It’s a bittersweet number for the aging icon.

Michael Jordan has, perhaps, the most famously combative personality in the history of professional sports. His career was largely fueled by a perception of slight that wasn’t ever as real as Jordan would like to make it seem. Jordan wasn’t really cut from his high school basketball team, and not many have ever TRULY doubted him. However, in the mind of Michael Jordan the notion of being discounted was a driving force.

It’s what made him the greatest of all-time.

Now, at 49, Michael Jordan slips into a phase of his life that seems foreign. It’s not obscurity, because a man with the sort of star-power that Michael Jordan possesses could never be labeled as obscure. However, with his playing days distant on the horizon in his rear-view mirror, that combativeness hasn’t served the aging star nearly as well as it had as a player.

Jordan’s resume as an executive has been largely lackluster, and though you can’t go as far as to say that it’s left a stain on Jordan’s legacy, you can say that it looks out of place compared to his resume as a player.

Next year, when he hits 50, MJ’s odd middle-aged years will probably get odder, and as the space between the present and the past continues to grow, players like LeBron and Kobe will continue to challenge Mike as the greatest of all-time.

But, at the end of the day, we may doubt Michael’s skills as an NBA executive, but very few can doubt Michael’s status as the greatest. So have a happy birthday MJ. Chicago still loves ya.

This is James’ second stint with the Bulls this season since he has already filled-in for the injured Rose this season. James was waived Jan. 28.

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The Bulls are coming off a nine-game road trip and are now starting a six-game home stand that leads into the All-Star break, with the plan being to rest Derrick Rose whenever they can. Back-up point guards C.J. Watson and John Lucas III will be tasked with filling in for the Rose while he recovers from spasms.

The Bulls are 5-2 in games without Derrick Rose thus far, and it’s clear that the Bulls front office is content to rest Derrick in hopes that he’ll be healthy for the playoffs and the seemingly inevitable rematch in the Eastern Conference Finals with the Miami Heat.

After previously signing NBA veteran Mike James with Rose and Watson both injured earlier in the year, it appears that the Bulls will not be in the market for help at the point guard position.

The Bulls host Sacramento, Boston and New Jersey this week.

During his return to the starting five, the Bulls have opened up their last two games in fine offensive fashion scoring 67 in the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks and 62 points in the first half against the Nets.

While Deng was sidelined, the Bulls where desperately looking for another playmaker to take some of the scoring load off of the reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose. But is Deng that play making player?

One might argue that there is a direct correlation between the Bulls high offensive numbers and the return of Deng, and that would not be a bad argument. Also, after the loss the Bulls suffered to the Miami Heat on Jan. 29, many fans felt that had Deng been healthy, the Bulls would have had enough offense to put away the Heat. I am not about to disagree with these last two statements, but I do want to raise the caution flag and ponder a few curiosities.

First, considering that Deng remains healthy for the remainder of the season, can he continue to ignite the Bulls’ offense on a nightly basis?

For the most part of his career, Deng has been recognized as a player who can put up 15-20 points and space the floor a little for Rose. Never was he considered a player who can constantly create his own shot or a big-time playmaker that can make plays similar to those of Rose. And with all due respect, it is not too impressive to have great offensive nights against the Nets or Bucks, especially when you consider that Rose seems to really bring his best game against other well-known NBA point guards aka Brandon Jennings and Deron Williams, which helps open up the floor for every teammate he has on the court with him.

Second, do the Bulls really ‘Beat the Heat’ if they have a healthy Deng?

To begin, I do not want to leave out that C.J. Watson was also not fit to play in the game versus the heat and the people that argued the Bulls would have beat the Heat with a healthy Deng included a healthy Watson in that argument as well. But let’s be fair, Deng is going to be a much bigger part of beating the heat than Watson so we’ll keep our radar locked in on Deng. If the question relates to beating the Heat on Jan. 29, then yes, I do agree that with a healthy Deng the Bulls would have defeated the Heat. However, that is still just speculation. But sports require a lot of speculating. If the question meant, can we defeat Miami in a playoff series, then I would still reply yes, but we would need a completely healthy staff which hasn’t really been the case for most of this year. But, once again, that’s just simple speculation.

What Bulls fans do know for sure is that the entire offense has been heating up and they must continue to remain in good form with Rose suffering back spasm as off late to go along with his already injured toe. If he is forced to sit, then that decision will be determined shortly. Regardless, Rose will need as much help as he can get moving forward. To begin, let’s see if the Bulls can stick to their winning ways tonight against the New Orleans Hornets.

Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

In Chicago’s 76-74 win over Atlanta, Derrick Rose didn’t just take over the game – he sent a message to the NBA.

Up until the 4th quarter, all the players in this game looked extremely tired. Maybe it was due to the compact scheduling of shortened season. The Bulls scored an embarrassing 24 points in the first half, making a grand total of 6 shots. The Hawks, who gave the Heat their first loss of the season, seemed to get whatever they wanted through the first 3 quarters. The first 3 quarters were highlighted by Al Horford alley-oops and a rare Tracy McGrady siting. Sitting in section 226, it was obvious that the crowd was extremely disappointed with the performance, even booing Carlos Boozer, for real, after a turnover.

At the beginning of the 4th Tom Thibedaeu did something slightly crazy. After Joakim Noah picked up his 3rd and 4th fouls he was benched until the last seconds of the game. Carlos Boozer sat the entire 4th quarter. Both Omer Asik and Kyle Korver outplayed three of the Bulls starters.

Thibedaeu wasn’t trying to send a message to Noah and Boozer, he was telling Derrick Rose to take over and win the game. He did just that.

Down 16 to begin the 4th, the Bulls defense began to get stops and Rose pushed the ball in transition. He created easy shots for his teammates and was able to get to and finish at the basket. Rose took over first by controlling the tempo of the game, he made the Hawks play at his pace. Then he took it over by scoring the ball.

Rose had 17 of his 30 points in the last period and assisted on 3 pointers by Korver and Deng. He wowed the crowd with an ankle-breaking crossover on Jeff Teague that literally had me screaming and jumping out of my seat and got to the free throw line. Then he capped the comeback by making a go-ahead layup over Josh Smith.

The Bulls finally won the game on an inbounds play where Noah found Deng for a backdoor cut. By this point, the crowd had already lost it because they knew they had watched a superstar work his magic. Rose finished with 30 points and 7 assists.

This win could be viewed as sloppy for the Bulls, only scoring 76 points but I think this young Chicago team used it to send a message, especially Derrick Rose. Tonight, Rose wanted to tell the NBA that he’s better than last year and will do anything to win a championship.

It really pays to be the MVP.

After signing a 5 year, $95 Million dollar extension with the Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose is set to cash in again. Reports say that Adidas has offered him a 10 year, $250 Million dollar shoe contract. It’s referred to in the basketball shoe business as a lifetime deal.

The reason Adidas offered Rose such a huge contract, essentially $25 million a year for the next 10 years, was to compete with the sales of Kobe Bryant’s shoe in China. Rose’s shoe already outsells Lebron James’s and Adidas is trying to be the hottest seller in the Chinese market. Reports say Adidas had been planning this extension since 2008, much respect for sticking to their guy.

Rose has mentioned he wants to play in Chicago for the rest of his career. With his instant success, the hometown support, and now Adidas shoes for life, Rose has no reason to leave. His circumstances differ from the likes of Lebron James and Chris Paul. The Bulls are a big market team, with money to spend in the future. 5 years from now, Derrick Rose will have no decisions to make, he’ll just quietly sign a new contract.

During the press conference where he announced his signing of his extension with the Bulls, Rose said “We finally made it Mom.” He said this deal won’t change who he is and he will continue to be humble and work hard. Derrick Rose has massively improved his game in each offseason, which is attributed to his dedication and hard work towards the game of basketball.

All NBA fans have to respect Rose for what he does on the court, but what he does off the court makes him a special player. Growing up in Chicago, basketball is an obsession of all kids in the inner city. High School Basketball players in Chicago have a dedication to greatness and Derrick Rose is a byproduct of this. I had an opportunity to see Rose play at Simeon High School when I was just an 8th grader. I was just amazed at his talent and the presence he carried on the court. Rose still lives with some of his Simeon teammates in the city, which shows his loyalty to the people who help make him who he is today.

All these characteristics, in my opinion, validate his comments of winning multiple championships and remaining in Chicago for the rest of his career.

Los Angeles was leading 87-86 with :20 seconds left in the game and had the ball. An inbound pass intended for Kobe Bryant was tipped and intercepted by Luol Deng. The Bulls forward galloped down the floor and got away with a near traveling violation as he dished the ball off to Joakim Noah. The Bulls center handed the ball to Rose and the rest is history. Rose made a dash to the lane past Kobe Bryant (pictured above) and stopped just inside the free throw line as he lifted a one-handed floater over two defenders for the unreal bucket.

The next possession, Kobe Bryant drove the lane and was at the basket when he was met by three Bulls defenders, namely Luol Deng and Joakim Noah. Deng got credit for the block, but Noah was right behind his teammate had the ball slipped past him. Bryant was in stun silence, for once having nothing to complain about because the block was clean.

With 3:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Bulls sam themselves trailing by 11 points on the road against the legendary Lakers, but overcame all adversity to exit with the huge win and their first victory of the 2011 season.

Rose scored on a reverse lay-up that saw the youngest MVP in NBA history get smashed in the back of the head. The gritty competitor remained in the game to set-up Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer for buckets, cutting the deficit to five points. Joakim Noah swiped the ball away from Byrant that led to a Luol Deng fastbreak dunk.

A host of missed free throws by Pau Gasol and Josh McRoberts kept the Bulls alive. Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer both scored, to cut the lead to three points. Two Deng free throws cut the deficit to one point, 87-86, before the Rose heroics.

Derrick Rose played Scrooge on Sunday against the Lakers. The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player scored a team-high 22 points, alongside five assists. However, if Rose was Scrooge, Luol Deng was definitely the Grinch that stole the Lakers Christmas. Deng chipped in with 21 points, seven boards, 3 assists and one gigantic steal and block. The Bulls forward stole the inbound pass that led to the eventual game-winning basket, then he blocked Kobe Bryant’s last shot attempt of the game as the horn sounded. Deng was the MVP of the Chicago Bulls first contest, but Derrick Rose would gladly accept co-MVP honor’s.

Rip Hamilton’s Chicago Bulls debut was a quiet one, as he scored just six points. He will get better as he begins to understand the offense. Carlos Boozer scored 15 points with six boards, while Joakim Noah was all over the floor as usual with six points, nine rebounds, two assists and three steals.

Kobe Bryant’s ailing wrist didn’t look like there were any torn ligaments inside of it, as he poured in a game-high 28 points, alongside seven boards and six assists. Pau Gasol added 14 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, but missed multiple critical free throws down the stretch.

The Chicago Bulls move their record to 1-0 on the season and now will head to Golden State. There is not going to be much downtime between games this season, as Chicago gets back to action Monday against the Warriors for a 9:30 p.m. central time start. Tom Thibodeau will be seeking to lead his team to their second straight west coast victory to start the 2011 campaign. Look for Rip Hamilton to get in going Monday night against an up-tempo minded Warriors. Mark Jackson has stressed defense to the Warriors, but they are a long way from being legitimate defensively.

Follow Tony Piraro on Twitter @TonyPiraro

Chicago was the No. 1 overall seed in the Eastern Conference last season, with a remarkable 62-20 record. They boasted the best defense in the NBA, the Coach of the Year and the league’s Most Valuable Player. The Bulls are more than ready for another championship run.

Former Marquette standout Jimmy Butler was the Bulls first choice in the NBA Draft this past off-season. Butler is coming in as a defensive specialist, keying on stopping the star shooting guards/small forwards of the league like Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. At 6-feet, 7-inches Butler has nice size for a rookie, and does have an above average offensive game, but he can’t be expected to slow down the leagues best players in his first professional season.

Last season, the Bulls displayed one of the deepest teams in the NBA. Role players are vital to a teams success and the Bulls have plenty of role players in the mix that contribute on a routine basis. C.J. Watson, Kyle Korver, Taj Gibson, Ronnie Brewer and Omer Asik compile one of the most talented benches in the NBA. With the addition of Rip Hamilton, the 2010 starting point guard Keith Bogans will move to the bench, adding more depth.

The best part about this Bulls team is they’re young, the No. 2 youngest team in the league to be exact. That means they have room to improve, their ceiling is collectively very high. When your leader and youngest MVP in NBA history is just gracing 23 years old, you can understand the optimism in the Windy City.

A 26-year old Joakim Noah returns to full strength after a healthy off-season recovery and is expected to do big things in the paint for Chicago in 2011. When healthy, Noah is one of the best interior defenders in the game. The other 26-year old in the starting line-up, Luol Deng, looks like a man on a mission early this pre-season. He is a little bigger, a little stronger, looking primed and ready for a long 66-game season. Even Carlos Boozer is listed as healthy…for the time being. It is only a matter of time before the Bulls rid themselves of the expensive Boozer, and his non-existent defensive prowess.

Chicago is prepared to make another run at the No. 1 overall seed in the Eastern Conference this season, but they are more interested in winning a title. The addition of Rip Hamilton has brought arguably one of the best mid-range shooters in the game to a team who desperately needed a shooting guard. The under-the-radar move may be the acquisition that pushes the Bulls over the top. We will find out soon, as Chicago will tip-off against the depleted Los Angeles Lakers in a Christmas Day showdown to open the NBA season on Sunday. It will be a season to remember for the Chicago Bulls franchise and their fanbase.

Follow Tony Piraro on Twitter @TonyPiraro

Luol Deng came into the game with a new haircut and left tied for a team-high in scoring with 16 of his own points, alongside six boards. Joakim Noah just missed a double-double, going for 10 points and eight boards. CJ Watson and Taj Gibson combined to score 27 points off the bench for Chicago.

Tyler Hanbrough led the way for Indiana with a game-high 19 points and 12 rebounds. Paul George also had a double-double with his 17-point, 10-rebound performance on Friday. Danny Granger scored 12 points on a 5-for-17 shooting night.

Chicago came out of the gates slow in their first game since the Eastern Conference Finals Game-5 against the Heat last season. Derrick Rose committed six turnovers in the game, as his Bulls trailed by 11 points after the first quarter. The Bulls regrouped to the tune of 30-14 second quarter advantage, taking the lead into halftime. Chicago was extremely careless with the basketball throughout the game, naturally showing signs of rust in their first contest.

It was a back and forth game, which the Bulls took over midway through the fourth quarter. The game seemed to mirror the two teams’ 1st-round playoff series last season that saw Chicago blow through Indiana in just five games.

Last year the Bulls ended the Pacers season with a first round playoff defeat, but Indiana is looking for revenge this season. This year Indiana has added some firepower in the form of David West. The Bulls too have added a little more offense to the fray with the addition of Rip Hamilton. Both players did not participate in Friday’s game.

Both teams will match up one more time before the season tips off on Tuesday from the United Center in Chicago. It will be a 7:30 p.m. local time tip-off in the 2011 preseason finale. After a short 2-game preseason, the real thing starts on Christmas Day for the Chicago Bulls as they open up their 2011-12 campaign in Los Angeles against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

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According to ESPN, “Terms of the deal were not announced, although the Chicago Tribune reported Hamilton will sign a two-year deal for $10 million, and the third year is a team option with partial guarantees on $5,150,000.”

I don’t care about Ben Gordon, Jalen Rose or Ron Mercer…possibly the best three shooting guards to play the 2-guard position for the Chicago Bulls since the late 1990′s. I am only concerned with Rip Hamilton right now. Something Rip does, that the three names mentioned above have never been accused of doing, is playing defense. Hamilton is a former NBA Champion and NCAA Champion at UConn, but has been forgotten about after years of misery in the motor city.

Nobody will be forgetting about Hamilton as a member of the Chicago Bulls. The shooting guard will take over in the Chicago starting line-up for last years shooting guard Keith Bogans….pause for shock and laughter. Yes, the team that lost to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals last season had Keith Bogans starting at guard for them. I’d say Hamilton is a considerable leap at the position.

“He’ll have to answer all of (the questions) right now,” Derrick Rose said Wednesday. “He’s someone Chicago’s been asking for, a two. I guess, a legit two. He’s won a championship and his resume speak for itself.”

Rose went on to add, ”You can put him in any situation. Floppy, isolation, he posts up. Being that (skinny), he’s got a nice post-up game,” said Rose. “He knows how to get fouled and with that weapon, I think that will make the game easier on the whole team.”

Hamilton averaged 14 points per game last season with Detroit. It was his lowest average total points per game in a season since his rookie year in the NBA with the Washington Wizzards. However, last years Detroit team quit on their coach and city with a bunch of mismanaged talent. Chicago’s head coach Tom Thibedeau will not allow the same to happen to the 2011 Chicago Bulls.

There will be no complacency in the windy city, I can guarantee you that with Derrick Rose around. This may not be the most publicized move of the NBA off-season, but it will be a move that could help Chicago get over the hump that is LeBron James this season. Hamilton is a proven winner and a veteran presence which was desperately needed with the current Chicago Bulls team.

Rip Hamilton’s press conference to the Chicago media will take place Thursday afternoon.

Follow Tony Piraro on Twitter @TonyPiraro