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PLAYOFFS 2022 EASTERN CONFERENCE Despite the return of John Collins to the Hawks lineup, the Chicago Bulls appeared to have the upper hand in the first half. Chicago jumped out to an early eleven point lead and were up 58-44 at the end of the first half. However, the Hawks came out of the locker room like a team on a mission. The Hawks closed the gap to 77-75 to end the third the quarter and then promptly scored 43 fourth quarter points to cruise to an easy victory. Trae Young spearheaded the Hawks comeback with 34 points, 18 assists and 7 rebounds. Kyrie Irving scored 35 points for the Bulls in defeat. The series now heads back to Chicago for games three and four. WESTERN CONFERENCE Kristaps Porzingis scored 41 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Golden State Warriors to tie the series 1-1. The Mavericks jumped out to an early 34-20 first quarter lead and never looked back. The Warriors were on the verge of a comeback, but when Klay Thompson fouled out early in the fourth quarter, the Warriors completely fell apart. It didn't help that Steph Curry was responsible for 11 of the Warriors 21 turnovers. CONFERENCE FINALS / GAME 2 (State Farm Arena) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F CHI | 32 | 26 | 19 | 29 | -- | 106 ATL | 21 | 33 | 31 | 43 | -- | 128 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 128 (1) | (1) GSW 99 (1) (3) CHI 106 (1) | (3) DAL 113 (1) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 EASTERN CONFERENCE The Atlanta Hawks entered the series as the overwhelming favorites, but with John Collins sidelined due to injury, Vegas odds makers had the Bulls as slight favorites to win game one of the series. As it turns out, the were correct in their prediction, as the Bulls shot the Hawks right out of their own building. Bulls forward Rui Hachimura was named Player of the Game, scoring 24 points, 4 assists and 10 rebounds, but it was really a team effort by Chicago. As a team, the Bulls posted oustanding numbers, shooting 50% from both three point range(14-28) and the floor(47-94). John Collins should be healthy enough to return to the Hawks lineup for game two, but Bulls fans have to be happy with the teams performance, despite a relative quiet night from Kryie, who scored only 16 points, but contributed 12 assists and 6 rebounds. WESTERN CONFERENCE Steph Curry scored 41 points, shooting 15-21 from the floor and 11-17 from three, to lead the Warriors to a realatively comfortable win over the Dallas Mavericks. Kristaps Porzingis scored 37 points for Dallas, but the Mavericks were clearly over matched and Golden State dominated virtually every aspect of the game from the opening tip. The biggest hurdle for the Mavericks is the dynamic duo of Steph Curry and DeAngelo Russell. The two combined for 75 of the Warriors 124 points and if Dallas cannot find a way to slow the two of them down, this could prove to be a very short series indeed. CONFERENCE FINALS / GAME 1 (State Farm Arena) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F CHI | 31 | 41 | 23 | 27 | -- | 122 ATL | 26 | 25 | 25 | 22 | -- | 98 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 98 (0) | (1) GSW 124 (1) (3) CHI 122 (1) | (3) DAL 111 (0) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 The Kristaps Porzingis scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Portland Trailblazers 101-89. The Mavericks advance to the Western Conference Finals to face the Golden State Warriors. PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL (4) | (1) GSW (4) (5) TOR (1) | (4) UTA (2) (2) MIA (2) | (3) DAL 101 (4) (3) CHI (4) | (7) POR 89 (3) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 Heavy favorites heading back to the United Center, the Bulls were expected to close out the series against the Heat. Uncle Drew and company didn't disappoint the home town fans, as Kyrie Irving recorded a double-double, 32 points, 5 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the defending NBA Champions back to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they will face off against the much heralded Atlanta Hawks. The Warriors also closed out their series against the Jazz and Portland sent their series to a game seven, after defeating the Mavericks 104-88. CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS / GAME 6 (United Center) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F MIA | 15 | 13 | 35 | 19 | -- | 82 CHI | 27 | 27 | 22 | 19 | -- | 95 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL (4) | (1) GSW 108 (4) (5) TOR (1) | (4) UTA 96 (2) (2) MIA 82 (2) | (3) DAL 88 (3) (3) CHI 95 (3) | (7) POR 104 (3) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 The Bulls got a crucial road win and moved to within a victory of advancing to their second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals. Player of the Game, Kyrie Irving, led all scorers with 25 points, 9 assists, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks and a steal. As expected, the Atlanta Hawks elimintated the Toronto Raptors and advance to the Conference Finals to face either the Chicago Bulls or Miami Heat. In the Western Conference, after losing two straight, the Warriors bounced back to take game five 115-104 over the Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks overcame a 16 point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Trailblazers 117-116. CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS / GAME 5 (American Airlines Arena) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F CHI | 16 | 26 | 38 | 16 | -- | 112 MIA | 24 | 28 | 28 | 32 | -- | 102 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 111 (4) | (1) GSW 115 (3) (5) TOR 97 (1) | (4) UTA 104 (2) (2) MIA 102 (2) | (3) DAL 117 (3) (3) CHI 112 (3) | (7) POR 116 (2) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 To date, this was the most competitive game of the series, as there were 15 lead changes and 9 ties. All five starters for both the Heat and the Bulls scored in double figures. Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 33 points, but it was the Miami Heat's star rookie center, Ricky Thomas, who was named the Player of the Game. Thomas, the 7th overall pick in 2021 draft, scored 23 points for the Heat and was instrumental in the Heat's come from behind victory. In other action, the Toronto Raptors staved off elimination with a 115-91 victory of the Hawks and both the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks tied their respective series at two games a piece. CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS / GAME 4 (United Center) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F MIA | 16 | 26 | 38 | 16 | -- | 118 CHI | 24 | 28 | 28 | 32 | -- | 113 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 91 (3) | (1) GSW 96 (2) (5) TOR 115 (1) | (4) UTA 106 (2) (2) MIA 118 (2) | (3) DAL 145 (2) OT (3) CHI 113 (2) | (7) POR 143 (2) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 Kyrie Irving scored 49 points and the Bulls outscored the Heat 32-16 in the final quarter to take game three 112-96. Once again the Heat were plagued by poor shooting. The Heat shot 38%(38-99) from the field and 25%(10-40) from three, while the Bulls were 39-81(48%) from the floor and 13-32(40%) from the three point line. In other action, the Atlanta Hawks are a game away from sweeping the Raptors and both the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz won their first game in their respective series. CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS / GAME 3 (United Center) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F MIA | 16 | 26 | 38 | 16 | -- | 112 CHI | 24 | 28 | 28 | 32 | -- | 96 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 128 (3) | (1) GSW 94 (2) (5) TOR 101 (0) | (4) UTA 108 (1) (2) MIA 96 (1) | (3) DAL 111 (1) (3) CHI 112 (2) | (7) POR 106 (2) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 The final score of the game made it look much closer than it actually was, as the Miami Heat won the opening tip and never trailed in the game. Dennis Schroder led the Heat with 21 points and seven of the Miami players scored in double figures in the Heat's game two victory. Kyrie Irving scored 31 points, but it was not enough to overcome a 54-38 half time deficit. The series now shifts to Chicago for games three and four. CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS / GAME 2 (American Airlines Arena) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F CHI | 21 | 17 | 31 | 35 | -- | 104 MIA | 30 | 24 | 30 | 30 | -- | 114 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 115 (2) | (1) GSW 113 (2) (5) TOR 109 (0) | (4) UTA 106 (0) (2) MIA 114 (1) | (3) DAL 89 (0) (3) CHI 104 (1) | (7) POR 104 (2) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 Kyrie Irving scored 41 points and Derrek Favors had a double-double, 12 points and 13 rebounds, to lead the Bulls to a game one victory over the Miam Heat. The Bulls dominated from the opening tip and all five of Chicago's starters scored in double figures. The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler's 23 points, but shot a woeful 39%(36-92) from the field and 23%(11-47) from three. In comparison, the Bulls shot 50%(43-86) from the field and 42% (14-33)from three. In other Eastern Conference action, the Atlanta Falcons outscored the Toronto Raptors 66-46 in the second half to capture a relatively easy 126-109 victory. In the Western Conference, Steph Curry scored 31 points, as the Golden State Warriors dismantled the Utah Jazz 109-77 and Portland surprised the Mavricks, taking game one 118-104 on the back of Damien Lillard's 41 points. CONFERENCE SEMI-FINALS / GAME 1 (American Airlines Arena) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F CHI | 37 | 30 | 23 | 23 | -- | 113 MIA | 27 | 22 | 25 | 18 | -- | 92 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 126 (1) | (1) GSW 109 (1) (5) TOR 109 (0) | (4) UTA 77 (0) (2) MIA 92 (0) | (3) DAL 104 (0) (3) CHI 113 (1) | (7) POR 118 (1) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 The Atlanta Hawks complete the reverse sweep, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 99-93 to advance to the second round after being down 0-3 in the series. The #1 seeded Hawks will now face the Toronto Raptors in the next round. The Miami Heat defeated the Charlotte Hornets 140-137 and will now face the Chicago Bulls in the second round. All four of the top seeds advanced in the Eastern Conference. *Correction, the #5 seed Toronto Raptors defeated the #4 seed Indiana Pacers. In the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks will advance to the next round after closing out the Pelicans and Nuggets in their respective series. Utah will now face Golden State and the Mavericks will meet the Trailblazer. Of the top four seeds in the West, only the #2 seeded Kings failed to advance. PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 99 (4) | (1) GSW --- (4) (8) MIL 93 (3) | (8) LAC --- (1) (4) IND --- (2) | (4) UTA 104 (4) (5) TOR --- (4) | (5) NOP 96 (3) (3) CHI --- (4) | (3) DAL 100 (4) (6) NYK --- (2) | (6) DEN 87 (3) (2) MIA 140 (4) | (2) SAC --- (2) (7) CHA 137 (3) | (7) POR --- (4) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 The Chicago Bulls eliminated the New York Knicks with a 127-115 victory in game six of the series. The Knicks Julius Randle led all scorers with 35 points, but it was Kyrie Irving who was named player of the game after recording his fifteenth double-double of the season, with 35 points and 11 rebounds. In other Eastern Conference games, the Alanta Hawks have now won three in a row, after a 126-120 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Trailing the series 0-3, the Hawks were all but given up for dead, but Atlanta weren't the best team in the regular season for nothing and the series will be decided in game seven. Charlotte also extended their series to seven games and the Raptors advanced to the second round after defeating the Pacers in an ugly 89-80 win. In the Western Conference, the Portland Trailblazers defeated the Sacramento Kings 109-97 to win that series. They await the winner of the Mavericks/Nuggets series, which is headed to a game seven after the Mavericks got taken to the woodshed by the Nuggets 106-78. The Pelicans also extended their series to a game seven, with a 104-97 victory over the Utah Jazz. ROUND 1 / GAME 6 (Madison Square Garden) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F NYK | 26 | 30 | 20 | 39 | -- | 115 CHI | 20 | 34 | 39 | 34 | -- | 127 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 126 (3) | (1) GSW --- (4) (8) MIL 120 (3) | (8) LAC --- (1) (4) IND 80 (2) | (4) UTA 97 (3) (5) TOR 89 (4) | (5) NOP 104 (3) (3) CHI 127 (4) | (3) DAL 78 (3) (6) NYK 115 (2) | (6) DEN 106 (3) (2) MIA 94 (3) | (2) SAC 97 (2) (7) CHA 105 (3) | (7) POR 109 (4) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 The Chicago Bulls held the New York Knicks to 37 second half points and easily won game five to take a 3-2 series lead. Zach LaVine scored 34 points and Kyrie Irving scored 32 points in a Bulls 31 point blowout. The lone bright spot for the Knicks was Serge Ibaka, who scored 19 points coming off the bench. In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors advanced to the next round after defeating the L.A. Clippers 104-89. They await the winner of the Utah-New Orleans series. Utah leads that series three games to two. Denver and Sacramento both remain alive after their respective victories. ROUND 1 / GAME 5 (United Center) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F NYK | 26 | 30 | 20 | 39 | -- | 115 CHI | 26 | 28 | 19 | 18 | -- | 123 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 116 (2) | (1) GSW 104 (4) (8) MIL 87 (3) | (8) LAC 89 (1) (4) IND 127 (2) | (4) UTA 99 (3) (5) TOR 120 (3) | (5) NOP 91 (2) (3) CHI 123 (3) | (3) DAL 109 (3) (6) NYK 91 (2) | (6) DEN 119 (2) (2) MIA 101 (3) | (2) SAC 100 (2) (7) CHA 85 (2) | (7) POR 92 (3) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 The Knicks Julius Randle scored a career high 48 points and the series now heads back to Chicago tied at two games a piece, after the Knicks 144-143 home victory. The Bulls played well and all five starters were once again in double figures, but in overtime, R.J. scored twelve of his 30 points and the Knicks outscored the Bulls 22-12 in the extra period. In other games, the Atlanta Hawks staved off elimination, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 118-105. Toronto took a commanding 3-1 lead over the Pacers after their 120-115 victory and Charlotte tied their series with the Heat with a convincing 127-113 win. In the Western Conference, the Warriors, Mavericks and Trailblazers all are a game away from winning their respective series and the Jazz and Pelicans are now tied at two a piece after a close 117-112 victory for New Orleans. ROUND 1 / GAME 4 (Madison Square Garden) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F CHI | 41 | 26 | 22 | 33 | 12 | 134 NYK | 27 | 25 | 28 | 42 | 22 | 144 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 118 (1) | (1) GSW 115 (3) (8) MIL 105 (3) | (8) LAC 111 (1) (4) IND 115 (1) | (4) UTA 112 (2) (5) TOR 120 (3) | (5) NOP 117 (2) (3) CHI 134 (2) | (3) DAL 102 (3) (6) NYK 134 (2) | (6) DEN 94 (1) (2) MIA 113 (2) | (2) SAC 104 (1) (7) CHA 127 (1) | (7) POR 131 (3) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 Kyrie Irving scored 49 points and Coby White scored 16 points in just 14 minutes coming off the bench, to help lead the Bulls past the New York Knicks 123-110. Despite Zach LaVine's wretched night, 1-11 from the field and 0-3 from the three point line, the remaining Bulls starters all scored in the double figures. The Knicks R.J Bennett scored 27 points in defeat. In other first round action, the eighth seeded Milwaukee Bucks have stunned the NBA, by taking a commanding 3-0 series lead over the #1 seeded Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks finished the regular season with a league best record of 62-20 and were the odds on favorite to win the NBA crown. However, they are a game away from getting bounced out of the playoffs by a team who finish the season 40-42. ROUND 1 / GAME 3 (Madison Square Garden) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F CHI | 25 | 29 | 32 | 36 | -- | 123 NYK | 31 | 24 | 20 | 35 | -- | 110 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 115 (0) | (1) GSW 117 (2) (8) MIL 121 (3) | (8) LAC 107 (1) (4) IND 103 (1) | (4) UTA 94 (2) (5) TOR 108 (2) | (5) NOP 81 (1) (3) CHI 123 (2) | (3) DAL 128 (2) (6) NYK 110 (1) | (6) DEN 98 (1) (2) MIA 103 (2) | (2) SAC 94 (1) (7) CHA 110 (1) | (7) POR 108 (2) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 The Knicks held the Bulls to a mere 39 first half points and then fended off a furious late game charge to defeat the Bulls 107-105 and tie the series at a game a piece. Kyrie Irving had a game high 46 points and Zach LaVine added another 25 points, but the three other starters, Jimmy Dixon, Rui Hachimura and Derrek Favors could only manage a combined ten points...for the entire game! That is insane that three players who average double digit points per game, could only muster ten total points. What makes this even more incredible, is that despite the three playing 35, 26 and 35 minutes respectively, they only took eight total shots between the three of them. I simply can't explain that...oh wait, Irving took 47 shots on his own...I guess if you live by the sword, you die by the sword. ROUND 1 / GAME 2 (United Center) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F NYK | 35 | 19 | 30 | 23 | -- | 107 CHI | 19 | 20 | 31 | 35 | -- | 105 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 133 (0) | (1) GSW 124 (1) (8) MIL 138 (2) | (8) LAC 122 (1) (4) IND 101 (1) | (4) UTA 104 (1) (5) TOR 112 (1) | (5) NOP 110 (1) (3) CHI 105 (1) | (3) DAL 106 (1) (6) NYK 107 (1) | (6) DEN 87 (1) (2) MIA 122 (2) | (2) SAC 101 (1) (7) CHA 104 (0) | (7) POR 107 (1) ---------------------

PLAYOFFS 2022 Zach LaVine scored led all scorers with 33 points and all five of the Bulls starters scored in double-figures, as the Chicago Bulls captured game one of the series 124-122. ROUND 1 / GAME 1 (United Center) Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT F NYK | 35 | 38 | 19 | 30 | -- | 122 CHI | 38 | 25 | 33 | 28 | -- | 124 GAME 1/ROUND 1 PLAYOFF RESULTS EASTERN | WESTERN (1) ATL 93 (0) | (1) GSW 111 (0) (8) MIL 106 (1) | (8) LAC 116 (1) (4) IND 114 (1) | (4) UTA 112 (1) (5) TOR 98 (0) | (5) NOP 89 (0) (3) CHI 124 (1) | (3) DAL 108 (0) (6) NYK 122 (0) | (6) DEN 112 (1) (2) MIA 114 (1) | (2) SAC 99 (1) (7) CHA 101 (0) | (7) POR 85 (0)

APRIL 2022 After a couple of frustratingly mediocre months, we finally managed to string together some wins and recorded 5-1 record for the month of April. We finished the season with an overall record of 47-35 and won the Central Division with an 11-5 record. It also positioned us as the third overall seed in the upcoming Eastern Conference playoffs, where we will face off against the New York Knicks in the first round. Oddly enough, despite all the roster changes, we finished the regular season with the same identical record that we finish with last year. I find that a little disappointing, because I really thought we would have had a stronger year and my goal was to win fifty games. Then again we did win an NBA Championship last year...so maybe 47 wins is our lucky number. One thing that I really find interesting, is just how many of last years playoff teams will be missing the post season. The 76ers went 58-18 last year and could only manage a 39-43 record this season. Brooklyn lost 26 more games than the previous season and both Boston and Detriot failed to advance. Most surprising of all, the absence of perennial powerhouses Los Angeles and Houston. The Lakers went a dismal 35-47 and Houston an even worse 29-53. Speaking of the Lakers, LeBron haters rejoice, because it appears that his reign as the NBA's best player is officially over. At 37 years old, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't retire at seasons end. Despite starting 75 games, his production dropped dramatically from 22.9 ppg to 10.7 ppg and that is a sure sign of a Superstar on the decline. DEPTH CHART PLAYER | POS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | BPG | Kyrie Irving | PG | 26.9 | 6.9 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 0.6 | Zach Lavine | SG | 20.5 | 5.7 | 5.3 | 1.5 | 0.7 | Rui Hachimura | SF | 14.6 | 2.7 | 7.2 | 1.6 | 0.8 | Jimmy Dixon | PF | 14.0 | 2.0 | 6.8 | 1.6 | 0.8 | Derrek Favors | C | 12.0 | 1.7 | 8.5 | 1.0 | 1.8 | BENCH PLAYER | POS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | BPG | Coby White | PG | 11.2 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.4 | Otto Porter Jr. | SF | 10.6 | 1.6 | 3.9 | 1.2 | 0.5 | Daniel Gafford | PF | 3.3 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.2 | Anzejis Pacecniks | C | 2.9 | 0.2 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | Wade Baldwin IV | PG | 3.9 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | Furkan Korkmaz | SG | 3.0 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | Pat Connaughton | SG | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.2 | DeAndre Jordan | C | 6.0 | 2.0 | 9.4 | 0.5 | 0.7 | INJURIES DeAndre Jordan | Out 1 Day (Strained Abdominal) SCHEDULE DATE | GAME | SCORE | W-L | 4/1 | HOU @ CHI | 109-117 | W | 4/3 | PHI @ ORL | 114-120 | W | 4/5 | ATL @ CHI | 124-114 | L | 4/6 | CHI @ NYK | 118-108 | W | 4/9 | CHI @ BOS | 122-109 | W | 4/11 | BOS @ CHI | 128-132 | W | RECORD W-L OVERALL | 47-35 | MONTH | 5-1 | CONFERENCE STANDINGS EASTERN | WESTERN ATL 62-20 | GSW 53-39 MIA 49-33 | SAC 53-49 CHI 47-35 | DAL 51-31 IND 45-37 | UTA 50-32 TOR 42-40 | NOP 49-33 NYK 40-35 | DEN 49-33 CHA 41-41 | POR 47-35 MIL 40-42 | LAC 45-37 ----------|---------- BOS 39-43 | OKA 40-42 PHI 39-43 | PHO 40-42 ORL 37-45 | MEM 37-45 WAS 34-48 | LAL 35-47 DET 33-49 | MIN 32-50 BKN 26-56 | HOU 29-53 CLE 19-63 | SAS 22-60

MARCH 2022 Another month of mediocre basketball. We win games we probably shouldn't and lose games we should win. This time last year we were 42-32, so I can't decide if we're right on pace for a title defense or going to tank in the first round. It's actually rather disappointing. I really expected this team to produce a fifty win season, so this feels like a step in the wrong direction. Hopefully our fortunes will change in April, but I'm too bummed to talk about it right now and I'm very busy dodging Jerry's calls. DEPTH CHART PLAYER | POS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | BPG | Kyrie Irving | PG | 27.1 | 7.0 | 4.5 | 1.3 | 0.5 | Zach Lavine | SG | 20.1 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 1.5 | 0.7 | Rui Hachimura | SF | 14.1 | 2.7 | 7.2 | 1.6 | 0.8 | Jimmy Dixon | PF | 13.5 | 1.9 | 6.8 | 1.7 | 0.8 | Derrek Favors | C | 12.3 | 1.7 | 8.7 | 1.0 | 1.8 | BENCH PLAYER | POS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | BPG | DeAndre Jordan | C | 6.0 | 2.0 | 9.4 | 0.5 | 0.7 | Coby White | PG | 11.0 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.3 | Daniel Gafford | PF | 3.1 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | Anzejis Pacecniks | C | 2.6 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | Furkan Korkmaz | SG | 3.1 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | Wade Baldwin IV | PG | 3.8 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | Otto Porter Jr. | SF | 10.9 | 1.6 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 0.5 | INJURIES Otto Porter Jr. | Out 1 Day (Sore Hand) SCHEDULE DATE | GAME | SCORE | W-L | 3/1 | NYK @ CHI | 122-109 | L | 3/3 | POR @ CHI | 122-119 | L | 3/5 | CLE @ CHI | 94-112 | W | 3/7 | CHI @ POR | 97-107 | L | 3/9 | CHI @ GSW | 107-117 | L | 3/11 | CHI @ LAL | 125-120 | W | 3/13 | CHI @ LAC | 132-113 | W | 3/15 | CHI @ MIN | 122-130 | L | 3/17 | CHI @ IND | 113-110 | W | 3/19 | DET @ CHI | 108-94 | L | 3/21 | PHI @ CHI | 104-109 | W | 3/23 | LAC @ CHI | 118-104 | L | 3/25 | CHI @ TOR | 113-92 | W | 3/27 | CHI @ MIA | 121-123 | L | 3/28 | CHI @ WAS | 112-99 | W | 3/30 | NOP @ CHI | 95-114 | W | RECORD W-L OVERALL | 42-34 | MONTH | 8-8 |

FEBRUARY 2022 With the trading deadline nearly upon us, it was time to scour the trading block. There were a lot of really great players being shopped, but they also came with some really big price tags. We just couldn't meet legal cap minimums to even consider most of the available players. It seems that teams were simply trying to clear some cap space, especially those teams that were already struggling near the bottom of the standings. I spent quite a bit of time researching players and noticed that the Nets were shopping both center DeAndre Jordan and small forward Otto Porter Jr. Otto had a pretty high price tag of $18 mil a year, but he was still young and a proven player. He was also a former Chicago Bull that I traded away in my first season as GM. DeAndre Jordan still had two years on his contract, but was only $9.8 mil dollars per year. A bargain, despite being on the wrong side of thirty. Now, I know what your thinking, didn't you just trade for the Kings Jaquay Bailey? THE Jaquay Bailey that went #1 overall and was the player that you coveted, but didn't get, despite making all of those stupid Sonny Weaver draft moves. Yes, one and the same. If I'm honest, I'm not at all convinced the kid is going to live up to all of the expectations and he is a bit of a liability in the short term. Jordan is a solid veteran with far better defensive skills and he's not going to be worried about getting a lot of playing time, which will allow Derrek Favors to remain as the starter, without fear of losing his job. I may regret it and I'll be the first person to admit it, but we need someone who can provide solid minutes off the bench and not be a liability on defense. Bringing back Porter gives us depth and a solid sixth man coming off the bench. So, I sent C Jaquay Bailey, SF Chandler Hutchinson, SG Terrence Ross, SG Dion Waiters and PF Christian Wood to the Brooklyn Nets for C DeAndre Jordan and SF Otto Parker. Ross, Waiters, and Wood were included in the deal to make it cap legal and so that I could trim some fat. It also helped clear a couple of million in cap money. However, I need to bring in a shooting guard to replace Ross and get the roster back to the league minimum of thirteen. I'm not sure if the game even enforces that, but I've made it a house rule regardless. So, I traded David Stockton and our 2022 2nd round pick to the Orlando Magic for SG Pat Connaughton. Yes, the former Bull Pat Connaughton that was released to free agency at the end of last year. I then signed free agent PG Wade Baldwin and SG Furkan Korkmaz to fill out the roster. In the end, I'm not sure I really accomplished much and we finished the month with a disappointing five wins and five losses. Nothing ventured, nothing gained I supposed. Let's see how we do in the month of March and fingers crossed for better results down the stretch. This month our points per game was ranked 2nd overall, at 111.2 and our points allowed per game was 109.3, which has us ranked 27th. Not exactly what I was hoping for, but we'll need a bigger sample size to determine if the roster changes are moving the needle in the right direction. DEPTH CHART PLAYER | POS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | BPG | Kyrie Irving | PG | 27.5 | 6.7 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 0.5 | Zach Lavine | SG | 19.9 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 1.5 | 0.7 | Rui Hachimura | SF | 13.6 | 2.7 | 6.8 | 1.4 | 0.8 | DeAndre Jordan | PF | 6.1 | 2.0 | 9.6 | 0.4 | 0.9 | Derrek Favors | C | 12.0 | 1.8 | 8.8 | 1.0 | 1.8 | BENCH PLAYER | POS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | BPG | Coby White | PG | 11.3 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | Otto Porter Jr. | SF | 12.1 | 1.8 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 0.6 | Wade Baldwin IV | PG | 3.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | Daniel Gafford | PF | 2.4 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | Anzejis Pacecniks | C | 2.8 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | Furkan Korkmaz | SG | 3.1 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | Pat Connaughton | SG | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.3 | INJURIES Jimmy Dixon | Out 4 Days (Sore Back) SCHEDULE DATE | GAME | SCORE | W-L | 2/3 | DAL @ CHI | 132-115 | L | 2/6 | CHI @ ORL | 116-127 | L | 2/7 | OKC @ CHI | 90-103 | W | 2/9 | CHI @ CHA | 121-110 | W | 2/11 | CHI @ BKN | 122-106 | W | 2/13 | CHI @ DEN | 105-114 | L | 2/22 | ATL @ CHI | 125-112 | L | 2/23 | CHI @ MEM | 92-113 | L | 2/25 | SAN @ CHI | 91-113 | W | 2/27 | TOR @ CHI | 94-112 | W | RECORD W-L OVERALL | 34-26 | MONTH | 5-5 |

JANUARY 2022 It was a difficult start to the month with Hachimura and Dixon out for two weeks with injuries. We lost five consecutive games during that period, but once they returned to the starting lineup, we managed to go 7-2 after that. Unfortunately our points allowed per game has now ballooned to 109.1, 26th in the league. We simply have to get better defensively and with only a week remaining before the trading deadline, it's really now or never. I'm not convinced this team is strong enough to make a deep run in the playoffs, much less defend the title with the current players we have. I think it's time to do some shopping. DEPTH CHART STARTERS PLAYER | POS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | BPG | Kyrie Irving | PG | 28.1 | 6.6 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 0.6 | Zach Lavine | SG | 19.8 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 1.4 | 0.8 | Rui Hachimura | SF | 13.3 | 2.8 | 6.8 | 1.5 | 0.8 | Jimmy Dixon | PF | 13.1 | 2.0 | 7.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 | Derrek Favors | C | 12.0 | 1.7 | 8.8 | 1.0 | 1.9 | BENCH PLAYER | POS | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | BPG | Coby White | PG | 11.8 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.4 | Jaquay Bailey | C | 6.8 | 0.9 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | Terrence Ross | SG | 7.2 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 0.3 | Daniel Gafford | PF | 2.6 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 0.3 | Christian Wood | PF | 2.0 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.3 | Anzejis Pacecniks | C | 3.2 | 0.3 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | Chandler Hutchison | SF | 2.5 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | SCHEDULE DATE | GAME | SCORE | W-L | 1/2 | MIN @ CHI | 117-102 | L | 1/3 | CHI @ BKN | 107-119 | L | 1/6 | CHI @ ORL | 110-124 | L | 1/8 | CHI @ OKC | 94-116 | L | 1/11 | CHI @ PHI | 118-125 | L | 1/12 | CHI @ MIL | 115-99 | W | 1/15 | SAC @ CHI | 110-115 | W | 1/18 | ORL @ CHI | 108-111 | W | 1/20 | DEN @ CHI | 100-115 | W | 1/23 | CHI @ SAN | 101-86 | W | 1/26 | MIL @ CHI | 111-119 | W | 1/28 | CLE @ CHI | 89-111 | W | 1/30 | CHI @ CLE | 126-129 | L | 1/31 | MIA @ CHI | 121-109 | L | RECORD W-L OVERALL | 29-21 | MONTH | 7-7 | ---------------------

DECEMBER 2021 The team has been playing much better of late and we went 11-3 in the month of December. Our points per game has risen to 111.3, which is ranked 2nd in the league. Unfortunately our points against has also increased to 111.4, which is ranked a dismal 23rd. You can blame the lack of defense on the coaches if you want or just not enough effort put forth by the players, but the reality is that I sacrificed some defense when I let Jaren Jackson and Lou Williams go. However, there is nothing I can do about that now and I'm not going to mention them again. It's time to look forward and see how I can help the team can improve. I've also decided what I'm going to do about Zach LaVine and his impending free agency. I've tried to extend his contract several times and I always get within $30-$50k before negotiations break down. I simply keep bumping up against the 7.5% limit and the fact that I get so close, but fail to come to terms with the player, tells me that there is no way it's going to happen. It is frustrating, but I seriously doubt this would happen in the real world, so it seems a little predetermined by the code. Anyway, I'm simply going to try and resign him in the off season and utilize the "Bird Rule" so I won't have to worry about any cap restrictions. Also, the question of Wittman's contract is going to have to be answered at some point. Wittman is going to want in excess of $6 mil per year and that is really going to put me up against it, because Hoiberg is probably going to want even more at the end of his contract in 2023. I think what I'm going to do is wait until the playoffs are over. If Wittman can lead the team to another title, I'll have no choice but to give him what he wants. If we bow out early, that might be enough reason to let his contract expire and promote Hoiberg. By doing that, I should be able to bring in an assistant who's asking price won't break my budget. It's going to be a difficult decision either way, but Hoiberg is a master at evaluating offense and player potential. Two traits that aren't easy to come by in the $4-$6 million dollar price range of modern day NBA coaches. Note: I completely forgot to mention that Jimmy Dixon was named the NBA Rookie of the Month. SCHEDULE DATE | GAME | SCORE | W-L | 12/2 | MEM @ CHI | 99-106 | w | 12/4 | CHI @ IND | 122-128 | L | 12/6 | PHO @ CHI | 105-118 | w | 12/8 | CHI @ MIL | 112-87 | W | 12/9 | NYK @ CHI | 104-113 | W | 12/12 | CHA @ CHI | 114-119 | W | 12/14 | LAL @ CHI | 93-105 | W | 12/16 | UTA @ CHI | 97-113 | W | 12/17 | CHI @ ATL | 101-125 | L | 12/19 | CHI @ DET | 119-111 | W | 12/21 | IND @ CHI | 104-103 | L | 12/25 | CHI @ SAC | 99-110 | L | 12/27 | CHI @ PHO | 142-129 | W | 12/30 | CHI @ UTA | 130-118 | W | RECORD W-L OVERALL | 22-14 | MONTH | 10-4 | ---------------------

NOVEMBER 2021 Zach LaVine returns to the starting lineup, but the team remains inconsistent. The team is ranked 6th in the league in points per game (109.2) and 21st in points allowed per game (108.0). We are pretty much average in most other categories and that is reflected in our just above average win-loss record. Let's be honest, this is not a team that even remotely looks like they are the defending NBA champions. However, it's not time to hit the panic button just yet and if I'm honest I'm not sure what we would do right now to make any significant improvements in the lineup. As we get closer to the trading deadline in February, other teams might be looking to offload their high dollar soon to be free agents. We just might be able to swoop in an bring in some last minute talent for a playoff run...but it's still early days. Right now I'm taking a wait and see approach. SCHEDULE DATE | GAME | SCORE | W-L | 11/1 | MIL @ CHI | 130-139 | w | 11/3 | CHI @ ATL | 117-107 | w | 11/5 | CHA @ CHI | 98-108 | w | 11/7 | DET @ CHI | 87-79 | L | 11/9 | CHI @ DAL | 94-108 | L | 11/11 | CHI @ HOU | 109-97 | W | 11/13 | CHI @ BOS | 94-118 | L | 11/15 | CHI @ WAS | 104-97 | W | 11/17 | GSW @ CHI | 136-135 | L | 11/20 | CHI @ CLE | 119-108 | W | 11/22 | TOR @ CHI | 104-112 | W | 11/24 | WAS @ CHI | 111-105 | L | 11/27 | CHI @ NYK | 118-115 | W | 11/28 | MIA @ CHI | 103-87 | L | 11/30 | CHI @ CHA | 124-105 | W | RECORD W-L OVERALL | 12-10 | MONTH | 9-6 |

OCTOBER 2021 In the season preview we were ranked #1 in the Division and #3 in the Conference. However, that did not include Zach LaVine in the equation. He will be returning to the lineup sometime in November and that can't happen soon enough. When healthy, LaVine is a great player and his stand-in, Terrence Ross, has been a little disappointing. I regret letting Lou Williams get away from us. Williams provided some stability to the lineup and so far the team has been up and down. We lost our home opener to the Nets 112-115 after Kris Dunn hit a desperation three from half court. Then we won three straight and all was well. That streak was then followed by three consecutive losses. Along the way we pickup up a couple of injuries, with Dion Waiters being lost for a month due to a broken nose and Chandler Hutchison out with a sore back. Hopefully things will turn around in November and we really need LaVine back and healthy. SCHEDULE DATE | GAME | SCORE | W-L | 10/17 | BKN @ CHI | 115-112 | L | 10/20 | CHI @ DET | 100-85 | w | 10/21 | ORL @ CHI | 98-111 | w | 10/24 | IND @ CHI | 107-122 | w | 10/25 | CHI @ TOR | 100-118 | L | 10/28 | CHI @ NOP | 103-114 | L | 10/29 | BOS @ CHI | 115-111 | L | RECORD W-L OVERALL | 3-4 | MONTH | 3-4 |

DEPTH CHART STARTERS PLAYER | POS | HGT | WGT | AGE | EXP | SALARY | Kyrie Irving | PG | 6-2 | 195 | 29 | 10 | $34,916,767 | Zach Lavine | SG | 6-6 | 181 | 26 | 7 | $19,500,000 | Rui Hachimura | SF | 6-8 | 230 | 23 | 2 | $5,021,338 | Jimmy Dixon | PF | 6-8 | 229 | 21 | 0 | $7,854,785 | Derrek Favors | C | 6-9 | 246 | 30 | 11 | $16,656,063 | BENCH PLAYER | POS | HGT | WGT | AGE | EXP | SALARY | Coby White | PG | 6-4 | 185 | 21 | 2 | $5,962,767 | Terrence Ross | SG | 6-6 | 206 | 30 | 9 | $12,500,000 | Jaquay Bailey | C | 6-9 | 253 | 20 | 2 | $8,781,138 | Dion Waiters | SG | 6-3 | 210 | 30 | 9 | $2,493,076 | Chandler Hutchison | SF | 6-7 | 197 | 25 | 3 | $4,019,458 | Anzejis Pacecniks | C | 7-1 | 220 | 26 | 1 | $1,545,824 | Daniel Gafford | PF | 6-10| 234 | 21 | 2 | $1,782,261 | David Stockton | PG | 5-11| 165 | 30 | 4 | $1,857,457 | PLAYER RATINGS STARTERS PLAYER | FGI | FGJ | FT | SCR | PAS | HDL | ORB | DRB | DEF | BLK | STL | DRFL | DI | IQ | EN | Kyrie Irving | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 7 | Zach Lavine | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | Rui Hachimura | 10 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | Jimmy Dixon | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | Derrek Favors | 9 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | BENCH PLAYER | FGI | FGJ | FT | SCR | PAS | HDL | ORB | DRB | DEF | BLK | STL | DRFL | DI | IQ | EN | Coby White | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | Terrence Ross | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 7 | Jaquay Bailey | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | Dion Waiters | 5 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 7 | Chandler Hutchison | 7 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | Anzejis Pacecniks | 7 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | Daniel Gafford | 10 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 7 | David Stockton | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 8 |

ROSTER PLAYER | POS | HGT | WGT | AGE | EXP | SALARY | Kyrie Irving | PG | 6-2 | 195 | 29 | 10 | $34,916,767 | Zach Lavine | SG | 6-6 | 181 | 26 | 7 | $19,500,000 | Rui Hachimura | SF | 6-8 | 230 | 23 | 2 | $5,021,338 | Jimmy Dixon | PF | 6-8 | 229 | 21 | 0 | $7,854,785 | Derrek Favors | C | 6-9 | 246 | 30 | 11 | $16,656,063 | BENCH PLAYER | POS | HGT | WGT | AGE | EXP | SALARY | Coby White | PG | 6-4 | 185 | 21 | 2 | $5,962,767 | Terrence Ross | SG | 6-6 | 206 | 30 | 9 | $12,500,000 | Jaquay Bailey | C | 6-9 | 253 | 20 | 2 | $8,781,138 | Dion Waiters | SG | 6-3 | 210 | 30 | 9 | $2,493,076 | Chandler Hutchison | SF | 6-7 | 197 | 25 | 3 | $4,019,458 | Anzejis Pacecniks | C | 7-1 | 220 | 26 | 1 | $1,545,824 | Daniel Gafford | PF | 6-10| 234 | 21 | 2 | $1,782,261 | David Stockton | PG | 5-11| 165 | 30 | 4 | $1,857,457 |