For the 19th time in their NBA careers (and probably the millionth time if you count the backyard), the Gasol brothers–Pau and Marc–did battle last night. The two 7-foot Catalonians both struggled a bit–too familiar, perhaps, with the other’s tricks. But the Chicago Bulls prevailed over the formidable Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis. It was only the second home loss for the Grizz.
The Bulls played without the resurgent Derrick Rose due to an illness, but they’ve become used to his absence. Talent on the Bulls roster runs so deep that the second team would start for a lot of Eastern Conference foes. Do you know the name Nikola Mirotic? Mirotic scored a career-high 27 points shooting 6 for 6 from the 3-point arc. And the versatile budding superstar Jimmy Butler, straight off a 35-point outing against the hapless Knicks, had 31 in the win in Memphis. Chicago is scary good.
