The Bulls begin their seven game circus trip tonight in Houston taking on the Rockets. The Rockets will be without Yao Ming and Aaron Brooks in this game so this gives obvious advantages to Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah in this game. The Rockets are pretty much underachieving this season with a record of 3-6 but all of their losses this season have been within 13 points or less and they have played one of the toughest schedules in the NBA to this point. Kevin Martin is averaging 24 points per game this season on 47% shooting and is one of the best players in the NBA at drawing fouls. Luis Scola is averaging 22 points per game and 10.8 rebounds per game and will prove to be a tough matchup for Taj Gibson. Still, the Bulls should take this game because their two best players (Noah and Rose) have huge match-up wins with Yao and Brooks out. Swapping Lowry/Ish Smith for Aaron Brooks helps their defense out a little but it dramatically hurts their offense.
Here's a look at this year's circus trip and some predictions:
11/16: @ Houston---This should be a win with no Aaron Brooks and Yao Ming. Brad Miller will not be able to defend the quick Joakim Noah and Ish Smith/Kyle Lowry will not be able to contain Derrick Rose. Only way the Rockets win this game is if Kevin Martin goes off for 30 points or more and Luis Scola has a big game. (1-0 on trip)
11/17: @ San Antonio---1st back to back of the roadtrip and against a Spurs team that will be well rested (Won't have played in 3 days). I'm going to mark this as a loss. (1-1 on trip)
11/19: @ Dallas---Probably the 2nd best team in the West behind the Los Angeles Lakers. Dirk is going to be a tough match-up for Luol Deng and the Mavericks have way too much depth compared to us. Loss. (1-2 on trip)
11/23: @ LA Lakers---4 days in between games will be a huge relief for us. We haven't beaten the Lakers in the Derrick Rose era so we're well due for a win. Still going to mark this as a loss but I wouldn't be surprised at all if we end up taking this one. (1-3 on trip)
11/24: @ Phoenix---2nd back to back on the trip. The Phoenix Suns aren't really top heavy other than Jason Richardson and Steve Nash but they have a ton of depth top to bottom. They will be without Robin Lopez in this game which is a break for the Bulls. The Bulls are 4-0 against the Suns in the Derrick Rose era so using the logic from the Lakers prediction, the Suns are due for a win. I'll mark this a win but same with the Lakers, I wouldn't be surprised at all if we lose this won. (2-3 on trip)
11/26: @ Denver---The Bulls beat Denver last week 94-92 at the United Center and the Bulls haven't performed well at the Pepsi Center at all in the last few years. Think Carmelo and company get revenge and take a win here not to mention they'll be playing on 3 days rest. (2-4 on trip)
11/27: @ Sacramento---Easily the easiest game on this trip so the Bulls have to take this one. I'd love to blow them out as well in response to this disaster last season. This will be our 3rd and final back to back game on this trip. (3-4 on trip)
A 3-4 trip would be welcomed greatly by Bulls fans and would take the Bulls out of this with a 8-7 record. I'll take that. We go back home after this trip and Carlos Boozer probably returns for the December 1st game at home against Orlando. We still have a tough six game stretch after the Circus Trip which includes the Thunder, Lakers, Celtics, and Magic but after this point, the rest of the season is full of easy stretches.
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