
Aug 21
12:10
PM ET
Abbott By Henry Abbott
ESPN.com
Archive
The Heat are the two-time defending champs, and the pick of the Summer Forecast panel -- but the Pacers and Bulls loom as threats, according to Israel Gutierrez.

 video

Pittman: No to Italy; Yes to Bulls 

August, 21, 2013
Aug 21
9:56
AM ET
By Nick Borges | ESPN.com
Free agent big man Dexter Pittman has turned down the opportunity to play in Italy this coming season after receiving a training camp invite from an NBA team. According to Sportando.net, Pittman said no to Italian side Sidigas Avellino and he will try to make the Chicago Bulls opening night roster.

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Verrier: You must respect the Bulls!

August, 19, 2013
Aug 19
2:39
PM CT
By Justin Verrier | ESPN.com
AP Photo/Charles Rex ArbogastIn a tussle between the Bulls and Spurs, who comes out on top? Depends on whom you ask.

This piece is a response to Paul Lukas' Uni Watch Power Rankings: NBA.

It's hard to look good in the NBA these days.

The league has its share of uniforms, like the ones sported by the Celtics and Lakers, that thankfully will never go out of style. And a handful of other teams have nailed down some decent sets, too.

But it's a good thing most players put so much thought into their off-the-court garb, because what some teams are trotting out these days is worse than anything Russell Westbrook can pull out of his funhouse of terror.

Which I'm sure Paul Lukas would agree with. But while I concur with a lot of what the uni guru laid out in his NBA list, a few exceptions stood out. So here are a few minor adjustments I would make, as well as my own attempt at ranking each team:

Overrated -- San Antonio Spurs (No. 3): I love the concept behind the Spurs' "U," but I don't get why they've been so loyal to that 3-D design. It always reminds me of a Dire Straits video, which probably doesn't help stop the casual fan from constantly hitting the snooze button on them. The silver alts are at the other end of the spectrum, though -- it's far too radical, especially for the Ma and Pa shop of the league. (Suggestion: Scrap the all-whites in favor of the old Silver Saturdays unis as the standard home look, like the Lakers do with their yellow ones.) It's a top-10 set for sure, but No. 3 is too high.


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Pietrus' workout schedule 

August, 16, 2013
Aug 16
7:01
AM ET
By Nick Borges | ESPN.com
Free agent Mickael Pietrus remains on the market and his agent, Bill McCandless, says the swingman will go through a few workouts next month to prove that his his knees are 100 percent healthy.

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Forecast: 2013-14 East champions

August, 14, 2013
Aug 14
10:26
PM CT
ESPN.com
video

The Miami Heat are taking aim at a fourth straight Eastern Conference title, but this season could be their toughest challenge yet.

Is now the time for Indiana to break through and earn an NBA Finals berth? Will Derrick Rose's return spark the Bulls past LeBron & Co.? Or will a veteran crew assembling in Brooklyn have one final push before its window slams shut?

Our Summer Forecast rolls on today with a look at the projected East titlist, as voted on by our ESPN Forecast panel.

To participate in the discussion and perhaps get your opinion published on this page, #ESPNForecast is the Twitter hashtag to use. Or you can just follow along @ESPNNBA.

Here's the voting breakdown:

Forecast: 2013-14 Eastern Conference champions


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Nick Friedell previews the 2013-14 seasons for every Bull.

Sept. 16 -- Carlos Boozer
Sept. 17 -- Luol Deng
Sept. 18 -- Taj Gibson
Sept. 19 -- Jimmy Butler
Sept. 20 -- Tony Snell
Sept. 21 -- Nazr Mohammed
Sept. 22 -- Marquis Teague
Sept. 23 -- Erik Murphy
Sept. 24 -- Joakim Noah
Sept. 25 -- Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Sept. 26 -- Kirk Hinrich
Sept. 27 -- Derrick Rose

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Nick Friedell

Nick Friedell is the Chicago Bulls beat reporter for ESPN Chicago. Friedell is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and joined ESPNChicago.com for its launch in April 2009.

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Scott Powers

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TEAM LEADERS

POINTS
Luol Deng
PTS AST STL MIN
16.5 3.0 1.1 38.7
OTHER LEADERS
ReboundsJ. Noah 11.1
AssistsK. Hinrich 5.2
StealsJ. Noah 1.2
BlocksJ. Noah 2.1

Complete Team Stats »

 W-LPFPAHMAWSTKL10
CHI0-0.0.00-00-0W0
IND0-0.0.00-00-0W0
 W-LPFPAHMAWSTKL10
MEM0-0.0.00-00-0W0
CHI0-0.0.00-00-0W0
 W-LPFPAHMAWSTKL10
CHI0-0.0.00-00-0W0
WAS0-0.0.00-00-0W0

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2012-13 CENTRAL STANDINGS

TEAM W L GB PF PA
Indiana49 32 - 94.7 90.7
Chicago45 37 4.5 93.1 92.8
Milwaukee38 44 11.5 98.8 100.3
Detroit29 53 20.5 94.8 98.8
Cleveland24 58 25.5 96.5 101.1

Complete Standings »

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