Locked On Bulls - Daily Podcast On The Chicago Bulls

Latest Episodes:

LOCKED ON BULLS - 3/8/2019 - Bulls-Pistons are scorching, LeBron passes MJ in scoring Mar 08, 2019

Show notes

Locked On Bulls is is back with a fresh Friday episode and the guys preview this weekend's matchup against one of the best teams in the NBA over the last 11 games, the Detroit Pistons. The Bulls second weekend in a back-to-back, how do the Bulls stop the front court duo of Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond? The guys also discuss LeBron James passing Michael Jordan for fourth all-time in scoring and Michael Reinsdorf's second interview of the week.

The guys talk about the recent run the Pistons have been on thanks to the front-court duo of Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin. Detroit has won 9 of their last 11 games and hold the best net rating, 10.6, during that stretch. The guys talk about how this is going to be a difficult test for both Lauri Markkanen and Robin Lopez who won't have much support for their bench should things go south early in either of these games. The guys also talk about how the Bulls need to bounce back shooting threes after a slight skid in their last two games.

The guys use their second segment to discuss LeBron James passing Michael Jordan for fourth all-time on the NBA's scoring list. The guys talk about how it was sort of anti-climatic given the current state of the Los Angeles Lakers. How did they perceive the moment and what do they expect the Lakers to do going forward this offseason? Will some of the Lakers young core want out despite being on the same team as the best player in the world?

To wrap up, the guys talk about Bulls President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Reinsdorf's second interview this week on the state of the Bulls, this time with The Athletic's Stephen Noh. The guys give their thoughts on a few new details they learned and Jordan talks about one thing he gained out of it about Boylen that he didn't initial realize before. All of this and so much more on Locked On Bulls.

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LOCKED ON BULLS - 3/7/2019 - Bulls with a statement win vs. Sixers on national TV Mar 07, 2019

Show notes

Locked On Bulls is back with a fresh episode, the guys spend the entire show recapping last night's win over Jimmy Butler and the Sixers. According to Otto Porter Jr., this was the Bulls way of sending a message to the rest of the league that they are getting ready for the future.

The guys dive right into what is arguably the best game of the year for Zach LaVine and the Chicago Bulls in combination with it being their third and final game on national television. The guys discuss the role LaVine played in last night's win, his epic play in the final seconds to seal the victory for the Bulls, and also what could be considered one of the NBA's best plays of the entire year. The guys talk about how this could very well be a statement game from the young Bulls and how a win like this could be something we look back on a year or two from now as a real turning point.

The guys talk about Jimmy Butler's second game returning back to Chicago since being traded in June 2017 and his performance without Joel Embiid. The guys discuss the Bulls dominance in the paint even though they struggled for the second game in a row from three. The focus of the episode was around LaVine's game and his ability to step up from the jump (i.e. Markkanen's foul trouble early, late game decision making, and closing out big wins).

Locked On Bulls talks about Jim Boylen's comments pregame about the Bulls lack of nationally televised games and how the Bulls used that as extra motivation. The guys talk about the impact Otto Porter Jr. and Robin Lopez continue to have on the entire team. Also, who put the Rajon Rondo bobblehead in Jimmy Butler's locker before the game? All of that and so much more on Locked On Bulls.

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LOCKED ON BULLS, 3/6/2019 - Bulls-Pacers recap, Locked On Bulls Mailbag Mar 06, 2019

Show notes

Locked On Bulls is back to recap the Bulls loss to the Pacers last night and their weekly segment of Bulls Mailbag including topics such as power ranking the bottom four teams (Knicks, Cavaliers, Suns, Bulls) core, hypothetical question about the Bulls not taking Zion and why they would consider not, NBA's point guard free agent market and how Eric Bledsoe's contract extension changes things, and a look at the Bulls bench.

The guys dive right into the Bulls game from last night where they came up short against one of the NBA's best teams over the last few weeks in a loss to the Indiana Pacers, 105-96. The guys talk about how the Pacers were able to slow the Bulls tempo down and restrict Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter as three point threats. The guys discuss some critical mistakes in the fourth quarter that tipped a fairly tight game in the Pacers direction. The guys mention Robin Lopez's effective night as well as a difficult night shooting for the Bulls. The guys wrap up by mentioning Kris Dunn's performance and how they didn't expect the Bulls to leave Indianapolis winners on Tuesday.

The guys spend the rest of the show taking your mailbag questions on their weekly episode of Locked On Bulls mailbag. You can drop the show texts and voicemails at (331)-979-1369. Some of the topics on today's show include asking Jordan and Matt to power rank the bottom four teams in the NBA's current young cores and their future potential (Knicks, Cavaliers, Bulls, Suns).

Hypothetically speaking, is there any scenario in which the Bulls would consider trading out of the No. 1 pick and forfeiting the opportunity to draft Zion Williamson? How does Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe's new contract extension shift the free agent market this summer? - (bonus: the guys play a quick game of Bulls FA Pursuit: Yes, Interested, No). The guys also discuss some of the pieces to the Bulls bench and what decisions the front office will have to make this summer and why it relays back to their point about how crucial this offseason really is. All of this and so much more on Locked On Bulls.

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LOCKED ON BULLS, 3/5/2019 - Bulls-Pacers preview, Michael Reinsdorf on the state of the Bulls Mar 05, 2019

Show notes

Locked On Bulls is back with a fresh episode, the guys preview tonight's matchup against the Indiana Pacers and also discuss Bulls President Michael Reinsdorf's latest interview with the Chicago Tribune on the state of the Chicago Bulls.

Jordan and Matt kick off the show looking ahead at this week's schedule for the Bulls including tonight's matchup against the Pacers. The guys talk about the last time the Bulls squared off against Indiana and how before the month of February, it was one of the most exciting games of the season. How can the Bulls slow down the sixth best offensive team in the NBA over the last 10 games? Will the Bulls be looking at another potential win tonight with a Pacers team absent of Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis?

Locked On Bulls spends the rest of the episode debating and discussing Bulls President Michael Reinsdorf's latest interview with K.C. Johnson from The Chicago Tribune this week who addressed a variety of different topics surrounding the state of the Bulls. The guys debate whether or not fans will be angry after reading through some of the responses Reinsdorf gave to disappointing season the Bulls have been through in year two of the rebuild. Are the guys surprised that Reinsdorf is giving so much support to John Paxson, Gar Forman, and Jim Boylen?

The guys discuss whether or not it's justified to say that using past successes has been a common theme with the Bulls when criticism has been at an all-time high. The guys talk about the 2010's-Rose Era continues to feel like a crutch for a lot of mistakes made in the last few years. The guys talk about the culture built during that time and whether or not Reinsdorf believes Paxson and Forman can recreate that in today's NBA. What was the biggest disappointment of the interview? What was the biggest surprise of Reinsdorf's comments? How will Bulls fans react?

The guys talk about the overall theme of Michael Reinsdorf's comments about where he believes the Bulls rebuild is at heading into the final stretch of the season. The guys run through questions asked and answered from the voice of the Chicago Bulls and why it appears that many Bulls fans continue to feel upset after the best month of basketball we've seen this season. Locked On Bulls dives into all of this and so much more - want to be a part of the conversation? Drop a text or voicemail at (331)-979-1369 or hit the guys up on Twitter @LockedOnBulls.

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LOCKED ON BULLS, 3/4/2019 - One wild weekend vs. Atlanta Hawks Mar 04, 2019

Show notes

Locked On Bulls is back from the weekend and the guys are back to help break down an incredibly wild weekend for the Bulls in what turned out to be a marathon game on Friday and a close loss on Sunday to the Atlanta Hawks.

Jordan Maly and Matt Peck kick off the show talking about how they prepared Bulls fans on Friday's episode for what they might see offensively from both the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks this past weekend. The guys start off with some positive notes about Friday's four overtime win, 168-161 backed by Zach LaVine's career high 47-points. The guys talk about how the Bulls had multiple opportunities to close this game out in the fourth quarter and the first few overtimes and also how Atlanta had their fair share of opportunities to win this game.

Jordan and Matt seem to be split on the idea of this game being a solid win for this Bulls team. The guys discuss Lauri Markkanen's offense being absent in overtime, Zach LaVine having to take over, and Otto Porter also being stopped in the overtime periods. The guys discuss some critical mistakes by the players and coaching staff that contributed to the marathon of this game. Locked On Bulls talks about Trae Young's unbelievable night and how they were wrong about him last summer as a potential prospect.

Locked On Bulls shift their focus to some more positives from the overtime win on Friday including the defense played by Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine. Jordan brings up some advanced analytics from the overtime periods that may surprise some listeners and also talk about what he saw from both Markkanen and LaVine late. The guys discuss how the Hawks adjusted to the Bulls two best scoring options on Friday as well as Kris Dunn fouling out in the first overtime period.

The guys spend the back end of the episode discussing Sunday afternoon's game in which it looked as if both teams were still a bit gassed from Friday night. The guys talked about most notable storyline coming from this game in Trae Young being ejected and if they felt it was justified or not (hint, they don't think it was). Why does Alex Len seem to play at an All-Star level against the Chicago Bulls this season? Did the Bulls bench mob almost cost them lottery placement on Sunday? How are Bulls fans feeling after this weekend? All of this and so much more on a new episode of Locked On Bulls.

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LOCKED ON BULLS, 3/1/2019 - Bulls double dose of Hawks, ESPN Top 25 under 25, and an LOB milestone Mar 01, 2019

Show notes

Locked On Bulls is back with a fresh Friday episode, the guys breakdown in detail an important weekend series with the Atlanta Hawks, talk about ESPN's Top 25 under 25 rankings, take a few questions from their text and voicemail line, and share some show news.

Locked On Bulls kicks off the show talking about how important this weekend's back to back games against the Atlanta Hawks is for the Bulls in terms of the lottery standings. Should Bulls fans be concerned at all? The guys discuss the coming out party for two young players on the Hawks, Trae Young and John Collins, and how it compares to the month that Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen are having. The guys discuss quickly what it would mean if the Bulls complete a sweep this weekend, split the series, or lose both games.

The guys take some questions from their text and voicemail line, you can always drop them a line at (331)-979-1369. The talk about a text asking for some Bulls fans to be patient with Wendell Carter Jr. and comparing other great Chicago teams to the one the Bulls are building right now and the importance of defense. Jordan brings up the one missing piece from the this team that's currently being built from all of the other great defensive minded teams in Chicago's past.

The guys dive into a conversation about ESPN's latest ranking of the NBA's Top 25 players under 25 years old. Lauri Markkanen makes the list at No. 14 and Zach LaVine was left off the list. The guys discuss whether or not they feel these rankings were adequate, if they feel Markkanen should be placed in the Top 10, and whether or not Zach LaVine should be included in the Top 25. Locked On Bulls dives deeper into a conversation about who they would replace in the Top 10 and what they expect to see on the 2020 list. All of this and so much more on Locked On Bulls.

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LOCKED ON BULLS, 2/28/2019 - Bulls grind out a win in Memphis, ownership responding to disgruntled fans Feb 28, 2019

Show notes

Locked On Bulls is back with a fresh episode, the guys spend the episode breaking down the Bulls win in Memphis last night and also talk about the story by Stephen Noh of The Athletic on how one email from a disgruntled Bulls season ticket holder to Michael Reinsdorf turned into a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Locked On Bulls kicks off the show talking about some of the positives coming out of last night's win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The guys mention Robin Lopez logging 40 minutes and how he continues to play some of the best basketball he's played in Bulls uniform. The guys have a quick discussion on whether or not the Bulls will entertain bringing him back this offseason. The guys discuss the sloppiness of two teams at the bottom of the NBA standings, how the Bulls went away from three-point shooting in this one, another efficient night for Zach LaVine, and Kris Dunn given an opportunity to close this one out late.

The second half of the show the guys discuss an article published in The Athletic written by Stephen Noh about Bulls President Michael Reinsdorf and how one email from a long-time season ticket holder sparked a conversation that turned into a one-of-a-kind fan experience. The guys talk about how Reinsdorf has been actively responding to fans emails and calls amidst all the criticism throughout the rebuild. Jordan talks about how this is a start of building back the relationship with fans and giving some credit to ownership for allowing dedicated Bulls fans to have a voice. All of this and so much more on Locked On Bulls.

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LOCKED ON BULLS, 2/27/2019 - Bulls-Bucks recap, Bulls Mailbag (WCJ-Markkanen, Duke prospects not named Zion, LeBron discussion) Feb 27, 2019

Show notes

Locked On Bulls is back with a fresh episode, the guys break down the Bulls loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. Why the Bulls were unable to continue their win streak against a Giannis-less Bucks team. The guys also take some mailbag questions from their text and voicemail line which sparks a heated discussion about LeBron James at the end of the show.

Locked On Bulls talks about the Bulls loss to the Bucks and how the team looked drained in their third game in four nights. In the absence of Otto Porter Jr. and Kris Dunn, Jim Boylen was limited with his options off the bench and the Bucks were able to capitalize. Zach LaVine didn't have a great night shooting but he was able to be effective in other areas we don't normally see when he goes cold shooting. The guys talk about another great night for Lauri Markkanen in the loss as well as a few other notes from this game.

The guys spend the rest of the episode taking some questions from their text and voicemail line in their weekly segment of Locked On Bulls mailbag. Some of the topics on the show include a quick question about why exactly the Bulls signed Cristiano Felicio to 4-years, $32-million. A question about whether or not Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. can co-exist in the Bulls front court. What would Jordan and Matt have to be offered in order to be willing to trade Wendell Carter Jr.? Finally, the guys are sparked by a listener's question about LeBron James that ends up in a heated discussion about the Lakers and James' season. All of this and so much more on Locked On Bulls.

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LOCKED ON BULLS, 2/26/2019 - Guest, TV-Radio host David Kaplan of NBC Sports Chicago & ESPN 1000 Feb 26, 2019

Show notes

Locked On Bulls is back with a fresh episode - the guys are joined by recurring guest David Kaplan, radio host of 'Kap & Company' on ESPN 1000 and host of 'Sports Talk Live' on NBC Sports Chicago. The guys talk to Kaplan about a variety of topics including his latest interview with Bulls head coach Jim Boylen, what growth he sees in him, Zach LaVine's burst in production, and the budding star Lauri Markkanen is turning into.

David Kaplan interviewed Jim Boylen on his radio show on Monday and the guys broke down some of his thoughts 24-hours after. Does Boylen really not regret any of the decisions he made early on in his tenure as Bulls head coach or do you think he would have made some different moves given a do-over? The guys discuss how the Bulls have gone from a bottom-three team in the NBA from the month of January to one of the best offensive teams in the league in the month of February. Where is the change coming from? Who deserves the most credit for the Bulls success: the players, the coaching staff, or a little bit of both?

The guys ask Kaplan about his thoughts on the Otto Porter Jr. trade and how it's changed the perception of what the Bulls might do this summer. Does Kaplan like the direction the team is headed and does he feel Porter can continue to help this team grow? The guys circle back to an interesting question asked to Boylen about changing the guys in the room and wonder if Jabari Parker and others were not buying into Boylen's plan.

Some other topics discussed include Zach LaVine developing as more than just a scoring guard and how he is beginning to trust his teammates on the floor. The guys talk about Lauri Markkanen's success month to month since returning from injury and how he has continued to be more aggressive in all aspects of his game. What does the future hold for Kris Dunn and some other pieces of the Bulls rebuild? The guys also ask Kaplan about his favorite Norm Van Lier and Johnny "Red" Kerr stories on the 10th anniversary of their passing today.

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LOCKED ON BULLS, 2/25/2019 - Revenge is sweet, Bulls-Celtics breakdown, Markkanen-LaVine career night, Bulls-Magic recap Feb 25, 2019

Show notes

Locked On Bulls is back from the weekend to breakdown the Bulls pair of wins against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics. The guys talk about the career nights for Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine, how revenge from earlier this season can be very sweet in a dysfunctional season, and what to make of this hot streak from this team.

The guys kick off the show talking about the Boston Celtics win on Saturday night, one in which might go down as the most significant win for the Bulls players this season. The guys discuss how Zach LaVine's career high 42-points and Lauri Markkanen's 35-points was not only a statement to the Celtics but to the national media who embarrassed them for their work ethic just two months prior. The guys discuss the evolution of both Markkanen and LaVine's chemistry together, how these two have fought through adversity to get to this point, what it means for the rest of the season, and why Bulls fans should enjoy seeing the growth in the Bulls two most important pieces to the rebuild.

The guys talk about Jim Boylen's adaptation to a more modern style offense, where he's getting it from, and why he deserves a little bit of credit for allowing these players to grow. The guys discuss Otto Porter Jr.'s injury suffered in Saturday night's win and a few other minor negatives. Locked On Bulls breaks down the Bulls-Magic game from Friday night where it wasn't as pleasing as the Celtics win but nonetheless pulled out a victory on the road.

The guys also discuss Kris Dunn being absent from the fourth quarter on Saturday night and what that means for his future. Locked On Bulls talks quickly about Robin Lopez's impact on Lauri Markkanen's growth over the last few weeks and his impact beyond just the box score. All of this and so much more on Locked On Bulls.

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