Bulls cruise past Spurs. Pop calls play embarrassing. Derrick Rose leaves 4th quarter early with stiffness.
Two days off, a team meeting and a renewed effort to play both ends of the floor added up to an easy victory for the Chicago Bulls over the defending-champion San Antonio Spurs. Derrick Rose led the Bulls in scoring with 22 in only 27 minutes of action. Rose sat all but one minute of the 4th quarter after complaining of stiffness, but said he would be available tomorrow at Dallas.
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Coming into the game the Bulls had lost six of their last eight with rumors that Tom Thibodeau was on the “hot seat” because the team was “quitting” on him. There was no quitting in this one as the Bulls held the Spurs to 37 percent shooting.
Gregg Popovich conceded this one early. None of the Spurs starters played more than 27 minutes.
Kawhi Leonard led the San Antonio with 16.
Popovich was not pleased afterwards saying he was “embarrassed by my team’s effort and hoped his players were too.” The coach added he would “want his money back, if he paid to see that.”
Pop also took issue with a reporter’s question about the Bulls reportedly not playing for Thibodeau calling that “bullsh**”
Thibs himself would not acknowledge “hot seat” rumors or that there was a team meeting despite many of his players talking about what happened in the meeting including Derrick Rose who said “the biggest challenge for me is to be more vocal, but I’m working on it.”
Pau Gasol led the Bulls with 17 rebounds while scoring 12 on five of six shooting. Gasol learned before the game that he was voted by the fans to be Eastern Conference starting center at February’s All-Star game.
The Bulls return to action on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks. Next up for the Spurs is a home against the Los Angeles Lakers.