NBA

Chicago Bulls Stat Monkey Brief: Bulls/Wizards (1/26/13)

Andy Day Jan 26th, 2013
Bulls expert Andy Day has spent the entire season begging for Jimmy Butler to grab playing time. And the last four games have proven why.
The Bulls are coming off a huge win, destroying Golden State last night. Tonight the Bulls hit the road to face a surging team in the Washington Wizards who have won six of their last nine games. It should be an interesting one tonight as two hot teams face off at the Verizon Center.

Things that Make Me Laugh

  • The Wizards Offensive Rating (97.1)
  • The Wizards Record (10-31)
  • Kevin Seraphin’s Win Shares (-0.015)
  • The fact that Kevin Seraphin was drafted by the Bulls

Ball Like Wall

I clearly wouldn’t miss an opportunity to post this:

But in all seriousness, John Wall has been huge for the Wiz. Since his return, the team is 5-3 (doubling their win total) and has been much more efficient on offense. Wall is posting a 103 offensive rating, which is nothing special, but for a team who is worst in the league in offensive efficiency, a solid scorer is a huge plus. Wall’s added offensive plus the Wizards stout defense could take this team from the joke of the league to an average squad.

Life Without Deng

You’d think losing a player averaging 39.8 minutes per game would really hurt a team. Luol Deng has been out with a strained hamstring for four (and a half) games, however, the Bulls haven’t skipped a beat, going 3-1 since Deng’s injury. Who has been the key in Deng’s absence? My guy, Jimmy Butler. He’s been playing great, and using the ball more while still maintaining a high efficiency. Look for him to continue to see more well deserved minutes.

Tonight’s Game

Both squads come in to tonight’s game with solid defenses and questionable offenses. Both teams are also coming off huge wins last night. What is going to be the key to tonight’s game? Turnovers. The Wiz are second-worst in the league in Turnover Percentage, giving the ball up on 14.3 percent of possessions. If the Bulls can take advantage of Washington’s mistakes, the Bulls should come home with a W.