Bulls Might Take Note: LeBron Scores 61

Random thoughts (or reasonable facsimiles thereof) while wondering what is preventing LeBron James from averaging 35-plus points per game.

Throwback Tuesday: Playboy’s 2013 March Playmate Ashley Doris.

* Miami Heat star James had 61 points Monday in defeating the visiting Charlotte Bobcats 124-107. He was 22-of-33 from the field. He made his first eight three-point attempts. Chances are excellent that the Chicago Bulls will limit him to fewer than 60 points. Or at least make him work harder when the teams meet Sunday afternoon at the United Center.

* Speaking of scoring 61 points, the Bulls almost did entering the fourth quarter of their eventual 96-80 loss to the host Brooklyn Nets. The Bulls managed 59. A day after committing a franchise-record three turnovers in defeating the New York Knicks, the Bulls had 29 against the Nets. Like many NBA teams, the Bulls can be so consistently inconsistent.

* On the bright side from the Bulls-Nets game (at least in terms of society possibly learning to treat all human beings as human beings), backup center Jason Collins made his home debut for the Nets. The crowd gave him a standing ovation when he entered the game with 2:41 left in the fourth quarter. Collins recently became the first openly gay player in an American major sport. “t was a lot of fun to go into the game,” said Collins, who had one rebound and one steal. “The most important thing was that we got the win. Chicago’s been playing really well as of late and for us to come out and really be — I think we played more physical than they did tonight.”

* The Bulls’ Jimmer Fredette era, day 2: The backup guard had two points (1-of-2 from the field) in three minutes. Plans for a statue outside the United Center are on hold. Well, they would be if there were any such plans.

* Speaking of United Center statue plans (real or imagined), Bulls center Joakim Noah — who recorded a triple-double Sunday — had a single-double (10 points) vs. the Nets. He also had six turnovers, his same number of rebounds in the game. A day after his career-high 14 assists, he recorded one vs. the Nets. Because first-year coach Jason Kidd is a defensive genius? The guess here is Noah’s numbers were impacted more by a twisted ankle suffered Sunday than by any tactics the Nets employed.

* Condolences to the family of Bulls and White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf whose son David died Monday at age 51.

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