Noah Way: Bulls’ Star NBA Defensive Player of Year

April 22, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Random thoughts (or what passes for them around here) while wondering whether the Chicago Bulls will win a road game in their series against the Washington Wizards to regain homecourt edge — well, provided they can win Game 2 Tuesday night at the United Center:

Pistons fans have little to be excited about. Maybe this photo of Leanna Decker will help.

* The good news for the Bulls is center Joakim Noah was honored Monday as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. The award obviously was not based on his performance in Game 1 against Nene, who had a game-high 24 points in the Wizards’ victory. That said, the area of his game that really has improved from Noah’s rookie season has been his offense. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think his career will be complete without a three-point field. Or a Bulls championship. Offhand, the three-pointer seems more likely.

* To celebrate Joakim’s award, I was thinking about seeing the movie “Noah” — until I found out it wasn’t about him. After reading a bit about the flick, I figured I might not quite like the story ark.

* The good news for the Chicago White Sox: The defeated the host Detroit Tigers 2-1 Monday. The bad news for the Sox: Left-hander Chris Sale is going on the disabled list because of a strained muscle in his throwing arm. Not to be confused with the reason that fellow Sox pitcher Felipe Paulino went on the disabled list last week: inflated earned-run average.

* The good news for the Chicago Cubs is when they have a starting pitcher go seven innings and allow only one run while he drives in four, they have a good chance to win. Such was the case vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field with left-hander Travis Wood the pitcher who did that with a three-run homer and run-scoring double. He also tied a career high with nine strikeouts. Then again, all that came against the team with the worst record in the big leagues. But, hey, if you can’t beat a bad team, who can you defeat?

* Former Bulls coach Phil Jackson took his first major step as president of the New York Knicks by firing coach Mike Woodson and the rest of the coaching staff. Steve Kerr, a former Bulls guard for Jackson who has enjoyed an excellent career as a broadcaster, reportedly is the choice to succeed Woodson. Knowing whether Carmelo Anthony will be part of the Knicks’ future just might help Kerr make up his mind — provided the job is offered to him.

* The Blackhawks returned to the home ice of the United Center and prevailed 2-0 in Game 3 to cut their deficit in their first-round series against the St. Louis Blues to 2-1. Meaning the most important contest of the series will be Game 4. Soon to be followed by the biggest game of the series: Game 5. As of this moment, it is unclear whether there will be a Game 6. If there is, it will be the biggest game of the series. Which is the way it is in the postseason.

* When the score of Sunday’s Cincinnati Reds-Cubs game was 3-0 in favor of the visitors, Cubs radio play-by-play broadcaster Pat Hughes tried to assure the listening audience there would be further scoring on a day like Sunday with the wind blowing out to left field at Wrigley Field. As usual, he was correct. Even if the faint hope the Cubs might rally failed to materialize in what became an 8-2 outcome.

* Hughes also made mention on Sunday’s broadcast of April 20 being the anniversary of the first Cubs telecast (on WBKB) with “Whispering” Joe Wilson calling the game. He did not know Wilson. That might have bowled over some listeners who remember Wilson as the guy who was the legendary voice of bowling (pre-Chris Schenkel era). Rest assured, Hughes knows who Schenkel was.

* Speaking of April 20, 1946, left-hander Harry Brecheen and the St. Louis Cardinals shut out the Cubs 2-0 at Wrigley Field. If it’s any consolation to Cubs fans (and the guess here is that it is not), that was the day the team raised the pennant for winning the National League title in 1945. Yeah, probably not much consolation, considering that was the last NL pennant the Cubs have won.

* Ex-Cub of the day: Newly anointed New York Mets closer Kyle Farnsworth picked up the save in a 2-0 victory vs. the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. He gave up a leadoff single but induced a double play and a groundout to post his first save and lower his earned-run average to 0.96.

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