Tales from the front office: DDSPB

daltontr · May 7, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - FEBRUARY

With only three days remaining until the trade deadline, I decided to try and move PF Jermaine Baker. Baker was in the last year of his contract and I couldn't afford to offer him an extension. Ultimately I sent Baker, PF Lee Askew, SF Chandler Hutchison and our 2030 1st round pick (GSW vs CHI) to the Bucks for PF Ryan Jefferson, SF KZ Okpala and a 2028 1st round pick (MIL). As soon as the trade was announced, I had Jefferson and Okpala fly directly to New York, as we were to face the Knicks that night. With Giannis and Nowell banged up, Jefferson was forced into the starting lineup and Okpala would see significant minutes coming off the bench. Like any trade, there is always the worry that you have made a terrible mistake and/or possibly upset the chemistry of the team. Those worries were quickly dismissed as Jefferson led all scorers with 23 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds in the 111-98 victory over the Knicks. Okpala gave us a solid 23 minutes coming off the bench, scoring 11 points with 1 assist, 3 rebounds and 5 steals. I'll that was a big relief and I left the stadium strutting like a peacock. The best part, I shaved approximately $7 million dollars off teams salary and both Jefferson and Okpala are signed through the 2028-2029 season. I might just keep my job after all.

TRADES
Bucks trade PF Ryan Jefferson, SF KZ Okpala and 2028 1st round pick for Bulls PF Jermaine Baker, PF Lee Askew, SF Chandler Hutchison and 2030 1st round pick (GSW via CHI)

SCHEDULE

   GAME   |  SCORE  | W-L |
CHI @ DEN |  95-106 |  L  |
NYK @ CHI |  99-134 |  W  |
CHI @ BKN |  97-86  |  W  |
CHI @ NYK | 111-98  |  W  |
CHI @ MIA | 140-120 |  W  |
CHI @ ORL | 102-106 |  L  |
CHA @ CHI | 105-127 |  W  |
UTA @ CHI |  96-106 |  W  |
CHI @ PHI | 121-112 |  W  |
NOP @ CHI |  94-111 |  W  |
ATL @ CHI |  89-117 |  W  |
CHI @ CLE | 128-105 |  W  |
---------------------------
RECORD     W-L
OVERALL | 56-5  |
MONTH   | 10-2  |

CONFERENCE STANDINGS

  EASTERN | WESTERN 
CHI 56-5  | DAL 46-14
ORL 40-21 | SAS 37-25
DET 37-24 | MEM 36-25
NYK 37-25 | NOP 36-26
CLE 36-25 | LAL 33-27
TOR 36-27 | SAC 33-27
PHI 34-26 | HOU 33-29
ATL 33-29 | PHO 30-33
----------|----------
BKN 25-37 | DEN 30-34
WAS 25-37 | UTA 28-33
MIA 22-39 | MIN 26-35
IND 22-40 | POR 26-27
MIL 21-39 | GSW 24-37
BOS 20-39 | LAC 24-38
CHA 16-46 | OKC 19-42

TEAM ROSTER

STARTERS              | PS | GM | GS | MPG  | PPG  | APG | RPG |
D'Angelo Russell      | PG | 61 | 61 | 34.4 | 26.2 | 7.4 | 3.5 |
Jaylen Nowell         | SG | 60 | 42 | 26.1 | 11.0 | 2.1 | 3.7 |
Jayson Tatum          | SF | 61 | 61 | 32.5 | 14.5 | 2.5 | 5.2 |
Giannis Antetokounmpo | PF | 60 | 58 | 33.5 | 17.7 | 5.8 |10.6 |
Justin McCuthison     | C  | 56 | 43 | 33.2 | 20.8 | 0.8 |10.9 | 
---------------------------------------------------------------
BENCH                 | PS | GM | GS | MPG  | PPG  | APG | RPG |
Gregory Hawkins       | SG | 61 |  0 | 26.3 |  8.7 | 1.7 | 4.1 |
Ryan Jefferson        | PF | 54 | 46 | 27.4 | 12.7 | 1.2 | 5.2 |
Steven Adams          | C  | 60 |  9 | 19.3 |  9.5 | 1.0 | 5.8 |
Spencer Dinwiddie     | PG | 61 |  3 | 12.8 |  3.7 | 2.7 | 1.1 |
KZ Okpala             | SF | 37 |  0 | 12.5 |  5.0 | 0.8 | 2.1 |
Andrew Miller         | PG | 34 |  0 |  4.1 |  1.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
Marcus Bosl           | PG |  6 |  0 |  4.0 |  1.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
James Jackson         | C  |  0 |  0 |  0.0 |  0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
---------------------------------------------------------------
D-LEAGUE              | PS | GM | GS | MPG  | PPG  | APG | RPG |
Marcus Bosl           | PG | 40 | 40 | 33.1 | 16.0 | 6.3 | 4.5 |
James Jackson         | C  | 41 | 41 | 28.5 | 12.4 | 1.8 |12.3 |
---------------------------------------------------------------

CONTRACTS (TEAM SALARY $173,351,825 / CAP STATUS $-20,351,825)

Player                | PS | CUR | POT | HGT | LBS | AG | EX |   SALARY    | CONTRACT
Giannis Antetokounmpo | PF | 5.0 | 5.0 | 6-11| 242 | 33 | 14 | $47,351,563 | $148,171,857/3y
D'Angelo Russell      | PG | 3.5 | 3.5 | 6-4 | 193 | 31 | 12 | $35,086,694 | $72,468,779/2y
Jayson Tatum          | SF | 4.0 | 4.0 | 6-8 | 204 | 29 | 10 | $34,941,933 | $111,662,262/3y
Jalen Nowell          | SG | 2.5 | 2.5 | 6-4 | 201 | 28 |  8 | $13,375,041 | $27,351,958/2y
Gregory Hawkins       | SG | 3.0 | 4.0 | 6-4 | 198 | 22 |  R | $9,655,533  | $20,035,133/2y (RO)
Justin McCuthison     | C  | 3.5 | 4.0 | 6-11| 280 | 23 |  3 | $9,305,456  | $113,927,456/4y
Steven Adams          | C  | 2.5 | 2.5 | 6-11| 265 | 34 | 14 | $5,100,000  | $5,100,000/1y
Ryan Jefferson        | PF | 3.0 | 3.5 | 6-8 | 222 | 24 |  1 | $4,877,100  | $6,945,834/2y (RO)
KZ Okpala             | SF | 2.0 | 2.0 | 6-8 | 215 | 28 |  9 | $3,396,496  | $6,945,834/2y
Spence Dinwiddie      | PG | 2.0 | 2.0 | 6-5 | 215 | 34 | 13 | $3,179,173  | $3,179,173/1y
Andrew Miller         | PG | 2.0 | 2.0 | 5-11| 178 | 24 |  2 | $3,066,406  | $7,794,804/2y
Marcus Bosl           | PG | 2.0 | 2.5 | 6-0 | 189 | 24 |  1 | $2,224,400  | $4,604,508/2y (RO)
James Jackson         | C  | 1.5 | 3.0 | 6-11| 270 | 22 |  1 | $1,792,030  | $1,792,030/1y

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daltontr · May 9, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - MARCH

We are on the precipice of recording the greatest regular season in NBA history. We are currently on a twenty-one game winning streak and with six games remaining in the season, we only require three victories to eclipse the current NBA record of 73-9 held by the 2016 Golden State Warriors. The final six games on our schedule are as follows: @UTA, TOR, BKN, @NYK, ORL and @BOS. To date, we are 38-0 at home, so it seems almost a certainty that we will break the record, despite having been defeated by both Brooklyn and Orlando. Let's just hope we don't meet the same fate as the Golden State Warriors, who were up 3-1 in the NBA Finals and lost three straight to LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

I've decided to start recording key injuries on the schedule, to make it easier to note when a player was injured and his expected return date.

SCHEDULE

   GAME   |  SCORE  | W-L |
IND @ CHI | 100-120 |  W  |
BOS @ CHI | 104-125 |  W  |
CHI @ IND |  99-92  |  W  |
MEM @ CHI | 100-119 |  W  |
NYK @ CHI | 105-108 |  W  |
CHI @ DAL | 114-94  |  W  |
CHI @ ORL | 127-112 |  W  |
CHA @ CHI | 102-126 |  W  |
CHI @ MIL | 118-108 |  W  |
SAC @ CHI |  90-114 |  W  |
CHI @ DET | 114-107 |  W  | Ryan Jefferson broken wrist (OUT 49 days, Return 5/12/28)
HOU @ CHI |  96-125 |  W  |
CHI @ SAC | 113-106 |  W  | Steven Adams sore hip - (PROB 4 days until 4/2/28)
CHI @ LAC | 108-98  |  W  | KZ Okpala back spasms (OUT 12 Days, Return 4/11/28)
CHI @ LAL | 112-92  |  W  |
---------------------------
RECORD     W-L
OVERALL | 71-5  |
MONTH   | 15-0  |

CONFERENCE STANDINGS

  EASTERN | WESTERN 
CHI 71-5  | DAL 56-20
ORL 48-27 | NOP 46-30
PHI 45-31 | SAS 44-32
DET 44-32 | MEM 44-32
CLE 44-32 | LAL 42-33
TOR 43-33 | SAC 42-34
NYK 43-34 | HOU 37-39
ATL 42-34 | DEN 37-40
----------|----------
MIA 34-43 | PHO 37-40
BKN 31-45 | MIN 33-43
WAS 29-48 | UTA 33-43
BOS 28-47 | LAC 33-43
IND 28-48 | POR 33-44
MIL 23-53 | GSW 31-46
CHA 19-57 | OKC 22-54

TEAM ROSTER

STARTERS              | PS | GM | GS | MPG  | PPG  | APG | RPG |
D'Angelo Russell      | PG | 76 | 76 | 34.2 | 26.1 | 7.1 | 3.6 |
Jaylen Nowell         | SG | 75 | 57 | 26.0 | 10.4 | 1.9 | 3.6 |
Jayson Tatum          | SF | 76 | 76 | 32.8 | 14.7 | 2.5 | 5.6 |
Giannis Antetokounmpo | PF | 75 | 73 | 33.9 | 17.8 | 6.1 |10.9 |
Justin McCuthison     | C  | 71 | 69 | 33.3 | 20.1 | 0.9 |10.7 | 
---------------------------------------------------------------
BENCH                 | PS | GM | GS | MPG  | PPG  | APG | RPG |
Gregory Hawkins       | SG | 74 |  0 | 26.4 |  8.9 | 1.6 | 4.4 |
Ryan Jefferson        | PF | 65 | 46 | 25.8 | 12.6 | 1.2 | 5.0 |
Steven Adams          | C  | 73 |  9 | 18.4 |  9.1 | 1.0 | 5.5 |
Spencer Dinwiddie     | PG | 76 |  3 | 13.0 |  3.6 | 2.8 | 1.1 |
KZ Okpala             | SF | 51 |  0 | 11.8 |  4.7 | 0.8 | 1.9 |
Andrew Miller         | PG | 43 |  0 |  4.3 |  1.1 | 0.6 | 0.4 |
Marcus Bosl           | PG | 14 |  0 |  3.9 |  1.1 | 0.5 | 0.7 |
James Jackson         | C  |  0 |  0 |  0.0 |  0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
---------------------------------------------------------------
D-LEAGUE              | PS | GM | GS | MPG  | PPG  | APG | RPG |
Marcus Bosl           | PG | 52 | 52 | 33.4 | 15.7 | 6.4 | 4.4 |
James Jackson         | C  | 54 | 54 | 29.2 | 13.4 | 1.8 |12.8 |
---------------------------------------------------------------

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daltontr · May 9, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - MARCH

Could this be the greatest team in NBA History? Possibly, but the best regular season record does not always equate to the ultimate measure of success and that is the NBA Championship. Last season we won sixty-nine games, but were swept in the finals, so nothing is a given and anything less than an NBA Title is going to seem like a failure at this point. It's funny, in my second and third years as the Bull GM, we won back-to-back titles with identical records of 47-35, so you would think that a team that finished the season with a 76-6 record would take the pressure off. It's actually the opposite. Having defied the owner and spent far more money than he wished, this season has become the all or nothing season. With a new owner, it's hard to know exactly how he is going to react to your overall job performance, but I can't imagine he will be happy with a $20 million dollar cap deficit, if we come up short again. My hope is that we can finish this season off in style and I can somehow convince the owner to allow me to stay on the payroll for another year. The reason being is that next year would be my tenth season with the Bulls, it will be the last contract year for the current coaching staff and for the most part, the team will remain in tact. After that, I think it will be time for a new challenge and a change of venue. Until then, let's go get this damn title and bring it home to the windy city! GO BULLS!

SCHEDULE

   GAME   |  SCORE  | W-L |
CHI @ UTA | 124-102 |  W  |
TOR @ CHI | 111-131 |  W  |
BKN @ CHI | 116-123 |  W  |
CHI @ NYK |  85-102 |  L  |
ORL @ CHI | 112-134 |  W  |
CHI @ BOS | 105-88  |  W  |
---------------------------
RECORD     W-L
OVERALL | 76-6  |
MONTH   |  5-1  |

CONFERENCE STANDINGS

  EASTERN | WESTERN 
CHI 76-6  | DAL 61-21
ORL 52-30 | NOP 50-32
PHI 48-34 | SAS 48-34
CLE 48-34 | LAL 47-35
NYK 47-35 | MEM 47-35
TOR 47-35 | SAC 45-37
DET 47-35 | HOU 40-42
ATL 46-36 | DEN 39-43
----------|----------
MIA 35-47 | PHO 39-43
BOS 31-51 | POR 36-46
BKN 31-51 | UTA 36-46
WAS 31-51 | MIN 34-48
IND 29-53 | GSW 34-48
MIL 25-57 | LAC 33-49
CHA 22-60 | OKC 26-56

TEAM ROSTER

STARTERS              | PS | GM | GS | MPG  | PPG  | APG | RPG |
D'Angelo Russell      | PG | 82 | 82 | 34.2 | 26.2 | 7.1 | 3.6 |
Jaylen Nowell         | SG | 81 | 63 | 26.2 | 10.2 | 1.9 | 3.7 |
Jayson Tatum          | SF | 82 | 82 | 33.4 | 14.9 | 2.5 | 5.7 |
Giannis Antetokounmpo | PF | 81 | 79 | 34.1 | 17.8 | 6.1 |10.9 |
Justin McCuthison     | C  | 77 | 75 | 33.2 | 20.1 | 0.9 |10.5 | 
---------------------------------------------------------------
BENCH                 | PS | GM | GS | MPG  | PPG  | APG | RPG |
Gregory Hawkins       | SG | 80 |  0 | 26.6 |  8.9 | 1.6 | 4.4 |
Ryan Jefferson        | PF | 65 | 46 | 25.8 | 12.6 | 1.2 | 5.0 |
Steven Adams          | C  | 79 |  9 | 18.7 |  9.1 | 1.0 | 5.6 |
Spencer Dinwiddie     | PG | 82 |  3 | 12.8 |  3.7 | 2.8 | 1.1 |
KZ Okpala             | SF | 53 |  0 | 11.8 |  4.7 | 0.8 | 2.0 |
Andrew Miller         | PG | 47 |  0 |  4.1 |  1.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
Marcus Bosl           | PG | 18 |  0 |  3.4 |  0.9 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
James Jackson         | C  |  0 |  0 |  0.0 |  0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
---------------------------------------------------------------
D-LEAGUE              | PS | GM | GS | MPG  | PPG  | APG | RPG |
Marcus Bosl           | PG | 55 | 55 | 33.4 | 15.6 | 6.4 | 4.5 |
James Jackson         | C  | 57 | 57 | 29.3 | 13.3 | 1.8 |12.9 |
---------------------------------------------------------------

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daltontr · May 9, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - FIRST ROUND (PREVIEW)

Before the season started, the Atlanta Hawks were everyone's pick to win the Eastern Conference and for the most part they were living up to everyone's expectations. Then on February 23rd the Hawks fortunes took a turn for the worse. Six minutes into a 116-108 victory over the Washington Wizards, Power Forward John Collins (5-Stars) was lost to a broken ankle and the Hawks stumbled through the remainder of the season. Ultimately the Hawks struggles led to them falling all the way to the eighth seed; a far cry from pre-season predictions. However, even without Collins the Hawks still have a rather formidable starting lineup with PG Trae Young (4.5-Stars), SG De'Andre Hunter (3.5 Stars), SF Cam Reddish (3.5 Stars), PF Ricardo Branch (3-Stars) and C Bruno Fernando (3-Stars). Unfortunately for Atlanta, Collins is not set to return to the starting lineup until April 22nd, which is game six of the first round and that might be too litte, too late.

TEAM INSIGHTS

ATLANTA HAWKS (OVERALL: 46-36 | HOME: 27-14 | AWAY: 19-22)
OFF Rating: 110.6 (#2)
DEF Rating: 107.2 (#23)
NET Rating: 3.4 (#3)
PPG: 110.6 (#3)
PAPG: 107.7 (#23)
FG%: .470 (#3)
3P%: .329 (#10)
FT%: .819 (#1)
APG: 26.8 (#1)
RBP: 47.5 (#3)

NBA Top 50 Players: PF John Collins, PG Trae Young.
($244,270,814 Payroll - 3rd Highest / $-91,270,814 CAP Space)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO BULLS (OVERALL: 76-6 | HOME: 41-0 | AWAY: 35-6)
OFF Rating: 112.6 (#1)
DEF Rating: 100.7 (#1)
NET Rating: 11.9 (#1)
PPG: 117.7 (#1)
PAPG: 103.6 (#11)
FG%: .489 (#1)
3P%: .342 (#5)
FT%: .724 (#27)
APG: 25.0 (#2)
RBP: 48.5 (#1)

NBA Top 50 Players: PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF Jayson Tatum, C Justin McCuthison, PG D'Angelo Russell
($173,351,825 Payroll - 21st Highest / $-20,351,825 CAP Space)

---------------------

Edited May 9, 2020 by daltontr

daltontr · May 9, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - FIRST ROUND (GAME 1)

Atlanta's point guard Trae Young scored 30 points, added 19 assists and grabbed 5 rebounds, but it was the Bulls center Justin McCuthison who took home Player of the Game honors. McCuthison had 24 points, 1 assist, 13 rebounds and 5 blocked shots in the Bulls decisive 120-106 victory over the Hawks. It's pretty clear just how much the Hawks miss John Collins, but his return is coming sooner than I would like and if the Hawks can steal a game in Chicago that spell trouble. I'm not suggesting that we couldn't beat the Hawks upon Collins' return, but that task becomes far more daunting with him in the line and I'm all for taking any and every advantage we can get. If we can end this series before he can return, I'd be thrilled.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
ATL(8)| 25 | 29 | 33 | 19 | -- | 106 (0) | DEN(8)| 24 | 29 | 36 | 33 | -- | 122 (1)
CHI(1)| 33 | 24 | 30 | 33 | -- | 120 (1) | DAL(1)| 20 | 37 | 29 | 28 | -- | 114 (0)         
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
NYK(5)| 26 | 21 | 27 | 25 | -- |  99 (0) | MEM(5)| 24 | 21 | 28 | 12 | -- |  85 (0)
CLE(4)| 31 | 36 | 21 | 33 | -- | 121 (1) | LAL(4)| 32 | 26 | 23 | 20 | -- | 101 (1)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
TOR(6)| 20 | 22 | 23 | 22 | -- |  87 (0) | SAC(6)| 13 | 29 | 28 | 26 | -- |  96 (0)
PHI(3)| 28 | 16 | 33 | 27 | -- | 104 (1) | SAS(3)| 30 | 30 | 26 | 21 | -- | 107 (1)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
DET(7)| 21 | 28 | 20 | 22 | -- |  91 (0) | HOU(7)| 25 | 17 | 19 | 31 | -- |  92 (1)
ORL(2)| 31 | 17 | 29 | 27 | -- | 104 (1) | NOP(2)| 15 | 17 | 23 | 27 | -- |  82 (0)

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daltontr · May 9, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - FIRST ROUND (GAME 2)

Once again Bulls center Justin McCuthison was named the Player of the Game. McCuthison had 30 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and added 5 blocked shots. Of concern is an injury to McCuthison's hand, although coach Starks did not seem too concerned in his post game press conference. He said that McCuthison would be probable day-to-day. The bright spot for the Atlanta Hawks was point guard Trae Young who scored 37 points and had 12 assists in the loss. The series now shifts to Atlanta, with the Bulls leading the series two games to none. Interesting side note, the Atlanta Hawks had on one offensive rebound in the game.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
ATL(8)| 28 | 28 | 33 | 18 | -- | 107 (0) | DEN(8)| 20 | 25 | 33 | 33 | -- | 111 (2)
CHI(1)| 30 | 32 | 41 | 22 | -- | 125 (2) | DAL(1)| 25 | 28 | 24 | 21 | -- |  98 (0)         
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
NYK(5)| 28 | 29 | 27 | 11 | -- |  95 (0) | MEM(5)| 32 | 26 | 27 | 19 | -- | 104 (1)
CLE(4)| 21 | 37 | 33 | 26 | -- | 117 (2) | LAL(4)| 20 | 20 | 26 | 28 | -- |  94 (1)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
TOR(6)| 26 | 30 | 26 | 22 | -- | 104 (1) | SAC(6)| 17 | 19 | 22 | 22 | -- |  80 (0)
PHI(3)| 20 | 26 | 27 | 30 | -- | 103 (1) | SAS(3)| 29 | 24 | 22 | 28 | -- | 103 (2)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
DET(7)| 13 | 35 | 25 | 26 | -- |  99 (0) | HOU(7)| 35 | 23 | 28 | 30 | -- | 116 (2)
ORL(2)| 27 | 17 | 29 | 36 | -- | 107 (2) | NOP(2)| 30 | 27 | 22 | 19 | -- |  98 (0)

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daltontr · May 9, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - FIRST ROUND (GAME 3)

This game was over at the half and Jayson Tatum was named Player of the Game with 27 points and 13 rebounds. The Hawks didn't play poorly, they just never really got on track and once they were down by more than twenty, that pretty much sucked the life out of the game. It also didn't help that we put up ninety-nine shots and shot 45.5% from the field. This is just my opinion, but I think the Hawks secretly know they can't beat us without Collins and his 20 ppg. Collins will be out for at least another four days and the series could be over by then. Well, I hope it is. I'd really like to sweep Atlanta and get the team rested for the second round. BTW, congrats to the Toronto Raptors. Up 51-50 at the half, the Raptors came out of the locker and embarrassed themselves. It's not every day that a team gets outscored 31-9...yea I said nine!...in the third quarter. Oh sure, they bounced back in the fourth, but the game was well over by then and the benches were empty. It really is shocking to see a team only manage to score nine points in quarter, but it's made even more astonishing when they bookend that nine points with 30 and 36 respectively. Gotta be record...right?!?

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CHI(1)| 31 | 37 | 30 | 18 | -- | 116 (3) | DAL(1)| 28 | 26 | 28 | 41 | -- | 123 (1)
ATL(8)| 24 | 25 | 29 | 21 | -- | 100 (0) | DEN(8)| 26 | 24 | 26 | 44 | -- | 120 (2)         
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CLE(4)| 35 | 31 | 31 | 29 | -- | 126 (3) | LAL(4)| 19 | 30 | 21 | 30 | -- | 100 (1)
NYK(5)| 28 | 35 | 20 | 26 | -- | 109 (0) | MEM(5)| 32 | 26 | 29 | 28 | -- | 115 (2)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
PHI(3)| 28 | 22 | 31 | 34 | -- | 115 (2) | SAS(3)| 29 | 23 | 17 | 35 | -- | 104 (2)
TOR(6)| 21 | 30 |  9 | 36 | -- |  96 (1) | SAC(6)| 29 | 33 | 17 | 32 | -- | 111 (1)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
ORL(2)| 32 | 28 | 30 | 35 | -- | 125 (3) | NOP(2)| 28 | 25 | 16 | 32 | -- | 101 (1)
DET(7)| 23 | 17 | 36 | 45 | -- | 121 (0) | HOU(7)| 26 | 25 | 19 | 23 | -- |  93 (2)

---------------------

daltontr · May 9, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - FIRST ROUND (GAME 4)

Not a great night. Poor shooting and missed opportunities allowed the Hawks to stave off elimination. It wasn't like Atlanta ran us out of the building, more like we couldn't hit water if we fell out of a boat. Seriously, 9-40 (22.5%) from three?!? Ugly game and I'm glad we can now head back to Chicago and end this series in front of our home town fans. Player of the game, Trae Young, scored 28 points, with 13 assists and 3 rebounds. D'Angelo Russell was the lone bright spot for the Bulls, finishing the game with 37 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds. In other action, the Denver Nuggets defeated the defending NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks in overtime and are now poised to knock out the Mavs in the first round. That would be a huge upset and just as upsetting to the league commissioner, because even he knows what it would mean for the Bulls and Mavericks to once again face off in the NBA Finals. With the Mavericks looking for back-to-back titles and the Bulls looking for redemption, the story simply would write itself, but if the Mavs cannot find a way to win three straight, Mark Cuban can start booking early season tee times.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CHI(1)| 27 | 28 | 17 | 27 | -- |  99 (3) | DAL(1)| 27 | 22 | 29 | 29 | 12 | 120 (1)
ATL(8)| 29 | 25 | 28 | 22 | -- | 114 (1) | DEN(8)| 23 | 35 | 32 | 18 | 18 | 125 (3)         
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CLE(4)| 25 | 32 | 23 | 32 | -- | 130 (4) | LAL(4)| 11 | 29 | 29 | 15 | -- |  84 (1)
NYK(5)| 41 | 19 | 24 | 28 | -- | 123 (0) | MEM(5)| 16 | 21 | 31 | 34 | -- | 102 (3)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
PHI(3)| 23 | 23 | 20 | 30 | -- |  96 (2) | SAS(3)| 31 | 29 | 19 | 37 | -- | 116 (3)
TOR(6)| 25 | 20 | 36 | 17 | -- |  98 (2) | SAC(6)| 22 | 33 | 22 | 30 | -- | 107 (1)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
ORL(2)| 31 | 16 | 25 | 29 | -- | 101 (4) | NOP(2)| 23 | 34 | 21 | 15 | -- |  93 (1)
DET(7)| 17 | 25 | 24 | 19 | -- |  85 (0) | HOU(7)| 26 | 26 | 23 | 28 | -- | 103 (3)

---------------------

daltontr · May 9, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - FIRST ROUND (GAME 5)

It is over...and not a moment too soon, with John Collins scheduled to return to the Hawks lineup for game six. Justin McCuthison scored 27 points and grabbed 9 rebounds for the Bulls, but it was Giannis Antetokounmpo who was named Player of the Game. The "Greek Freak" scored 24 points, had 6 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds. With the Hawks in our rear view, it's time to get a little rest and get ready to meet the Cavaliers in the second round. Also, Gregory Hawkins recieved a mild concussion and will out seven days. He should be back 4/29.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
ATL(8)| 32 | 26 | 32 | 26 | -- | 116 (1) | DEN(8)| 15 | 31 | 34 | 25 | -- | 105 (3)
CHI(1)| 39 | 32 | 40 | 24 | -- | 135 (4) | DAL(1)| 40 | 29 | 28 | 20 | -- | 117 (2)         
                                          
                                                   Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
                                         | MEM(5)| 22 | 37 | 30 | 30 | -- | 119 (4)
                                         | LAL(4)| 25 | 24 | 26 | 24 | -- | 109 (1)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
TOR(6)| 24 | 24 | 29 | 29 | -- | 106 (2) | SAC(6)| 26 | 37 | 20 | 23 | -- | 106 (1)
PHI(3)| 36 | 25 | 26 | 39 | -- | 122 (3) | SAS(3)| 38 | 34 | 29 | 23 | -- | 124 (4)
                                          
                                                   Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
                                         | HOU(7)| 26 | 19 | 30 | 24 | -- |  99 (3)
                                         | NOP(2)| 23 | 23 | 32 | 28 | -- | 106 (2)

---------------------

daltontr · May 10, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - FIRST ROUND (GAME 6)

Wow! I can't believe that both the number one and number two seeds in the Western Conference were knocked out in the first round. The Denver Nuggets were predicted to finish 13th in the conference and 4th in their division, but instead they went out and knocked off the defending NBA Champions in the first round as the eight seed. To me the biggest surprise has to be the Houston Rockets. Coming off two terrible seasons of 13-69 and 16-66, the Rockets were predicted to repeat their dismal performance and finish last again in the league. That really wasn't a harsh assessment, as the Rockets haven't had a winning season since 2020 when they went 54-28 under Mike D'Antoni. However, the Rockets fired head coach Billy Donovan (their third HC in four years) and after one season and replaced him with Brad Stevens. Brad turned the team around and the Rockets finished the 2027-2028 campaign with a 40-42 record, which was good enough to earn them the 7th seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Not bad for a team that was predicted to finish last in the league.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
                                                   Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
                                         | DAL(1)| 22 | 23 | 25 | 22 | -- |  92 (2)
                                         | DEN(8)| 21 | 19 | 27 | 29 | -- |  96 (4)         
                                       
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W                                            
PHI(3)| 30 | 17 | 37 | 22 | -- | 106 (3) |                                         
TOR(6)| 35 | 30 | 37 | 15 | -- | 117 (3) |                                         
                                          
                                                   Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
                                         | NOP(2)| 29 | 18 | 28 | 28 | -- | --- (2)
                                         | HOU(7)| 37 | 11 | 32 | 25 | -- | --- (4)

---------------------

daltontr · May 10, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - FIRST ROUND (GAME 7)

A back and forth series finally comes to an end with the Philadelphia 76ers advancing to the second round to face a well rested Orlando Magic.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W                                            
TOR(6)| 24 | 24 | 26 | 10 | -- |  84 (3) |                                         
PHI(3)| 25 | 36 | 30 | 15 | -- | 106 (4) |

---------------------

daltontr · May 12, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - SECOND ROUND (PREVIEW)

Three years ago the Cavaliers fired Stan Van Gundy after a dismal 26-56 season and brought in Doc Rivers. Rivers quickly turned the team around, finishing with a 44-38 record in his first season and their first playoff appearance since 2019. The following year the team improved to 44-38, but was once again knocked out in the first round. This season, the team finished 48-34 and swept the Knicks in the first round. The Cavs play a lot of small ball, with Darius Garland 6'1" (3.5 Stars) at point, Collin Sexton 6'1" (3.5 Stars) a true point guard playing at the two position, small forward Sharone Preston 6'-6" (3.5 Stars) who is arguably the best player on the team, power forward Alex Miller 6'8" (3.5 Stars) and Dean Burns 6'9" (2.5 Stars) at center. In a lot of ways this team is similar to the Atlanta Hawks. They are a very good offensively, but they can struggle on defense at times and they tend to get pushed around by bigger teams. However, they can also shoot teams right out of the building, as Garland, Sexton and Preston all average over 18 ppg and Miller regularly adds 15 ppg as well.

TEAM INSIGHTS

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (OVERALL: 48-34 | HOME: 28-13 | AWAY: 20-21)
OFF Rating: 109.6 (#5)
DEF Rating: 107.2 (#24)
NET Rating: 2.4 (#9)
PPG: 112.4 (#2)
PAPG: 110.2 (#29)
FG%: .475 (#2)
3P%: .373 (#1)
FT%: .799 (#9)
APG: 23.6 (#8)
RBP: 44.5 (#17)

NBA Top 50 Players: SF Sharone Preston, PG Darius Garland
($209,650,535 Payroll - 6th Highest / $-56,650,535 CAP Space)

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CHICAGO BULLS (OVERALL: 76-6 | HOME: 41-0 | AWAY: 35-6)
OFF Rating: 112.6 (#1)
DEF Rating: 100.7 (#1)
NET Rating: 11.9 (#1)
PPG: 117.7 (#1)
PAPG: 103.6 (#11)
FG%: .489 (#1)
3P%: .342 (#5)
FT%: .724 (#27)
APG: 25.0 (#2)
RBP: 48.5 (#1)

NBA Top 50 Players: PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF Jayson Tatum, C Justin McCuthison, PG D'Angelo Russell
($173,351,825 Payroll - 21st Highest / $-20,351,825 CAP Space)

---------------------

daltontr · May 12, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - SECOND ROUND (GAME 1)

The Greek Freak was virtually unstoppable and the Cavaliers simply had no answer for him. Giannis went 8-10 from the field, 3-4 from three and 16-18 from the free throw line. His 35 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds earned him Player of the Game honors. However, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Justin McCuthison's 31 points and 13 rebounds or D'Angelo Russell's 29 points and 12 assists. Truthfully, this game was a veritable shootout. The Cavs shot 50% from the field, 54% from beyond the arc and 86% from the charity stripe. On a normal night, that might be tough to beat, but the Bulls almost couldn't miss, shooting 67% from the field and 45% from three. It will be interesting to see if this game is a trend or simply an anomaly.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CLE(4)| 25 | 38 | 36 | 43 | -- | 142 (0) | DEN(8)| 33 | 24 | 18 | 35 | -- | 110 (0)
CHI(1)| 34 | 37 | 43 | 39 | -- | 153 (1) | MEM(5)| 37 | 27 | 32 | 24 | -- | 120 (1)         
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
PHI(3)| 20 | 32 | 29 | 26 | -- | 107 (1) | HOU(7)| 25 | 30 | 17 | 19 | -- |  91 (0)
ORL(2)| 20 | 25 | 25 | 31 | -- | 101 (0) | SAS(3)| 27 | 28 | 33 | 30 | -- | 118 (1)

---------------------

daltontr · May 12, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - SECOND ROUND (GAME 2)

Giannis was once again named the Player of the Game after scoring 26 points, dishing out 8 assists and grabbing 12 rebounds. That's not bad for a 33-year old player who is well past his prime. Gregory Hawkins returned to the Bulls bench after suffering a mild concussion in practice a few days ago. His plus/minus was an outstanding +14, but he struggled on offense, going 1-7 from the field and 1-5 from three in 34 minutes of play. In my opinion, Hawkins should be the starting shooting guard, but coach Starks thinks otherwise and therefore Hawkins must come off the bench to relieve Nowell. Nevertheless, despite being a rookie and being forced into a sixth man role, Hawkins has been getting the majority of playing minutes and since no one is complaining, I won't either.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CLE(4)| 26 | 31 | 25 | 22 | -- | 104 (0) | DEN(8)| 20 | 14 | 31 | 21 | -- |  86 (0)
CHI(1)| 28 | 31 | 27 | 31 | -- | 117 (2) | MEM(5)| 24 | 35 | 27 | 31 | -- | 117 (2)         
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
PHI(3)| 41 | 24 | 25 | 34 | -- | 124 (2) | HOU(7)| 20 | 23 | 25 | 27 | -- |  95 (0)
ORL(2)| 26 | 31 | 32 | 22 | -- | 111 (0) | SAS(3)| 34 | 28 | 16 | 23 | -- | 101 (2)

---------------------

daltontr · May 12, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - SECOND ROUND (GAME 3)

Player of the Game D'Angelo Russell scored 45 points and added 9 assists in Chicago's 136-128 win over the Cavaliers. This was one of those games that really could have gone either way and the Cavaliers had the Bulls on the ropes when both Jayson Tatum and Justin McCuthison got into early foul trouble. However, the Cavs had their own troubles with fouls and both Dean Burns and Darius Garland fouled out late in the game. Unfortunately for the Cavs, their bench is not as deep as the Bulls and when Garland fouled out, Russell was left unchecked. With the win the Bulls are once again a win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Championship. Is a sweep in the works? If history tells us anything, the answer to that question would be no, but that's why they play the games.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CHI(1)| 25 | 41 | 25 | 27 | 18 | 136 (3) | MEM(5)| 32 | 12 | 22 | 42 | -- | 108 (3)
CLE(4)| 24 | 33 | 29 | 32 | 10 | 128 (0) | DEN(8)| 30 | 17 | 22 | 31 | -- | 100 (0)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
ORL(2)| 37 | 33 | 23 | 28 | -- | 121 (1) | SAS(3)| 31 | 34 | 16 | 31 | -- | 112 (3)
PHI(3)| 28 | 24 | 22 | 35 | -- | 109 (2) | HOU(7)| 18 | 38 | 25 | 29 | -- | 110 (0)

---------------------

daltontr · May 12, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - SECOND ROUND (GAME 4)

A close game throughout, but once again Darius Garland got into foul trouble and when he fouled out late in the game, they had no answer for D'Angelo Russell. Russell scored 44 points, dished 9 assists, grabbed 5 rebounds and was named Player of the Game. With the win the Bulls advance to the Eastern Conference Championship and will face the winner of the Philadelphia/Orlando series.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CHI(1)| 37 | 24 | 29 | 37 | -- | 127 (4) | MEM(5)| 28 | 29 | 20 | 15 | -- |  92 (3)
CLE(4)| 26 | 34 | 33 | 28 | -- | 121 (0) | DEN(8)| 24 | 33 | 29 | 21 | -- | 107 (1)
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
ORL(2)| 28 | 31 | 26 | 15 | -- | 100 (2) | SAS(3)| 33 | 33 | 28 | 22 | -- | 116 (4)
PHI(3)| 24 | 13 | 24 | 23 | -- |  84 (2) | HOU(7)| 29 | 28 | 21 | 23 | -- | 101 (0)

---------------------

daltontr · May 12, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - SECOND ROUND (GAME 5)

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
                                                   Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
                                         | DEN(8)| 24 | 24 | 14 | 23 | -- |  85 (1)
                                         | MEM(5)| 18 | 18 | 31 | 31 | -- |  98 (4)         
                                          
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W 
PHI(3)| 22 | 28 | 21 | 27 | -- |  98 (2) |
ORL(2)| 28 | 30 | 25 | 29 | -- | 112 (3) |

---------------------

daltontr · May 12, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - SECOND ROUND (GAME 6)

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                                    
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W                                            
ORL(2)| 31 | 32 | 42 | 26 | -- | 131 (4) |                                         
PHI(3)| 29 | 41 | 17 | 29 | -- | 116 (2) |

---------------------

daltontr · May 13, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS (PREVIEW)

For the third year in a row, the Chicago Bulls and the Orlando Magic will meet in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls won the two previous series and are poised to break the hearts of the Orlando Faithful yet again. However, hope is eternal and this Magic team is no push over. Coach Brett Brown has this team playing old school defense and although their offense is not as potent as it once was, Matt Hankins (5 Stars) is arguably the best point guard in the league and Joaquin Villarreal (4.5 Stars) is an elite small forward. Amir Jenkins (3 Stars) is a very good small forward, but has been thrust into the role of shooting guard due to the teams lack of depth and a lack of depth is the Magic's Achilles heel in my opinion. David Hayes (3 Stars) is another small forward being forced to play power forward and center Myles Turner (3.0 Stars) rounds out the starting lineup. As I previously stated, the Magic's bench is not very deep and only SG Buddy Hield (2.5 Stars) and PF Jabari Parker (2.5 Stars) see any significant minutes coming off the bench. The Bulls will certainly be favored in this series, but these two teams have some history and that makes this series all the more interesting.

TEAM INSIGHTS

ORLANDO MAGIC (OVERALL: 52-30 | HOME: 30-11 | AWAY: 22-19)
OFF Rating: 104.3 (#16)
DEF Rating: 101.3 (#2)
NET Rating: 3.0 (#5)
PPG: 107.4 (#9)
PAPG: 104.5 (#12)
FG%: .446 (#20)
3P%: .316 (#18)
FT%: .803 (#7)
APG: 24.8 (#3)
RBP: 42.8 (#27)

NBA Top 50 Players: PG Matt Hankins, SF Joaquin Villarreal
($167,469,821 Payroll - 25th Highest / $-14,469,821 CAP Space)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO BULLS (OVERALL: 76-6 | HOME: 41-0 | AWAY: 35-6)
OFF Rating: 112.6 (#1)
DEF Rating: 100.7 (#1)
NET Rating: 11.9 (#1)
PPG: 117.7 (#1)
PAPG: 103.6 (#11)
FG%: .489 (#1)
3P%: .342 (#5)
FT%: .724 (#27)
APG: 25.0 (#2)
RBP: 48.5 (#1)

NBA Top 50 Players: PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF Jayson Tatum, C Justin McCuthison, PG D'Angelo Russell
($173,351,825 Payroll - 21st Highest / $-20,351,825 CAP Space)

---------------------

daltontr · May 13, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - EASTER CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 1)

Matt Hankins led all scorers with 42 points, but it was Giannis Antetokounmpo who received the Player of the Game honors. Giannis scored 29 rebounds, with 8 assists and 10 rebounds. D'Angelo Russell contributed an additional 21 points and Gregory Hawkins and Ryan Jefferson combined for 34 points coming off the bench. It was good to see Jefferson back on the floor after suffering a broken wrist back in March. Orlando's defense was effective, but their lack of size and inability to rebound was their downfall. The Magic were out rebounded 59-31 and out scored the in the paint 46-38. If the Magic can't find a way to contain Giannis, this is going to be a very short series.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
ORL(2)| 29 | 28 | 33 | 20 | -- | 110 (0) | MEM(5)| 25 | 23 | 21 | 40 | -- | 109 (0)
CHI(1)| 39 | 28 | 24 | 30 | -- | 121 (1) | SAS(3)| 41 | 27 | 25 | 25 | -- | 118 (1)

---------------------

daltontr · May 13, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - EASTER CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 2)

After struggling in game one, Orlando made some defensive adjustments and held Giannis to a mere 11 points, but D'Angelo Russell picked up the slack with 46 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds and was named Player of the Game. Ryan Jefferson had another outstanding game coming off the bench, scoring 17 points with 6 rebounds. The Magic once again struggled to score in the paint and only managed to score 3 second chance points. Regardless, Orlando kept the game close and had every opportunity to win the game, but came up just a bit short in the end. So, despite being down two games to none, the Magic will head home knowing that they are equipped to defeat the Bulls. I don't think there is any question that the Magic are good enough, but are they good enough to win four of the next five? It is possible, but game three is almost a must win as Chicago is undefeated at home and taking four straight from this Bulls team is nearly impossible.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
ORL(2)| 26 | 25 | 30 | 32 | -- | 113 (0) | MEM(5)| 14 | 22 | 30 | 16 | -- |  82 (0)
CHI(1)| 28 | 23 | 30 | 38 | -- | 119 (2) | SAS(3)| 32 | 23 | 34 | 24 | -- | 113 (2)

---------------------

daltontr · May 13, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - EASTER CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 3)

The Bulls dug themselves into a 34-17 hole to start the game and were down by as much as 21 points. Unfortunately Chicago could never find their way back from such a big deficit. The bottom line is that you just can't get down big to a team that is as good defensively as the Magic are. You also don't want to give them hope and if the Magic were somewhat confident after the game two loss, their confidence was certainly buoyed by the victory. Matt Hankins scored 41 points, had 9 assists, with 6 rebounds and was named Player of the Game. Game four isn't a must win for the Bulls, but if Orlando can take game four, it will be the first time that the Bulls would have lost back-to-back games all season. That is not the kind of bulletin board material you want to be handing your opponent at this stage of the playoffs.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CHI(1)| 17 | 35 | 36 | 26 | -- | 114 (2) | SAS(3)| 18 | 24 | 39 | 17 | -- |  98 (3)
ORL(2)| 34 | 34 | 29 | 26 | -- | 123 (1) | MEM(5)| 24 | 16 | 27 | 29 | -- |  96 (0)

---------------------

daltontr · May 13, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - EASTER CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 4)

Giannis Antetolounmpo had 20 points with 21 rebounds, Justing McCuthison had 23 points and 14 rebounds, but the Player of the Game honors went to D'Angelo Russell who scored 30 points, with 7 assists and 7 rebounds. For the Magic, it was once again the Matt Hankins show, as he led all scorers with 44 points and 10 assists. Unfortunately for Orlando and Matt Hankins, only Joaquin Villarreal was of any real help, contributing 23 points in the loss. The rest of the Magic starting lineup was held to 18 points and Jabari Parker, Buddy Hield and Alize Johnson came off the bench to add a combined score of 22 points. When your up against a team as offensively talented as the Bulls, you really need your role players to step up and the Magic supporting cast failed to do that. Of note for the Bulls is the poor play of Jayson Tatum. He has been downright awful and has only managed to score 14 total points, outside of his 24 points in game three. Tatum averages nearly 15 ppg and his lack of offensive output is a testament to the excellent defense that the Magic play. Now we head back to Chicago with a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Here's to hoping we finish the series off in game five, because I really don't want to have to go back to Orlando and give the Magic an opportunity to take this series to a game seven.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CHI(1)| 20 | 17 | 32 | 38 | -- | 107 (3) | SAS(3)| 21 | 26 | 33 | 38 | -- | 118 (3)
ORL(2)| 18 | 25 | 22 | 35 | -- | 100 (1) | MEM(5)| 32 | 32 | 32 | 34 | -- | 130 (1)

---------------------

daltontr · May 13, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - EASTER CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 5)

The Bulls left no doubt who was the best team in the Eastern Conference, with a resounding 133-111 series clinching victory over the Orlando Magic. Chicago simply dominated in every aspect of the game, outscoring the Magic 64-38 in the paint and they recorded a 29-4 edge in second chance points. At one point the Bulls were up by as much as 34 points and once again dominated the boards, grabbing 58 rebounds to Orlando's 28. Giannis Antetokounmpo led all scorers with 31 points, 3 assists, 17 rebounds and was named the Player of the Game. So, for the third consecutive year, the Bulls will be headed to the NBA Finals and this time they will face off against the #3 seed in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs.

           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
ORL(2)| 30 | 29 | 18 | 34 | -- | 111 (1) | MEM(5)| 15 | 30 | 27 | 25 | -- |  97 (1)
CHI(1)| 37 | 36 | 33 | 17 | -- | 133 (4) | SAS(3)| 42 | 22 | 22 | 18 | -- | 104 (4)

---------------------

daltontr · May 13, 2020

2027-2028 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - NBA FINALS (PREVIEW)

The San Antonio Spurs have four of the top fifty players in their starting lineup. Point guard Marlin Taylor (4-Stars), shooting guard Devin Booker (4-Stars), power forward Paul Johnson (3.5-Stars), playing at the small forward position and center Gottlieb Kessler (5-Stars) who is without a doubt the best young center in the NBA. Center Jarrett Allen (3.0-Stars) rounds out the starting line up, playing at the power forward position. This team is immensely talented offensively, but lack skill on the defensive end of the court. San Antonio is rated 29th in defense and they are the worst free throw shooting team in the league. On paper, this is a very bad match up for the Spurs, which is only made worse by the injury to Devin Booker. Booker is out until 5/31 with a sprained ankle and he is scheduled to return for game four. That means shooting guard Hunter Floyd (2.5-Stars) will be thrust into the starting lineup. I don't want to suggest that the series is over before it gets started, but out of all the teams that the Bulls could have met in the finals, this is probably the best match up. The best offense (Bulls) going up against one of the worst defenses in the league (Spurs) seems like a recipe for a potential sweep. If the series isn't over in five, I'll be very surprised.

TEAM INSIGHTS

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (OVERALL: 48-34 | HOME: 30-11 | AWAY: 18-23)
OFF Rating: 108.0 (#7)
DEF Rating: 109.2 (#29)
NET Rating: -1.1 (#17)
PPG: 109.3 (#4)
PAPG: 108.0 (#24)
FG%: .470 (#4)
3P%: .315 (#19)
FT%: .669 (#30)
APG: 23.3 (#10)
RBP: 46.6 (#7)

NBA Top 50 Players: C Gottlieb Kessler, PG Marlin Taylor, SG Devin Booker, PF Paul Johnson
($238,537,922 Payroll - 4th Highest / $-85,537,922 CAP Space)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO BULLS (OVERALL: 76-6 | HOME: 41-0 | AWAY: 35-6)
OFF Rating: 112.6 (#1)
DEF Rating: 100.7 (#1)
NET Rating: 11.9 (#1)
PPG: 117.7 (#1)
PAPG: 103.6 (#11)
FG%: .489 (#1)
3P%: .342 (#5)
FT%: .724 (#27)
APG: 25.0 (#2)
RBP: 48.5 (#1)

NBA Top 50 Players: PF Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF Jayson Tatum, C Justin McCuthison, PG D'Angelo Russell
($173,351,825 Payroll - 21st Highest / $-20,351,825 CAP Space)

---------------------

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Tales from the front office: DDSPB

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