Tales from the front office

[daltontr]

2028-2029 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 2)

Justin McCuthison scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Bulls in their 117-108 victory over the New York Knicks. Once again the Bulls jumped out to fairly comfortable lead and never looked back. All five Bulls starters were in double figures and the team shot over 51% (45-88) from the field. The game actually could have been more lopsided, but the Bulls did not shoot well from three (9-24) or the free throw line (18-28). In the Western Conference, without Bernard Person in the lineup, the Suns are seemingly easy pickings. Forty percent from the field, sixteen percent from three and seventy-five percent from the free throw line is simply not going to get it done against a team like the Sacramento Kings. According to the Suns medical staff, the earliest that Person could return to the lineup would be for game six, but most pundits believe the series will be long over by then.

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           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
NYK(3)| 31 | 22 | 28 | 27 | -- | 108 (0) | SAC(3)| 28 | 24 | 24 | 31 | -- | 107 (2)
CHI(1)| 33 | 38 | 22 | 24 | -- | 117 (2) | PHO(1)| 12 | 30 | 33 | 16 | -- |  91 (0)

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[daltontr]

2028-2029 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 3)

New city, same results. The Bulls once again dominated the Knicks and Devin Booker was once again unstoppable. Booker led all scorers with 34 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds in the Bulls 121-107 victory. The Bulls are now one game away from clinching the series and advancing to their fourth consecutive NBA Finals. In the Western Conference the Phoenix Suns have all but given up. After getting outscored 33-12 in the first quarter, the Suns looked defeated, but when they went down by 34 they were downright demoralized. The Suns need a miracle at this point and unfortunately for them, their miracle is sidelined for three more days with an abdominal strain.

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           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CHI(1)| 33 | 30 | 38 | 20 | -- | 121 (3) | PHO(1)| 14 | 22 | 20 | 26 | -- |  82 (0)
NYK(3)| 22 | 28 | 27 | 30 | -- | 107 (0) | SAC(3)| 33 | 26 | 23 | 22 | -- | 104 (3)

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[daltontr]

2028-2029 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 4)

The Knicks R.J. Barrett and Lauri Markkanen combined for 64 points in the Knicks 119-115 victory over the Chicago Bulls. With the win the Knicks stave off elimination, but the series now shifts back to Chicago where the Bulls are virtually impossible to beat. In the Western Conference the Phoenix Suns surprised everyone by defeating the Sacramento Kings 107-102 on the road. The Suns return home with new hope as Bernard Person will be returning to the lineup and not a moment to soon. Anything is possible when you have the best player in basketball on your team and Person's return to the lineup should be of some concern to the Kings.

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           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CHI(1)| 29 | 24 | 25 | 27 | -- | 105 (3) | PHO(1)| 27 | 20 | 25 | 35 | -- | 107 (1)
NYK(3)| 23 | 28 | 39 | 29 | -- | 119 (1) | SAC(3)| 18 | 20 | 30 | 34 | -- | 102 (3)

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[daltontr]

2028-2029 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 5)

Despite Devin Bookers 43 points and 7 rebounds, the Bulls still managed to blow an 18 point lead at home and the Knicks were able to steal game 5 with a 95-93 victory. With the series now heading back to New York, the Knicks have a very good shot at sending this series to a seventh game. Something that no Bulls fan wants to see. In the Western Conference, Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton scored 28 points, with 6 assists and 18 rebounds in the Suns dominate 106-86 victory over the Sacramento Kings. The most surprising aspect of this game was the absence of Bernard Person. According to reports, Person was cleared to play just before game time, but Suns Head Coach Byron Scott held him out of the game. Person will be in the lineup for game six in Sacramento.

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           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
NYK(3)| 16 | 21 | 29 | 29 | -- |  95 (2) | SAC(3)| 22 | 19 | 18 | 27 | -- |  86 (3)
CHI(1)| 27 | 24 | 14 | 28 | -- |  93 (3) | PHO(1)| 34 | 26 | 24 | 22 | -- | 106 (2)

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[daltontr]

2028-2029 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 6)

The New York Knicks put on a defensive clinic in their 113-91 victory over the Chicago Bulls and with the win they send the series to a game seven in Chicago. Knicks R.J. Barrett led all scorers with 41 points, 5 assists and 11 rebounds. Under normal circumstances, I think Bulls fans would be confident heading into a game seven at home, but it would certainly be a hard pill to swallow should the Bulls fail to advance to the finals after being up 3-0 in the series. The same can be said for the Sacramento Kings, who fell 127-123 to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns were led by Bernard Person, who returned to the lineup for the first time since the game five of their series with the Memphis Grizzlies. Person led all scorers with 48 points, 4 assists and 21 rebounds. Yea...he's that good!

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           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
CHI(1)| 22 | 27 | 22 | 20 | -- |  91 (3) | PHO(1)| 31 | 29 | 31 | 36 | -- | 127 (3)
NYK(3)| 25 | 34 | 35 | 19 | -- | 113 (3) | SAC(3)| 23 | 35 | 33 | 32 | -- | 123 (3)

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[daltontr]

2028-2029 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - CONFERENCE FINALS (GAME 7)

Bulls fans, you can breath a sigh of relief. Devin Booker led all scorers with 37 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds in the Bulls to a 117-96 victory over the New York Knicks. The Bulls now advance to their fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance with an opportunity to repeat as NBA Champions. The Bulls will face off against the Phoenix Suns, who advance to the finals after being down in the series three games to none. Kings fans must be gutted. They had the Suns down 0-3 with Bernard Person sidelined with an injury and couldn't close the deal. So it will be the Chicago Bulls vs the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals, with game one set to be played in Chicago. The United Center will be rocking and it should be a great series.

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           EASTERN CONFERENCE                        WESTERN CONFERENCE
        Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W            Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   OT    F   W
NYK(3)| 20 | 25 | 31 | 20 | -- |  96 (0) | SAC(3)| 23 | 30 | 30 | 22 | -- | 105 (3)
CHI(1)| 25 | 24 | 40 | 28 | -- | 117 (0) | PHO(1)| 31 | 25 | 32 | 23 | -- | 112 (4)

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[daltontr]

2028-2029 SEASON - PLAYOFFS - NBA FINALS (PREVIEW)

The Suns are no mystery. The play solid defense, put up big numbers and have two of the best players in the league. PF Bernard Person is the best player in the league in my opinion and center Deandre Ayton is the leagues best big man. If you were ranking them among the top fifty players in the league, they would both be in the top five. They are that good. Person averages just over 34 ppg and Deandre Ayton averages just over 20 ppg, but Ayton is a force to be reckoned with on defense. The key to beating the Suns is obviously Person. If you can minimize the damage he can do and make his teammates pick up the slack, they are vulnerable. They don't have a ton of depth and rely on a lot of minutes from their starters. The Bulls are the favorites here, but this Suns team can put up a lot of points and are very difficult to beat at home. I think the series is going to be much closer than most people would predict. Interesting side note to this game, the Suns point guard is none other than Brennen McDuffie. McDuffie was taken by the Bulls with the #1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, but quickly fell out of favor and was subsequently traded to the Suns.

PREDICTION: Bulls in seven.

TEAM INSIGHTS

PHOENIX SUNS (OVERALL: 61-21 | HOME: 38-3 | AWAY: 23-18)

Starting Lineup: PG Brennen McDuffie (★★½), SG Jaylen Brown (★★½), SF Kevin Wingfield (★★½), PF Bernard Person (★★★★★), C Deandre Ayton (★★★★★)
Key Bench Players: PF Ray Sanders (★★½), PG Earl Mydra (★★½)

TEAM RANKINGS (Per Game)

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STATISTIC        |   SEASON    |
Points           | 111.1 (3rd) |
Assists          |  25.6 (2nd) |
Rebounds         |  45.1 (13th)|
Points Allowed   | 103.7 (7th) |
Blocks           |   5.6 (20th)|
Steals           |  10.5 (4th) |
Field Goal %     |  .487 (3rd) |
Three Point %    |  .323 (16th)|
Free Throw %     |  .787 (13th)|
Offensive Rating | 112.5 (3rd) |
Defensive Rating | 104.9 (13th)|
Net Rating       |   7.6 (3rd) |
Power Ranking    |    (3rd)    |

NBA Top 50 Players: PF Bernard Person, C Deandre Ayton
STAFF: GM Jimmie Black, HC Byron Scott, AC1 Karim Howland, AC2 Ralph Lewis and AC3 Duke Smith
(Payroll $207,095,998 (14th Highest) / CAP Space $-27,095,998 / Luxury Tax $0)
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CHICAGO BULLS (OVERALL: 71-1 | HOME: 39-2 | AWAY: 32-9)

Starting Lineup: PG D'Angelo Russell (★★★½), SG Devin Booker (★★★½), SF Jayson Tatum (★★★★), PF Ryan Jefferson (★★★½), C Justin McCuthison(★★★½)
Key Bench Players: PF Marcue Jones (★★★), PG Tony Carr (★★★), SF Miles Bridges (★★½)

TEAM RANKINGS (Per Game)

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STATISTIC        |   SEASON    |
Points           | 118.5 (1st) |
Assists          |  24.4 (5th) |
Rebounds         |  47.1 (2nd) |
Points Allowed   | 106.5 (20th)|
Blocks           |   7.7 (3rd) |
Steals           |   9.1 (19th)|
Field Goal %     |  .484 (4th) |
Three Point %    |  .370 (1st) |
Free Throw %     |  .790 (12th)|
Offensive Rating | 115.6 (2nd) |
Defensive Rating | 103.9 (7th) |
Net Rating       |  11.7 (1st) |
Power Ranking    |    (1st)    |

NBA Top 50 Players: SF Jayson Tatum, SG Devin Booker, C Justin McCuthison
STAFF: GM Troy Dalton, HC Brian Starks, AC1 Byron Scott, AC2 Rod Barnes, AC3 Whitney Wilkerson
(Payroll $217,946,933 (10th Highest) / CAP Space $-37,946,933 / Luxury Tax $2,946,933)

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