CHICAGO BULLS SUMMER LEAGUE GAME 2 RECAP - by Kent McDill

Bulls top Clippers 79-50 in Summer League
By Kent McDill

In a complete reversal from Tuesday night's loss to Denver, the Chicago Bulls clobbered the Los Angeles Clippers 79-50 Wednesday in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The Bulls, who lost 99-71 to the Nuggets Tuesday, led almost from the outset and cruised to victory behind the play of guard John Lucas III.

Lucas, who made the NCAA Final Four with Oklahoma State, played for the Houston Rockets a couple of years ago and has been in the Italian League and D-League since. Starting for the Bulls Wednesday, he had 14 points at halftime and finished with a game-high 25 points. He had 15 points to lead the Bulls Tuesday against Denver.  Lucas was nine for 12 from the field, including six for six from 3-point range.

The newbie Bulls, including veterans James Johnson and Chris Richard, played in front of new Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro, who was Bulls coach the last two seasons. Also in attendance was Bulls third-year guard Derrick Rose.  Surprisingly, the Bulls trailed 10-0 in the early going when they could not find a decent shot against the Clippers. Once Lucas started connecting, the game opened up for them.

The Bulls are expected to play tough defense for new coach Tom Thibodeau, who was watching the game. They apparently got the message Wednesday, holding the Clippers to 27 percent shooting (16 for 57). The Bulls, meanwhile, shot almost 52 percent from the field. Johnson, who played in 65 games and started 11 for the Bulls last season, had several good defensive efforts against the Clippers as he tries to nail down a backup forward spot for the new-look Bulls.

Off the bench, rookie Trent Plaisted from Brigham Young had 13 points and 10 rebounds against a Clippers team that did not appear ready to present any kind of challenge. Morris Almond, a forward out of Rice, had 13 points.

The Bulls outrebounded the Clippers 42-31 and held the opponent to just five assists on their 16 baskets.
The Bulls go at it again Thursday against Cleveland at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, where the temperature reached 116 degrees Wednesday.


Video Highlights:



Kent McDill has been covering sports in Chicago for 30 years, and spent 11 seasons with the Bulls from 1988-99, covering them for the Daily Herald. He has covered the Chicago Bears, Bulls, White Sox, Cubs and Fire in his career, as well as Chicago's college basketball scene. Kent will be freelancing for Docksquad Sports...