The Chicago Bulls defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 80-74 tonight to capture their first win of the 2009 Las Vegas Summer League.

The game pitted two win-less teams against each other, which made for pretty ugly ball. The game was close for most of the game, with Oklahoma City making it a 3 point game at 70-67 with 3:22 remaining in the game.

From there, Anthony Roberson took over the game scoring 8 points in the final 2:27, leading the Bulls to victory.

Anthony Roberson might have saved his career with the Bulls tonight. He scored 24 points on 9-16 shooting, and 3-8 from three point land. This is a day after a 0 point performance on 0-5 shooting out of him.

The reason it may save his career, is because of the way that he looked scoring these points. It was somewhat of a Ben Gordon-lite performance, with long range bombs, and explosive scoring in clutch time. As already evidenced by the signing of Jannero Pargo, the Bulls are looking for those guys who can heat up quickly and make some shots, and Roberson certainly fit that characterization tonight. Forman might just want to keep Roberson around as another option for Vinny to throw in there off the bench to stry to jumpstart the offense when all seems to be at loss.

James Johnson had an interesting game tonight. He wasn’t dominant, but he was very effective. He finished the game with 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists.

He did poorly scoring wise tonight, shooting 2-11. I noticed a few problems in Johnson’s offensive game that need to be fixed. The first problem is that he pump fakes too much. His pump fake is effective for now, it’s a really good pump fake actually, but it won’t continue to work in the NBA if he doesn’t prove that he can shoot. Too often he gets the ball with plenty of space to shoot, hesitates, then pumpfakes, to open up a drive to the basket. He has to mix it up some more between shooting and driving to the basket.

The second problem is that when he does drive to the basket, he brings the ball down, instead of keeping it high, which is the reason why the ball gets knocked out of his hands so often.

Defensively, Johnson looked a little better today. There was one moment where he just got completely lost in no man’s land on a pick and roll, leading to an easy basket for his man. Other then that, the defense looked much better tonight. However, the Thunder have yet to win in Las Vegas, so it just might be a case of their players not being any good, leading to no difficulty in defending their players.

Rebounding wise, he looked poor for most of the game, but he noticeably ramped up the effort on the glass in the fourth quarter, and did quite well with the increased effort.

Johnson’s passing is what really glowed for him tonight. He didn’t have any flashy passes that wowed you, or anything that really stood out really. What his passes were, were smart basketball passes. He made the right pass at the right time, leading to easy scores for his teammates. His court vision is excellent, and he seems to see the open guys, and delivers nice passes helping his teammates score.

James Augustine had another nice game tonight, scoring 9 points on 4-4 shooting, and grabbing 10 rebounds. I think he has proven so far this summer league that he belongs on an NBA bench somewhere next season. He doesn’t try to play a more important role than he can handle, and just stays to his abilities, and it works out well for him. Three games in summer league so far, and all three of them were good for Augustine.

Linton Johnson finished with 10 points and 5 rebounds tonight. It’s nice to see him looking like an actual NBA player out there again.

Demarcus Nelson had 10 points on 3-10 shooting. I can’t see him making any impact in the NBA. He has good size, but his skills just aren’t NBA caliber. The Bulls front office seems to think he has some upside, but I would have no qualms if he was waived following summer league.

For the Thunder, James Harden scored 20 points and had 5 assists. From what I’ve seen of him both in Las Vegas and in Orlando, Harden looks to be a pretty good shooting guard in the NBA going forward. Good pick by the Thunder at three.

DJ White added in 15 points and Robert Vaden added in 14 points.

B.J. Mullens, or Byron as he would like to be known, finished with 7 points on 3-9 shooting and 7 rebounds. He looked okay. He has some nice moves in the post, but can’t quite finish. He had quite a few shots blocked tonight. You can definitely see that there is potential there. It’s not like past Sonics picks, like Mohammad Sene, Johan Petro, or Robert Swift where you don’t see any potential in them of ever being good.

Taj Gibson did not play in today’s game because of plantar fascitis. That’s not a good start to Gibson’s NBA career. He will likely have to take some time off his foot for it to heal. We saw previously how Nocioni was never the same after suffering from plantar fascitis. This could make it a bad career from the start for Gibson, although he probably wasn’t going to have an illustrious career, even without being plagued by plantar fascitis throughout his career.

With this win tonight, the Bulls improve to 1-2 in Las Vegas Summer League competition. The Bulls next game is at 5 tomorrow against the New York Knicks.

Chicago Bulls general manager, Gar Forman and head coach, Vinny Del Negro fielded questions from the media following the Bulls’ first round selections in the 2009 NBA Draft. Here is a recap of what each said.

Gar Forman

• They targeted James Johnson during the season.
• It was a consensus among their staff that James was a top 5-7 player in the draft.
• They love his versatility.  He can play the 3 and the 4.  He can play inside and outside.  At his size, 6′8″ 250 pounds, he can put the ball on the floor, rebound, push it out in transition, and penetrate.  He’s a very good passer for a big man and can make plays for both himself and teammates off the dribble.
• They got to see him for three straight days at a tournament in Anaheim, in which he showed an effective post game.
• They had talks with teams the last week about moving up in the draft, and James was the guy who they were targeting to move up and get.  They were really excited that he was there at 16.
• Taj Gibson is also a versatile guy.  He has great length.  He’s 6′10″ with a 7′4″ wingspan.  He runs the floor, which is important for the Bulls’ bigs to do with Derrick.  USC ran a lot of their offense through him.  He can make a 15 footer.  He plays extremely hard.  They were surprised that he was there at 26, as they heard he might be taken in the late teens or early twenties.
• It was a funny draft.  If certain guys went at certain spots, the whole order could be different.  The first 6-7, maybe 8 picks were set in stone.  After that, the same guy that went 9th could go 20th.
• James and Tyrus are nice complements.  James, in certain matchups, could guard inside and out.

(more…)

A few days ago, a tweet was made on what appears to be the twitter page of B.J. Mullens, which stated that he got a guarantee from M.J. town, which is obviously Chicago.

It is unclear of whether the twitter page is actually B.J. Mullen, as it does not have the verified button on it. However, this does not mean it is not his page, as other confirmed stars also do not have this verified button.

Also, the Chicago Tribune says that B.J. Mullens told Charlotte reporters that the Bulls and Pistons have expressed the most interest.

It is said that Mullens has received a top 16 guarantee, and Chad Ford means that probably means it is from the Bulls.

Sam Smith stated on Bulls.com, that while the Bulls have interest in Mullens and may draft him, no such guarantee was made.

Even if the Bulls did give Mullens a guarantee, they are going to deny it.

If the Bulls do decide to take Mullens, I like the pick just based on the principle behind it. The Bulls already have a host of quality big men in Brad Miller, Tyrus Thomas, and Joakim Noah. They could add another using the MLE, or get a different style big man, simply by trading one of these guys. The problem with these three guys, is while they’re quality, none of them are destined for stardom. I have no clue as to whether Mullens will turn out to be a good player or not, but he at least has star potential.

If the Bulls deem that a player like Dejuan Blair will be nothing more than a quality role player, why take him if there is a player you believe can become a star still left untaken?

Mullens certainly has the physical gifts to become a star. He stands at roughly 7′1′ and 260 pounds. His maximum vertical reach is 11′11.5″, the highest of this draft class. The question with Mullens will be whether he can get his skills up to speed.

Mullens has the physical tools to become a star, and for this reason, Mullens would be a good pick. When you’re picking at 16, there is a high chance that you are going to draft a bust, so why not try to get a potential star with that pick?

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin (Oklahoma, Sophomore)

The Clippers have a history of making lackluster draft selections, but they’re not going to mess this one up.  Right?

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Ricky Rubio (Joventut)

If Yi Jianlian’s threats didn’t stop the Bucks from drafting him, then the Grizzlies shouldn’t cave to the demands of Rubio.  The flashy guard is a perfect fit for Memphis’ high tempo offense.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - James Harden (Arizona State, Sophomore)

While Harden only measured 6′5″ in shoes, his great weight should help him to be a good defensive force if he puts his mind to it.  Harden will give the Thunder some added scoring, and Harden will step in for Thabo Sefolosha, who was never a longterm solution at shooting guard for the Thunder.

4. Sacramento Kings -Brandon Jennings (Lottomatica Roma)

The Kings may have something at the shooting guard spot in Kevin Martin, at the power forward spot with Jason Thompson, and at center, with Spencer Hawes.  Therefore, they could choose to pass on a big man, opting for a point guard, a position that has had increased importance placed on it as of late.

5. Washington Wizards - Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut, Junior)

The Wizards were one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA last season.  Thabeet’s shotblocking prowess should help improve their dreadful defense.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Tyreke Evans (Memphis, Freshman)

Minnesota is set in the frontcourt with Al Jefferson and Keivn Love, so they will look for help in the backcourt.

7. Golden State Warriors - Jordan Hill (Arizona, Junior)

Hill averaged an impressive 18 points and 11 rebounds in his junior season.  He will slip down to seventh because of team needs, and will be a great value pick for the Warriors.

8. New York Knicks - Stephen Curry (Davidson, Junior)

The Knicks have reportedly given a gaurantee to Curry.

9. Toronto Raptors - DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh, Sophomore)

Even if the Raptors decide to keep Chris Bosh, they still will need more toughness up front.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Ty Lawson (North Carolina, Junior)

Scott Skiles likes winners, and he will be looking for a point guard to help lead his team.

11. New Jersey Nets - Earl Clark (Louisville, Junior)

The Nets will be looking to find a front court mate for Brook Lopez.

12. Charlotte Bobcats - DeMar DeRozen (USC, Freshman)

After trading Jason Richardson, the Bobcats will be in a market for a shooting guard.  They are in need of a star, and DeRozen has some star potential.

13. Indiana Pacers - James Johnson (Wake Forest, Sophomore)

The Pacers seem set in the perimeter positions, so they will look for some big man help.

14. Phoenix Suns - Johnny Flynn (Syracuse, Sophomore)

The Suns begin preparing for life after Steve Nash by drafting his replacement.

15. Detroit Pistons - Omri Casspi (Maccabi Tel Aviv)

With this pick, the Pistons go for a player they can store overseas for a few years while they keep their salary commitment down while they have capspace.  The Pistons have been toying with the idea of trading either Richard Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince, so if he does come over this season, there may be minutes for him.

16. Chicago Bulls - B.J. Mullens (Ohio State, Freshman)

The Bulls have needed front court help for so long, and Mullens is a guy with start potential.  Mullen’s measurements from the pre-draft camp were impressive, measuring in at 7′1″, 258 pounds, with a 9′3″ standing reach.

17. Philadelphia 76ers - Eric Maynor (VCU, Senior)

Even if the 76ers re-sign Andre Miller, he isn’t a longterm solution, as he is getting up there in age.  The 76ers would look for Maynor to be their point guard of the future.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves - Chase Budinger (Arizona, Junior)

With their second pick in the draft, the T’Wolves look for more help out on the perimeter.  Budinger should give Al Jefferson an option to kick the ball out to for three.

19. Atlanta Hawks - Jrue Holiday (UCLA, Freshman)

With Bibby aging and a free agent, the Hawks will need some help at the point guard position.

20. Utah Jazz - Jeff Pendergraph (Arizona State, Senior)

The Jazz will be looking for some front court help as potentially three of their big men, Carlos Boozer, Paul Millsap, and Mehmet Okur will be free agents.

21. New Orleans Hornets -Victor Claver (Pamesa Valencia)

Claver is an international player that the Hornets may be able to store overseas for a few years.  Claver could provide some solid three point shooting that would complement Chris Paul.

22. Dallas Mavericks - Gerald Henderson (Duke, Junior)

The Mavericks take Henderson as a value pick after he slipped in the draft.

23. Sacramento Kings - Slava Kravstov (BC Kyiv)

With their second pick in the draft, the Kings take a center prospect who they can store overseas.

24. Portland Trailblazers - Terrence Williams (Lousville, Senior)

The Blazers take Williams for the defense, as they need help on that side of the game.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Tyler Hansborough (North Carolina, Senior)

The Thunder go for some front court help in a proven winner.

26. Chicago Bulls - DeMarre Carroll (Missouri, Senior)

The Bulls draft Carroll to be a tough, defensive minded energy player to help bolster the Bulls’ weak defense.  Defending Lebron will be a priority going forward, and Carroll may have the tools to slow him down.  Carroll should be a natural fit for the Bulls’ fast paced offense as he is coming from Mike Anderson’s Missouri system, which has a rep as the fastest 40 minutes in basketball.

27. Memhis Grizzlies - Wayne Ellington (North Carolina, Junior)

Ellington could give the Grizzlies some three point shooting, providing a good kick out option for Rubio.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Vladimir Dasic (KK Buducnost Podgorica)

With their third pick in the draft, the Timberwolves take a small forward/power forward prospect that they may be able to store overseas.

29. Los Angeles Lakers - Marcus Thornton (LSU, Senior)

Thornton could step in right away to contribute to the Lakers, and provide them with some perimeter scoring.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Gene Lawal (Georgia Tech, Senior)

The Cavs need to get some youth on their frontline, as Ilgauskus, Wallace, and Smith are getting up there in age.