NBA

For Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks, something didn't seem right at the Wachovia Center Wednesday night.

When Ben Gordon tossed an alley-oop to rookie Tyrus Thomas and he slammed it down for a reverse dunk in a lane of traffic, a sold out United Center crowd was certain they were in the wrong p

Since the trade deadline, Luol Deng has quietly proved each game that John Paxson did the right thing by not trading him for that bearded giant from Memphis. Such was the case in Sunday's game, as Deng stepped up to shut down the Celtics' five-time All-Star Paul Pierce and help the Bulls roll to a 94-78 win in Boston.

The Bulls finally found out just how good it feels to be a bully. The wedgies, the purple-nurples, the swirlies, the 24-point beatings . apparently picking on someone smaller and weaker was just what the doctored ordered.

Last night the Bulls went into Miami standing tall, having won three games in a row and feeling confident they could repeat their opening-night historic win against the Heat and notch their fourth win in a row.

After fending off a motivated Hornets team at the United Center Friday night and coming back from 18 points behind in the fourth-quarter to beat the Bucks in OT in Milwaukee Sunday, the Bulls suddenly find themselves on a roll. And according to general manager John Paxson, the frenzy for the streaking Bulls has hit a fever pitch in Chicago.

When rookie Thabo Sefolosha heard Scott Skiles mispronounce his name and tell him to get in the game with more than 30 minutes left, the entire crowd at the United Center knew the game was in the Bulls' hands.