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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Bibby time
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Chicago - Mike Bibby presented the challenge to his teammates long after their early 13-point lead had vanished.
He waited until the game was on the line, late in the fourth quarter, and dared these undermanned Hawks, playing without two starters and poised to sweep Chicago for the first time ever, to win in spite of whatever shortcomings they packed for the trip north.
Bibby led, with his words and actions, and they followed, all the way to a 105-102 win before 20,389 at United Center Tuesday night.
“They were killing us on the boards all night but the guys kept fighting and I kept telling everybody let’s see what we’re made of and take this game,” Bibby said after shredding the Bulls for a season-high 31 points, including a 5-for-10 showing from beyond the 3-point line, six assists and five huge steals. “We were lucky our shots were going in, because they were killing us on the boards.”
Bibby was trashing the Bulls everywhere else, though, outplaying heralded Bulls rookie point guard Derrick Rose along the way.
Bibby had nine points on 4-for-5 shooting and two of those steals in the fourth quarter, when the Hawks had to break a 77-77 tie and did so by a mere three points, 28-25.
Bibby made his only 3-pointer of the quarter and had a crucial steal with 40 seconds to play that set up his game-clinching jumper with 18.9 seconds on the game clock.
“We used Bibby as our horse tonight,” Josh Smith said. “He’s one of those players that once he gets it going he’s kind of hard to stop. And you saw him in clutch situations, he was hitting big shot after big shot. And when Joe [Johnson] doesn’t have it, we feel good knowing we have Bibby there, too.”
Johnson struggled through a 5-for-18 shooting night and still finished with 16 points, eight assists and five rebounds. But he too relished the opportunity to feed Bibby with the game on the line.
After all, it was Johnson that sang Bibby’s praises the loudest during training camp, insisting that a healthy Bibby this season would make all the difference for a team that struggled to 37 wins last year.
Nine games over .500 (25-16) halfway through this season, Johnson’s words seem prophetic, as Bibby is playing at an All-Star level.
“He’s just been playing great all year,” Johnson said. “And for him to come out and have a big night tonight the way he did definitely got us over the hump.”
Not only did his sweet shooting do the trick, he was 12-for-21 from the floor overall. Bibby’s quick hands helped the Hawks turn five fast break opportunities for the Bulls into offensive possessions for the Hawks.
“It just looked like they wanted to get our and run with it,” Bibby said of his steals. “I just waited around and went back to the get the ball. I don’t think they saw me. They were trying to get our and run and get easy baskets and I tried to break it up.”
The Bulls couldn’t break Bibby’s rhythm, despite deploying a zone in the first half that helped them dig out of that early hole.
“The turnovers really hurt us tonight,” Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro said. “And Mike Bibby had his way with us. Pachulia’s points really bothered us. He got layups and got after us on the glass. Our zone was effective at times, though they got some 3-pointers out of it. We just were not able to control Bibby or Joe Johnson on their screen and rolls.”
With starters Marvin Williams and Al Horford out with injuries and reserve point guard Acie Law IV joining them on the inactive list, Hawks coach Mike Woodson needed everything Bibby could give him Tuesday night.
“Mike carried us,” Woodson said. “And we talked about this the other day. I huddled these guys together and told them that the guys that maybe haven’t played, I know their timing might be a little off, but this is an opportunity to play. And the guys that have been playing for us, they have to step up it up and play big-time for us. And I thought Mike did that.
“Zaza had a monster second half for us and Josh Smith was solid for the second straight game rebounding and scoring inside.”
And Bibby was the player Johnson insisted he would be at full strength.
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Obama-Nation (and other stuff)
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
CHICAGO - In my best effort to show extreme patriotism on this historic day, I decided to mimic the actions of our 44th President, in my own way.
When I arrived here in Barack Obama’s home city this morning I hopped the train (well, the CTA) for the ride to my downtown hotel.
It wasn’t the same as tracing Lincoln’s steps to Washington, but I used my imagination.
Folks in Washington are seeing the big man up close and personal, but the people here in Chicago have a relationship with the nation’s new boss that you have to see to believe.
Everywhere you go in this city there is an Obama presence (thus my new nickname for the Windy City: Obama-Nation).
It’s a sight to see, even on a wickedly cold but sunny day like this one.
It makes tonight’s Hawks-Bulls game at the United Center seem a bit … well, forget that. Obama loves basketball. So even on a day like today, when we all know he has a million different things going on, someone will be feeding him the scores from around the league.
ON THE BIG SCREEN: A bus mishap forced the Hawks to scrap their plans to watch the inauguration from a conference room at their downtown hotel. But someone at the United Center must have known how important the occasion was for Hawks coach Mike Woodson and his team.
The Hawks ended up watching the entire affair on the Jumbotron at the arena.
“It was unreal,” Hawks VP of PR Arthur Triche said. “It was like the next best thing to actually being in Washington.”
Woodson gave a short but moving speech before Monday’s game about the significance of honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his day but also about the importance of what was to come earlier today.
“I feel it is important for not only our guys but everyone to reflect on the things that happen in life and be grateful for the things we have,” Woodson said.
REHAB FOR CHILDRESS: As you might have already seen on ajc.com, former Hawks swingman Josh Childress had sports hernia surgery Tuesday in Philadelphia and will be out for six to eight weeks, per his agent Jim Tanner.
I spoke with Childress at length last week for an interesting Q&A that will be online this week. He mentioned that he was coming back to the states to be examined. I had no idea then that it was something that required surgery. If he’s out that long, his situation with Olympiacos going forward gets very interesting if you’re the Hawks.
Very, very interesting.
It’s impossible to speculate about what might happen. But Childress can opt out of his deal with Olympiacos and the Hawks still own his NBA rights.
Like I said, this latest news could make things very, very interesting.
