Isiah Thomas hit the ground in New York style last week, leaving victims wherever you looked. And that could be good for the Bulls.
Within hours of becoming Knicks president, Thomas moved to buy out the contract of Clarence Weatherspoon and cut second-rounder Slavko Vranes, the 7-foot-5-inch project from Serbia and Montenegro. Thomas ripped second-round 7-footer Maciej Lampe for poor work habits, berated the team for allowing Latrell Sprewell to curse out owner James Dolan during a home loss to Minnesota without a response and had rookie Michael Sweetney activated because Thomas didn't know if he was worth keeping. He also made it clear Antonio McDyess, who was benched, isn't crucial to the team's future. "I wouldn't say we live and die with his health," Thomas said.
This is what the Bulls need to do (according to Sam Smith): Get McDyess and Charlie Ward, the latter having fallen to third point guard with Illinois' Frank Williams starting for the Knicks. Combined, McDyess and Ward make almost $20 million and are in the last season of contracts. The Knicks are looking to compete now. Would the Knicks take Antonio Davis and Jerome Williams? Probably not Williams. The Bulls might have to sweeten the pot with Crawford. Or Kirk Hinrich. The point is getting $20 million off the books [for Kobe Bryant].
Via Chicago Tribune
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"I know people have doubted me for a long time," Jamal Crawford said Saturday night after his career-high 42 points led the Bulls to a 100-86 victory over the Washington Wizards. "People thought I shot too much, took bad shots. So this feels good."
"I've always felt I had the ability, and for coach [Scott] Skiles to show the confidence in me is a great feeling."
With the season perhaps on the verge of slipping away and the Bulls 7-20 and starting four games in five nights, Skiles played Crawford all 48 minutes Friday against Cleveland, and he broke from a slump with 30 points on 12-of-20 shooting in an 87-80 victory. Then Crawford played 42 minutes Saturday and seemed reluctant to even leave the game in the last minute, on the way to his career night in the 14-point win, which equaled the Bulls' biggest margin of the season.
The 9-20 record still trails last season by a game after 29 games. But there's hope, and now it may be time for Mr. Inside.
The Bulls hope Eddy Curry can return from a knee injury Monday night against the Miami Heat.
Via Chicago Tribune
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Dec 27, 2003 12:54 AM EST
In a mostly head-to-head matchup with good friend LeBron James, Bulls guard Jamal Crawford snapped out of a slump and helped the Bulls do so as well with a much-needed 87-80 victory over Cleveland.
Crawford, playing all 48 minutes, tied his season-high with 30 points and helped harass James into 7-of-24 shooting as the Bulls ended a four-game losing streak and an eight-game road skid.
At 4-10, the Bulls own more road victories than all of last season, when they went 3-38.
"Man, we needed this one," said Crawford, who added five assists. "LeBron definitely put on a show in Chicago [last Saturday] and they won. I wanted to step up because I knew I couldn't miss forever. I was due."
"Jamal had it going", said Bulls coach Scott Skiles. "He was playing well and deserved to stay out there. I've done the other to him, where I've taken him out when he hasn't deserved to stay out there. If you're doing one, you should be fair in the other regard."
Crawford's offensive fireworks even forced Cleveland to switch James away from him in stretches.
"Jamal had a great night," James said. "… He's one of the elite point guards in this league and when he's on fire like that you can't stop him."
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Bulls Dec 2003 Archive
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Chicago Tribune | Dec 27, 2003
Defense isn't the first image that comes to mind with Jamal Crawford, but coach Scott Skiles started Crawford on LeBron James on Friday night.
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Chicago Sun-Times | Dec 25, 2003
Chicago Bulls operations chief John Paxson is prepared to let Eddy Curry and Tyson chandler play out their contracts and become restricted free agents if they won't too much money next summer
"If a guy thinks he's a max player, you risk absolutely nothing by letting him play [without an extension] that fourth year because you can always match it,'' Paxson said.
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Chicago Sun-Times | Dec 23, 2003
Tyson Chandler did some exercises for the first time since injuring his back on Dec 8.
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Chicago Sun-Times | Dec 23, 2003
"The (Chicago) Bulls entertained hopes that Eddy Curry, who has a bruised left knee, would be available Monday or tonight, but now it looks like he won't return until this weekend at the earliest.
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Frank Burlison of the Long Beach Press-Telegram | Dec 22, 2003
Dennis Rodman is back playing professional basketball.
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Associated Press | Dec 21, 2003
CHICAGO (AP) Jay Williams sat in a chair at the edge of the Chicago Bulls practice court, smiling at the sounds that have carried him through these last six months.
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Chicago Tribune | Dec 20, 2003
A buyout agreement between guard Jay Williams and the Chicago Bulls is expected to get done within the next month.
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New York Daily News | Dec 19, 2003
Don Chaney met again with Kurt Thomas yesterday and came away confident that his disgruntled power forward was on board with his new role as a backup.
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Associated Press | Dec 17, 2003
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Sam Cassell scored 25 points and Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 13 rebounds.
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Associated Press | Dec 16, 2003
CHICAGO (AP) Bulls center Eddy Curry will miss two to four weeks because of a bone bruise on his left knee.
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Associated Press | Dec 16, 2003
"The Chicago Bulls announced today that center Eddy Curry will miss two to four weeks with a bone bruise on his left knee.
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Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald | Dec 16, 2003
The Chicago Bulls could be shorthanded for tonight's home game against the Orlando Magic and possibily longer.
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Associated Press | Dec 15, 2003
CHICAGO (AP) The Chicago Bulls are on the verge of reacquiring Rick Brunson from the Toronto Raptors for Roger Mason Jr.
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bulls.com | Dec 15, 2003
The Chicago Bulls today acquired guard Rick Brunson from the Toronto Raptors in exchange for guard Roger Mason, Jr.
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Associated Press | Dec 13, 2003
Let's face it, the Los Angeles Lakers are really, really good.
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Associated Press | Dec 13, 2003
MILWAUKEE (AP) Chicago Bulls forward Scottie Pippen is expected to miss at least six weeks after surgery on his left knee revealed a torn meniscus.
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Chicago Sun-Times | Dec 12, 2003
Roger Mason Jr.
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Associated Press | Dec 11, 2003
DEERFIELD, Ill.
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Associated Press | Dec 10, 2003
TORONTO (AP) Vince Carter isn't the only scoring threat in Toronto anymore.
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Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald | Dec 10, 2003
"Bulls general manager John Paxson expects Tyson Chandler to sit out until the end of the month to rest and strengthen his sore lower back.
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Chicago Tribune | Dec 9, 2003
Pippen had his knee drained again Monday.
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Associated Press | Dec 5, 2003
CHICAGO (AP) When Scott Skiles walked away from the Phoenix Suns midway through the 2002 season, he knew he wasn't done with basketball.
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Chicago Sun-Times | Dec 5, 2003
The rumored trade between the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors that would send Roger Mason Jr.
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Chicago Sun-Times | Dec 5, 2003
Doug Collins said Thursday he never was in the picture to replace Bill Cartwright as the Bulls' head coach, and Collins said conversations with general manager John Paxson during the summer were about an assistant coaching position.
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Toronto Sun | Dec 5, 2003
Little used forward Chris Jefferies said he was excited to be out of Toronto, mainly because there was a cancer inside the dressing room.
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Associated Press | Dec 4, 2003
PHILADELPHIA (AP) The Chicago Bulls played without forwards Scottie Pippen and Eddie Robinson on Thursday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Toronto Sun | Dec 3, 2003
In Chicago they might tell you that Jalen Rose is a hugely paid, selfish, one-dimensional NBA shooter who can score but not win games, who thinks there is no such thing as a bad shot, who was dispatched with such glee out of the Windy City that there was a police escort helping him out of town.
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Daily SouthTown | Dec 3, 2003
According to various reports many Bulls' players were nervous with the hiring of Scott Skiles, but now they have experienced the man first hand it is hard to find a negative comment about the man.
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Associated Press | Dec 2, 2003
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jalen Rose has already spent a lot of time defending his character since joining the Toronto Raptors, the result of what he believes was back-channel bashing in Chicago.
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Chicago Sun-Times | Dec 2, 2003
The Bulls put Tyson Chandler on the injured list Monday, which means he has to miss a minimum of five games, but team insiders fear it could be much longer.
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Associated Press | Dec 2, 2003
The revamped Chicago Bulls gave their new coach a win in his debut.
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Chicago Tribune | Dec 1, 2003
"Tyson Chandler skipped practice Sunday—again—with a sore back, and it's looking more likely that the Bulls will shut down their third-year forward for an extended period.
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Chicago Tribune | Dec 1, 2003
"Bulls general manager John Paxson isn't sure whether his three new acquisitions (Antonio Davis, Jerome Williams and Chris Jefferies), who won't take their physicals until Monday morning, will play at night against Milwaukee.
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Toronto Star | Dec 1, 2003
He's been described as a problem child and a locker room malcontent.
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Chicago Sun-Times | Dec 1, 2003
Once Bulls guard Jamal Crawford was able to digest everything Saturday night, he came to a realization.
