Maybe new Chicago Bear Julius Peppers can help the Bulls the rest of the way this season? After all, he played high-level Division 1 basketball at UNC back in the early part of the new millennium and has always said that hoops are his first love. Because the Bulls need bodies – especially huge, aggressive bodies – if they stand a chance of making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference with less than 20 games remaining in the season.
The Bulls come to central Florida in the midst of a five-game losing streak, having been dismantled and dismissed at home by the Utah Jazz Tuesday night in a 24-point blowout.
Coach Vinny Del Negro must be anxiously wondering who else could possibly drop from his roster during Chicago’s end-of-season run for the eighth seed. With J. Noah already watching from the sidelines, now Luol Deng appears to be out for the short term, while Taj Gibson is touch and go due to a plantar fasciitis flare-up. Although the Bulls are closely grouped with five other teams for the last four spots in the East, they have the toughest road to the playoffs.
Sporting a below average 12-19 road record this year, a ‘W’ in Orlando seems like a long shot considering that the Magic are 26-6 at home and are on an upswing of late with a six-game win streak. Having destroyed the LA Clippers on Tuesday night by 26 points, Dwight Howard, VC and crew are peaking at just the right time for their march toward a return trip to the NBA Finals.
Dick Stockton, Reggie Miller and I have the call on TNT tonight at 8 p.m. ET.
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