With the Bulls down three, Luol Deng bricked a three point shot from the top of the key, giving the Bulls their third loss in a row, as they fell to the Milwaukee Bucks 96-93.

The Bulls, who were down 17 points at one point in the first half, made it a two point game when Brad Miller stroked a three pointer to make it a 93-91 game. The Bulls would then come up with the stop, but Derrick Rose was called for a charge, giving Milwaukee the ball back. The Bulls forced Charlie Bell to miss, but no one put a body on Hakim Warrick, and he slammed it home to give the Bucks a 95-91 lead.

The Bulls quickly called a timeout and advanced the ball past half court. The Bulls found Rose on a curl, and the Bucks gave Rose an easy layup, making it a 95-93 game. It seems like a pretty dumb decision for the Bucks to just give Rose the layup like this. If they had played tough defense on Rose, they could have easily forced him to pass it or forced him into a bad shot. If the Bulls had missed there without a quick putback, the game would have been pretty much over, and by allowing Rose to make this shot so fast, they gave the Bulls a chance to tie, as Michael Redd split a pair of free throws to make it a 96-93 game with 8 seconds left.

On the final play, John Salmons got the ball. He opened up a clear shooting path after getting his man on the pump fake, but opted to pass the ball to Luol Deng, who bricked the potential game tying three.

This was pretty much a mirror image of what happened last game against the Charlotte Bobcats. John Salmons had the ball in pretty much the same spot, and decided to pass the ball to Derrick Rose when he was in the air. Rose of course bricked the shot and the Bulls lost the game. In both instances, Salmons opted to pass the ball to guys who are known not to take three point shots.

It is these situations where the Bulls are down three and need to tie the game where they really, really miss Ben Gordon. Derrick Rose who is the one guy who has an ability like Gordon to create his own shot, and Rose can’t make three point shots. Luol Deng, who moves well off the ball to get open for shots, also is not known to make three point shots. Kirk Hinrich has difficulty creating his own shot, and is terrible when contested on a shot, and he is also terrible in the clutch, even when he is wide open.

So that leaves the Bulls to go to John Salmons in these type of situations, and Salmons lacks that killers edge that Ben Gordon possessed. Ben would just go up for the shot confidently, he knew it was going in. Salmons appears unconfident in these situations, hesitating on his shots, and passing the ball out to teammates after pump faking or while in the middle of his shot. The Bulls are better off with Salmons just jacking up a shot in these situations than passing it out to teammates.

In the future, when the Bulls are down three, Vinny should probably go with a lineup of Jannero Pargo, Kirk Hinrich, John Salmons, Luol Deng, and Brad Miller, with Brad Miller popping out to the three point line as the first option, and Jannero Pargo as the second option, as at least these two guys will just go up and shoot the ball confidently.

One of the main proponents in the Bucks win was Andrew Bogut, who played great in the first half, as well as in the stretch run of the game. Andrew Bogut finished with an impressive 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Bogut did most of his damage against Joakim Noah, who was just too weak to guard Bogut, as Noah ceded ground too easily whenever Bogut backed him down in the post.

Michael Redd was also big for the Bucks, finishing with 24 points on 8-16 shooting and 8 rebounds. Redd really came alive in the second half, hitting big shots to keep the Bucks in the game.

Derrick Rose led the Bulls in scoring with 25 points, but he did it inefficiently, taking 25 shots to score those 25 points. The Bucks did a good job of keeping Rose away from the basket. When Rose did get near the basket, the Bucks were set for charges (a trademark of a Scott Skiles’ defense) and Bogut blocked many of Rose’s shots. Rose also had 9 assists and 5 rebounds in the game.

Outside of his defense on Andrew Bogut, Joakim Noah was solid, finishing with 10 points and 18 rebounds.

Luol Deng finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich finished with 12 points and 6 assists.

Off the bench, Brad Miller scored 11 points and John Salmons had 10 points.

For the Bucks, Ersan Ilyasova had 13 points and 11 rebounds, Hakim Warrick had 11 points and 7 rebounds, and Luke Ridnour had 10 points.

Brandon Jennings struggled tonight scoring only 5 points on 1-9 shooting. Jennings also had 8 assists and 3 blocks, including a nice block on a driving Derrick Rose.

There was a little scuffle in the second half which started with Kirk Hinrich and Luke Ridnour being called for a double foul. Ridnour then tried to get away with a push on Hinrich, but was called for the offensive foul. Ridnour then picked up his third foul in 11 seconds on a Hinrich drive. After the foul, Hinrich pushed Hakim Warrick, which prompted Andrew Bogut to come over and get entangled with Kirk Hinrich. The fight didn’t escalate past that point.

With the loss, the Bulls fall to 14-10 on the season.

The Chicago Bulls fell to the Milwaukee Bucks 99-97 last night after Brad Miller failed to convert on a potential game tying shot.

The final shot has become a subject of debate among fans, as many have felt that Derrick Rose should have been the one taking the final shot, and not Brad Miller.

Derrick Rose absolutely made the correct basketball play. He drew the defensive attention, and kicked it to the open man. Brad Miller has been a pretty good scorer in clutch situations, and is arguably the Bulls most clutch player, so he is not a bad option to take the final shot. He just missed, and missed shots happen.

If Rose had forced up a shot there, he would have been blocked by Andrew Bogut. Rose could have tried to drive past Bogut, but it appeared that Bogut was playing good positional defense on that play, and would have likely stopped Rose’s drive.

The point guard battle didn’t quite live up to the hype, as both Rose and Jennings put up average performances.

It actually looked like Rose was getting set to have a special game, but he ended up fading as the game went on. There was a stretch in the game, where Rose got aggressive, and repeatedly attacked Brandon Jennings, scoring with a lot of success. Unfortunately Rose’s aggressiveness led him into taking some bad shots, leading to him finishing the night with only a 51.9 TS%.

Rose finished with 19 points and 7 assists total in the game. Brandon Jennings finished with 15 points and 8 assists. Jennings didn’t score the ball with the best efficiency, shooting 5-15, but made up for that somewhat by shooting 3-4.

The impressive thing about Jennings is his aggressiveness and court vision. He forces offensive option by attacking the defense with his blazing speed.

The Bulls got some good offensive performances from their wings. John Salmons finished with 23 points on 8-15 shooting and Luol Deng finished with 22 points on 7-14 shooting and 14 rebounds. It’s encouraging to see the Bulls wings be able to both score in a high volume at a good efficiency in the same game.

Joakim Noah finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds. I felt Noah was abused a little defensively early in the game, but he picked up his intensity in around the middle of the third quarter, which led to much better defense by the Bulls.

Noah is still a bit small to effectively play the center position. Andrew Bogut just outmatched him in length, which allowed Bogut to put up a monster 22 points, 15 rebound, 3 steal, and 4 block game. Bogut was huge down the stretch defensively, altering shots on the Bulls drives to the basket.

For the Bucks, Charlie Bell scored 16 points, Ersan Ilyasova scored 13 points, and Carlos Delfino scored 15 points.

It is a bit troublesome that Vinny Del Negro still refuses to play James Johnson when Brad Miller is not producing, and Lindsey Hunter and Jannero Pargo are combining for 32 minutes.

What the Bulls are doing right now is clearly not working, as they have lost five straight. Johnson clearly has a lot to offer the Bulls from a talent perspective, so why not see what you have in Johnson, when what you’re currently doing is resulting in loss after loss?

With their fifth straight loss, the Bulls fall to 6-9 on the season.

The Chicago Bulls defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 87-86 in a nail-biter at the United Center.

Jodie Meeks tied the game at 86 with 29.7 seconds left with a three. The Bulls took the one point lead as Jannero Pargo split a pair of free throws. James Johnson missed two free throws with 14.1 seconds left, which would have given the Bulls a solid 3 point lead, fortunately the Bucks missed on all of their shots in an attempt to win the game.

Joakim Noah was the Bull of the day, scoring 20 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. In the first game of the pre-season, Noah was trying some new little moves to score the ball, with little success. Tonight he had great success on the moves he has been working on all summer. His work on the boards was dominating.

Taj Gibson also played well scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds. His midrange jumpshot is impressive, and he is all over the court energy wise. Gibson has now played well in all four of the Bulls’ preseason games. Dejuan Blair might end up as the better player, but Gibson has yet to disappoint.

Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson are providing a path for the Bulls to be a winning team this year. Everyone has talked about how Derrick Rose, John Salmons, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, etc. will replace what Ben Gordon brought. That’s not going to happen. Where the Bulls can make up for what Gordon brought is in the front court. The Bulls could hold steady or even improve on last year if their big men play better basketball than last year. Last year, the Bulls were one of the worst team’s in the league at both big men positions. If the Bulls could get in the top half of the league in production at both big spots this year, they should be able to have at least a .500 season.

Luol Deng and John Salmons had poor games. Deng finished with 9 points on 3-10 shooting and John Salmons had 6 points on 2-8 shooting. I will excuse John Salmons a little leeway here, as his wife is about to give birth, and that is likely weighing heavily on his mind.

Through four preseason games, Luol Deng is averaging 12 points on 49.96 TS%. He is scoring at a low volume on a poor efficiency. The problem with Deng this preseason, as seen in this game, is that he is having difficulty hitting the jumpshot. If Luol Deng is not hitting his jumpshot, he is not an efficient scorer, and is a hindrance to the offense as a result.

James Johnson had 11 points on 4-5 shooting, but was only 2-6 from the free throw line. Johnson scored 10 of his points in the fourth quarter, and was quiet for the rest of the game. He kind of reminds you of Tyrus Thomas, in that at times he can be a big time difference maker, but at other times, he just coasts through the game.

Kirk Hinrich struggled tonight, scoring 13 points on 5-14 shooting. I think he will look better in a reduced role with Derrick Rose back in the lineup.

Brandon Jennings finished with 10 points and 12 assists. Jennings is an interesting prospect. He isn’t much of a scorer, as his jumpshot is broken, as seen by his 2-13 shooting tonight. However, he can pass. He seems to make the pass just at the right time, giving the guy he passes the ball a good chance to score.

Hakim Warrick led all players in scoring with 25 points for the Bucks. Ersan Ilyasova chipped in 14 points. Michael Redd also had 11 points in 14 minutes.

With the win, the Bulls improved to 3-1 in preseason play.

The Chicago Bulls got routed by the Milwaukee Bucks 87-72 in their second game of the 2009 Las Vegas Summer League.

The Bucks built a 9 point lead in the second quarter, and held steady the rest of the game.

James Johnson was so so today, scoring 16 points, grabbing only 4 rebounds, and turning the ball over 6 times.

Johnson’s skill set was apparent again this game, with lots of good dribbling. However, when trying to execute dribble drive moves, it wasn’t uncommon for Johnson to get ahead of his dribble, leading to turnovers. Johnson was able to use his savvy dribbling to make dribble drive moves which force the defender to foul, leading to 11 free throw attempts for Johnson.

It was a tough shooting night for Johnson, going 4-15 from the field and 0-4 from three. He did show a nice pump fake though. Often times he would catch the ball at the three point line, execute an excellent pump fake, and then drive in.

Johnson needs to get after it on the boards more. The effort just isn’t at the level that it needs to be at. A common site is a shot going up, and Johnson just standing there, making no attempt to grab the rebound.

There was a point in the game where the ball got stuck behind the backboard. Johnson jumped up and grabbed to one of the basket supports, and pulled himself up to knock the ball free. There are a lot of players in the NBA who could not do that, and of the few that could, most would struggle. Johnson did it with ease. James Johnson is strong!

Taj Gibson finished with 12 points and 8 rebounds. His defense is soft, but he is a pretty solid rebounder. Gibson got in big foul trouble again, fouling 10 times tonight.

Brandon Jennings finished with 14 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. He looks like a nice prospect out there. He can play pretty good defense, and his height hasn’t been an issue so far in getting rebounds. He is a terrific passer. It seems he delivers the passes at just the right time, creating good looks for his teammates.

Also for the Bucks, Joe Alexander scored 18 points and Jodie Meeks added 16 points. The former Piston, Amir Johnson, finished with 17 points and 8 rebounds.

For the Bulls DeMarcus Nelson finished with 12 points, and James Augustine finished with 10 points and 7 rebounds.

Anthony Roberson finished the game with 0 points on 0-5 shooting. His days with the Bulls have to be numbered. The guy is terrible, it’s amazing that he was able to land a contract in the NBA last year. He’s just not a good player.

The Bulls next game is Friday against James Harden and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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.