This article previews the second half for the Chicago Bulls.

Concerning potential changes before the trade deadline, the Bulls' general manager John Paxson is in a somewhat difficult spot.  The team has had some success but may need to make some changes and think long-term.

Obviously, the Bulls must stay healthy.  They have some depth but still must get sustained contributions from several people on their roster to win games.  Injuries to Tyson Chandler or Kirk Hinrich could be fatal.

There are several other areas that the Bulls must pay attention to in order to stay on their current path, and the article takes the reader through each.

The Chicago Bulls are once again a winning team.  

The Bulls ran rougshod over the Hawks in Atlanta, surpassing the .500 mark for the first time in over two years, with a monumental 107-82 win.

The team that dominated professional basketball for most of the 1990's with two separate 'three-peats' may now finally be escaping the shadow of the Michael Jordan dynasty teams.

Eddy Curry scored 19 points and five of his teammates also had double figures in points.

"We were just having fun out there," Curry said. "We were really clicking on offense."

The post-championship re-building process has been a long one with no shortage of losing.  But six straight years of futility, management changes, and the shuffling of young talent, could now finally be falling into place for the Bulls.  

A lineup that includes rookies Luol Deng and Chris Duhon, second-year player Kirk Hinrich and the 22-year-old Curry, is making a serious impact.

GM John Paxson and head coach Scott Skiles have the club on the right track and surging upward, already being talked about as a potential new powerhouse in the up-for-grabs Eastern Conference.

Despite starting the season 0-9 and failing to be anywhere remotely close to .500 since Michael Jordan retired in 1998, the suprising Bulls have dragged themselves out of the NBA cellar and with their second win over the defending champion Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills now have an identical win-loss ratio.

Kirk Hinrich led the Bulls to a 100-89 victory with 24 points and nine assists, while Richard Hamilton had 32 points for the losers.  Chicago hadn't won twice in Detroit in one season since 1995-96.

Chicago native Antoine Walker always looks forward to coming coming to play the Bulls as it gives the Hawks forward a chance to meet up with family and friends, and with the high scoring forward set to become a free agent this offseason with Walker in town talk quickly turned to the possibility of him wearing Bulls red in 2005-06.

Even though the Bulls have only the mid-level exception to play with, according to Mike McGraw of the Daily Herlad the team will consider making a pitch for Walker.

Walker is a proven scorer who could conceivably step in at power forward for Antonio Davis. For his career, the 6-foot-9 forward averages 19.9 points and 8.7 rebounds, but he shoots just 41.4 percent from the field.

"Every team's on my mind," said Walker, who attended Mt. Carmel High School. "I definitely think I'm going to consider playing (for Atlanta) again. But right now, I'm wide open. I'm trying to stay healthy, show people I can play. Then sit back and wait. Hopefully, they (the Bulls) make a bid for me."

Paul Pierce had 28 points and 11 rebounds, while Jefferson added a career-high 17 points, including a pair of key baskets down the stretch, to lead the Boston Celtics past the Bulls 92-83 Wednesday night, snapping Chicago's seven-game winning streak.

"I'm not used to being out there that late in the game," said Jefferson. "I was (scared), I really was. That's where I want to be, but it's still a little frightening. But I didn't show it."

Daily Herald writer Mike McGraw reports in his Wednesday column that the red hot Chicago Bulls had a slight fright on Tuesday afternoon when the team bus collided with a taxi in Boston.

Luckily no one was hurt in the collision, and the team's brief workout at Boston College was delayed.

Power forward Antonio Davis, who sat out Monday's victory in New York with a midback strain, did not participate and is questionable for tonight's game in Boston.

The Chicago Bulls won their 7th straight game, defeating the New York Knicks 88-86 at the Garden.

``We're a good team,'' Hinrich said, and there was no disputing him after the Bulls ran their winning streak to seven games Monday with an 88-86 victory over the reeling New York Knicks.

Ben Gordon scored on a driving 8-footer with one-tenth of a second remaining for the game-winning points, a basket that prompted coach Scott Skiles to leap into the arms of Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry.

``In this stretch we're just finding ways to win. Last year we were finding ways to lose,'' Hinrich said, ``Hopefully, that's the sign of a good team.''

Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald is reporting that Bulls rookie Luol Deng sprained his ankle during practice Sunday and is now a game time decision for Monday's rematch with the New York Knicks.

"It wasn't too bad," coach Scott Skiles said. "Honestly, I was kind of looking in the other direction and just saw the end of it. He went to the basket and got tripped up. We'll just wait and see."

Deng will be travelling with the team to New York, and should he not be able to take his place Argentinian rookie Andres Nocioni is expected to start.

The Chicago Bulls today activated guard Jannero Pargo and placed guard Frank Williams (left hamstring strain) on the Injured List.  Pargo will be in uniform for tomorrow?s game versus the New York Knicks at the United Center at 2:30 P.M.

The 6-1, 175-pound Pargo has appeared in two games for the Bulls this season and has averaged 1.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.0 apg and 8.0 mpg.

Williams, a 6-3, 210-pound guard has appeared in eight games for the Bulls this season

How important is playing against his former team for Knick Jamal Crawford?

Not expected back for another week, Crawford was a suprise participant in the Knicks practice for the first time since being diagnosed with a right turf toe on December 22 and claimed he might be ready to return in one of the upcoming two games against the Bulls..

?It felt good,? said Crawford. ?No pain. Of course, I haven?t tested it in a contact scrimmage yet. That?s tomorrow. But sure, I?d like to play against Chicago. Those were certainly dates I circled on my calendar at the beginning of the season.?

Chicago, of course, just happens to be Crawford?s previous team.

?Do I feel any pressure to get back?? he smiled. ?No, certainly not from anyone in the Knicks organization. If there?s any pressure, it comes from within. My team needs me. I want to play.?