Okay, so I was a little off on the final score and margin of victory, but the Bulls did in fact put the kibosh on Orlando's four-game winning streak, and now it's Chicago on the four-game run.
How did they do it? Forcing turnovers and aggressive rebounding were major factors en route to the Bulls' win.
Lead by Kirk Hinrich, the Bulls tallied 13 steals and forced the Magic into 18 turnovers; conversely, the Bulls took good care of the ball, committing just 11 turnovers. As a result, the Bulls enjoyed far more scoring chances: while Chicago attempted 78 shots, Orlando managed a meager 63.
The other key -- rebounding -- is a bit more subtle. While the raw rebounding totals suggest a virtual dead heat, with Orlando actually taking the category 39-37, a closer look at those numbers reveals a considerable edge to the Bulls. Of Orlando's 39 rebounds, just four were on the offensive glass. The Bulls, on the other hand, pulled down 10 offensive rebounds. Much like the turnover story, the Bulls' ability to clear their defensive boards and attack the offensive glass afforded them a considerable margin in terms of scoring opportunities.
Hopefully the Bulls can continue along those lines tonight in New York.


Discuss