On Friday, Joakim Noah anchored a win over the Detroit Pistons with a 30 point, 23 rebound performance.

HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: No Matter what he does on the floor, he will still be as hated as any player in the league.

Some picks may surprise, but the decisions are in. Here are our picks for midseason NBA awards. 

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: The real question is can they keep it going?

Joakim Noah brings out the haters, even in a state where people should love him.

HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: The woman in the now famous picture has quite a sordid past.

Who said that Derrick Rose’s Chicago Bulls were one player away from winning the title? Anyone saying this over and over again is wrong. What makes you think this? What makes you feel this? The Bulls lack a quality shooting guard. That is true, but that does not make them just one player away. When was the last time this was said about another team? Did LeBron in Cleveland need one more player? What about Dirk’s team or Kobe when the Lakers got Pau?

Game 1 is in the books. The Chicago Bulls woke up a lot of critics, 103-82. Led by Derrick Rose's 28 points and 6 assists, his performance was fine considering that he out dueled Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. Both men did not even dial in 20 points, but Chris Bosh poured in 30 points. Miami's supporting cast could not get anything going as usual. However, the talk of the night belongs to Taj Gibson's dunks. One was on Dwyane Wade. The other one, which was a nasty put back, probably destroyed a planet somewhere. Lawd have mercy, things got nasty. Heat fans and critics were shocked. Don't be. They have been doing the business all season.

A team still needs a good quality big to win a title unless you’re Michael Jordan. They’re a hard commodity to come by. Consider nabbing these towers of power. Hold them ransom for trades. There are not many good big men left in today’s era so their value is twice as high. Will we ever see a Hakeem Olajuwon type center ever again? If you do, take him no matter what over the point guards. Stats as of December 3, 2010.

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The Bulls finally have an official legit All Star power forward. Carlos Boozer is the team’s best “back to the basket” low post scorer since Michael Jordan. That’s tragic because the drought has been 12 years. Chicago has been starving for low post stud and here he is. We still do not know Derrick Rose’s potential and the severity of Joakim Noah’s foot problems. Overall, The Bulls definitely made an answer in the 2010 offseason.

If you're watching the Bulls-Cavs game right now, feel free to join us as we liveblog the action. Just leave a comment in the box to let us know what you're thinking as you watch the game and we'll add you as a participant.

In her second exclusive feature for HoopsVibe, Marija Kero tells us in no uncertain terms how she feels about Joakim Noah, Mark Cuban and the unscrupulous women that roam the streets of New York in search of NFL prospects.  Bonus feature: The emoticons make a comeback!

The regular has ended some time ago and it’s time to touch on the players and moments that made this season memorable. The playoffs just started and it is going to take awhile to determine the champion, but I’d like take this time to look back at stuff that impacted the season and future to come. Hold up. There will be some moments that did not impact the season. It was just funny to point out.  Dwight Howard wins another Defensive Player of the Year, Scott Brooks wins Coach of the Year, and Aaron Brooks won Most Improved Player. We can safely assume that LeBron James won Most Valuable Player.

I’m the most diehard Chicago Bulls fan on HoopsVibe so it only makes sense that I voice my opinion about the situation. Because I can.

Yes. Marc Gasol is a very key player on our team. He’s one of the best centers in the league and will end up being the best center in the NBA in 2-3 years.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: There’s having a teammate’s back. Then there's stretching the truth for a teammate.

How do view Greivis Vasquez’s comment that fellow Memphis Grizzly Marc Gasol will soon be the NBA’s best center?

The younger Gasol has made strides. He’s already a top-ten center and, as the second half and playoff showed, there’s room for further growth.  

Could he honestly become the NBA’s best center?

Suppose Gasol reaches his potential. The Spaniard still wouldn't top the Olando Magic’s Dwight Howard, who is seen as ‘The Man in the Middle’.

Grizz’ executive Christopher Wallace (not that Christopher Wallace as my esteemed editor jokes) would take Howard over Gasol if given the choice.

Privately, behind closed doors, the Notorious GM (again, hat tip to my editor) would surely go with the rebounding champion.

Would Wallace take Gasol over Andrew Bynum, Al Horford, Nene, and Joakim Noah? How about the next group of fives with Andrew Bogut, Al Jefferson, Brook Lopez, and Emeka Okafor?

Howard and Bynum aside, Vasquez could argue Gasol is equal to or better than any of these players. There'd be a counter argument, though.

Vasquez is stretching the truth to suggest Gasol would ever be superior to Howard. At least his hyperbole is for a good cause: a teammate.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment boxes below.

"You can't have two of your top high-paid players sitting on the bench in the fourth quarter," Pippen said. "And that isn't just last night's game. We have seen this the whole season. So for us to think the Bulls are going to go farther when your high-priced players are not going to carry you and finish games for you ... you're not talking about a championship team.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: One day after comparing LeBron James to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen went at Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah.

The Hall of Fame three-man blamed this duo for the Bulls loss to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, saying that no team wins a championship with their second and third best players on the bench during the fourth quarter.

Pippen is right. However, Noah is still young and gets a partial mulligan on his uneven play.

The real issue is Boozer. Last summer, he signed a $75 million extension to be Derrick Rose’s running mate. The four-man was expected to be a second-in-command, a co-capo if you will.

Boozer has been a disappointment. Sure, he was injured for much of the season, but the real problem is that the Bulls offense revolves around Rose.

And for the Bulls to get past Miami in 2012, they need more from Boozer. Or they’ll have to find a new second star.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Joakim Noah has to be better than this.

The Chicago Bulls post screamed an anti-gay slur at Miami Heat fans after getting into foul trouble in the first half.

To be fair, Noah apologized, saying he got ‘caught up’. He seemed genuine, but the NBA will levy a massive fine –and rightfully so.

Noah can’t yell at fans. And Noah can’t yell anti-gay slurs at fans.

Not after Kobe Bryant’s slip-up. Not after a Phoenix Suns executive recently came out. Not with the league running public service announcements denouncing homophobia at the Heat-Bulls game.

Watch the video and get at us with thoughts on Noah in the comment box below. 

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

The Bulls center huddled with Chris Bosh inside Chicago's Trump International Hotel and Tower over the summer without any preconceived notions. He simply wanted the guy sitting across from him at Sixteen restaurant to show a fire and passion about joining the Bulls.

Bosh didn't. "He was a nice guy and all,'' Noah said of his recruitment of Bosh during the free-agent frenzy. "But Bosh was more into, 'Well it depends on what this guy does, what that guy does.'''

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Of course, Chris Bosh wasn’t serious about the Chicago Bulls.

The fix was in. It had been for years.

Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade knew they were signing with the Miami Heat last summer. They knew this since the Beijing Olympics, where they bonded as teammates.

Free agency was a charade. James and Wade’s recent comments about coming to Chicago should be taken with a grain of salt.

If James was serious about Chicago he’d have responded to Derrick Rose’s texts, where the table-setter tried welcoming him.

He didn’t, though. James knew what he was going to do: he was `taking his talent to South Beach’.

Fair enough. This was James` right as free agent. Same with Bosh and Wade.

They could pick where they played and with who. The problem was how –as in how they, specifically Bosh and James, handled the situation.

Bottom line: this is old news. The Heat has their Three Kings. The Bulls have Rose and a superb supporting cast.

As a result, fans should get an excellent Eastern Conference Finals.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

“We have the best closer in the world,” said Joakim Noah, who had 11 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. “Everybody knows it. They know it. We know it. Their coach knows it. They all say it. They have no problems saying it. We all know it. That gives you confidence for your team.”

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The Bulls have agreed to terms on a contract extension with Joakim Noah, a team source confirmed. The deal is expected to be in the neighborhood of $60 million over five years.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The Chicago Bulls have their blue-collar star. For an additional six seasons. 

Love him or hate him, Jaokim Noah is an All-World role player. He bangs. He defends. He rebounds. Best of all, he’s fearless.

For instance, last year, he scored major points for stepping to LeBron James, who was acting like the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Bulls was an episode of Soul Train.

The term and money is fair. Noah probably could have gotten more as an unrestricted free agent on the open market.

Then again, things could change next July when the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires. A new, stricter system will surely be implemented.

So Noah and the Bulls opted for the middle ground. This makes sense when considering the potential of this young team.

--Oly Sandor.

-Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

The Chicago Bulls are interested in trading for the Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony, a league source told ESPNChicago.com on Thursday.

And while the source said that the team is holding internal discussions as to whether the Bulls would allow Joakim Noah to be part of any deal, Chicago has not reached a consensus. Another source close to the situation told ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell that Noah would not be part of an Anthony deal.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Chemistry trumps talent.

The Chicago Bulls should remember this theory when pursuing disgruntled Denver Nuggets’ star Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony is talented. He’s a natural scorer, capable of dropping 25 points on opposing defences while barely breaking a sweat. And his panache, and style is marketable.

Adding a dominant player and personality like Anthony is also a risk. His need for touches and shots changes the chemistry and dynamics of any team he suits up for.

For instance, the Nuggets may hold out for Joakim Noah as compensation for Anthony. Losing Noah, their defensive anchor and gritty post, would change the Bulls’ identity.

Then there’s Carlos Boozer. Anthony’s score-first approach would impact Boozer, the club’s free agent signing this summer. Boozer is no longer a blue-collar big –like when he suited up for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Like Anthony, he needs touches and shots.

Of course, the Bulls are Derrick Rose’s team. He’s the franchise face and first option. Initially, Anthony would have to defer to the third year point guard.

Is this something he would do? Is this something he can do?

Anthony has always been The Man. He might be reluctant to play second fiddle –even if it meant a long-term extension, playing in a major market, and suiting up for a competitive team.

So the Bulls are interested in Anthony’s talent. Fair enough. They should consider if he`s worth altering, or compromising, their chemistry.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

After chatter kicked up on Thursday that the Bulls could include Joakim Noah in a possible deal for Carmelo Anthony, ESPN.com's Marc Stein provided some updates on Friday morning.

"Be advised that the Bulls are actually working on something else Noah-related: Getting him locked in for the long term with a contract extension," Stein wrote.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: He’s the second coming of super-utility man Horace Grant, so the Chicago Bulls must re-sign Joakim Noah.

Like Grant, Noah does the little things. He rebounds. He defends. He blocks shots. Best of all, he’s nasty.
 
Last year, during a blow-out loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Noah took exception to LeBron James turning Quicken Loans Arena into Soul Train with his celebratory dance moves.

So he stepped up.

From the bench, Noah challenged James for his lack of respect. Words were exchanged. The two had to be separated.

Such guts are rare. James is an elite player; a superstar who sits atop the NBA pyramid. Noah still spoke up, earning the respect of teammates and former coach Vinny Del Negro.

Noah will blossom under defensive guru Tom Thibodeau. The first-year sideline boss will use the power forward as a defensive anchor, while encouraging him to contribute on the offensive end.     

First, however, the Bulls and Noah must agree on an extension. Or, like Grant, he could eventually leave as a free agent.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
 

"Whatever jersey I'm wearing, I'm still here," Wade said. "I'm still in the community, I think I'm doing something impactful and bigger than the game of basketball. It had nothing to do with Chicago. It had nothing to do with the Chicago Bulls. It had everything to do with Miami and what we had a chance to do down there."

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose, and the Chicago Bulls would've been nice; however, Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and the Miami Heat is better -at least for Dwyane Wade.

So the superstar said thanks, but no thanks to his hometown. This is just another storyline in the developing rivalry between Chicago and Miami.

Both clubs competed for big-ticket free agents this summer. Miami won the battle landing the Three Kings, but Chicago with Carlos Boozer, Noah, and Rose could still win the war for Eastern Conference supremacy.

And Bulls fans will have plenty of chances to heckle Wade for picking Miami over his native Chicago.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Bulls center Joakim Noah wants a long-term deal with the team and hopes to have one in place by the start of the season. Noah says his agent, Donald Dell, has already begun discussing a possible contract extension with Chicago general manager Gar Forman.

"Of course that's the goal," Noah said. "I'm not really worried about it. I think everything's going to happen with time and at the end of the day, I'm really excited about the upcoming season."

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From what I've heard it's in Portland's hands now for what they want. I've heard the Bulls have a pretty good shot, but nothing matters until it's done. Let's not overstate Fernandez, who always has sounded better than he has performed. But he'd be an excellent addition, and as I wrote Monday the No. 1 guy I'd still pursue.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: They're already contenders, so why risk it?

The Chicago Bulls have had a terrific summer, signing Ronnie Brewer, Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Kurt Thomas, and CJ Watson. The six-time world champions already had Luol Deng, Taj Gibson, Joakim Noah, and Derrick Rose.  

These new additions plus the old nucleus should position the club to compete in the Eastern Conference. Adding the wrong piece - like a talented but temperamental perimeter player - could be disastrous, though.

Why roll the dice on Rudy Fernandez, who performed and pouted through two up-and-down seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers?

Fernandez, a star in Europe, couldn't handle sitting behind All-Star Brandon Roy. It didn't matter that he was a key reserve on a promising squad. And it didn't matter that he was in a terrific market, either.

There wasn't enough shine in Portland, which led to Fernandez recently taking his trade requests public, something European publications had hinted at for months.

Chicago must tread carefully with Fernandez. The Spanish swing's athleticism and shooting could fit; however, he may struggle as a blending piece behind Boozer and Rose.

Unfortunately, they may not have a choice. The Eastern Conference is in arms-race mode, with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Orlando Magic outdoing each other with signings and trades.

To keep pace in the Eastern Conference, to have any chance of advancing to the NBA Finals, Chicago will have to take the risk and acquire Fernandez.

He better make it worth their while.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Derrick Rose reportedly preferred the Bulls to sign Joe Johnson instead of LeBron James, according to multiple people that spoke with Brian Windhorst.

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Adrian Wojnarowski: ``Source briefed on meeting with Bulls Friday tells Y! that Dwyane Wade`s interest in Chicago is for real``.

(Yahoo Sports, Twitter)

HoopsVibe`s Very Quick Call: Of course, his `interest is for real`.

Dwyane Wade grew up in Chicago. The Windy City has a certain hometown appeal for the athletic two-guard.

The Bulls` supporting cast also gives them an edge on every other suitor. After all, Derrick Rose is a superstar point guard, capable of creating for others and getting his own shot, while Joakim Noah is a physical, blue-collar post.

Keep in mind Chicago can offer Wade and another superstar a maximum contract, so the 2006 NBA Finals MVP will have help in the form of Chris Bosh or maybe even LeBron James.

When conisdering all the angles, it`s easy to see why Wade`s `interest is for real`.

-- Oly Sandor. 

Got thoughts? Well, get at us in the comment box  below!

An NBA executive told The New York Times that, based on discussions with other team officials, he believes that LeBron James and Chris Bosh have already decided to sign with the Bulls.

In that case, James' meetings with teams this coming week would be merely a formality.

"I think it's a done deal," the executive said about James departing Cleveland for Chicago and taking Bosh with him.

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To listen to World Wide Wes, LeBron will never look back on Cleveland. “He’s up out of there,” is the way he tells it to people, but LeBron’s Akron crew has to tsk-tsk such public talk because they all live in Northeast Ohio, and maybe always will. "We're going to Chicago," WIlliam Wesley tells people," "and Chris Bosh is coming, too." 

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: 'World Wide Wes', one of the NBA's great power brokers, believes the Chicago Bulls are poised for a big off-season. And he's right.

After dealing Kirk Hinrich and their 17th pick in Thursday's draft and getting nothing but cap space back, the Bulls have the financial flexibility to tender two max' contracts.

So The Windy City could sign LeBron James and bring in Chris Bosh, too. 

Other clubs - the Miami Heat and New York Knicks - can also offer a pair of max contracts, but the Bulls distinguish themselves by already having a star point guard in Derrick Rose and an established four-man with Joakim Noah.

Such a supporting cast may be enough for James to turn his back on the Cleveland Cavaliers -even though they can offer the most money, longest term, and he grew up in nearby Akron, Ohio.  

Even if James gets sentimental and re-signs with the Cavaliers, the Bulls could turn to superstar Joe Johnson, which isn't a bad plan-B.

Bottom line: Chicago is the team to watch this summer. 

Got thoughts?

Jalen Rose: ``It is almost CERTAIN that LEBRON JAMES WILL NOT be returning to the CAVS!”

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HoopsVibe`s Very Quick Call: Rose, an analyst for ESPN, also tweets that the Bulls, Clippers, and Heat are the top three destinations for James.

Of course, all these organizations have issues: the Bulls - a contender because of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah - have unstable management with GM John Paxson going all 'Fight Club' on former coach Vinny Del Negro; the Clippers have talented players, but an awful owner in Donald Sterling; and the Heat may prefer a big like Chris Bosh as a sidekick to Dwyane Wade.

The Cavaliers aren't out of the sweepstakes, as they have a financial and personal advantage over the competition.

For instance, they can offer James $30 million more than any team. They can also offer an extra year on his max' contract.

And don't forget that James, who can afford to live anywhere in the world during the summer, makes his off-season home in nearby Akron, Ohio, where he grew up.

Clearly, James is comfortable in Cleveland. And clearly, he`s connected to Ohio. This loyalty will be a huge factor in his decision.

Rose may be right: James could still bolt on the Cavaliers. But it`s far from a certainty.

Got thoughts?

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Smith says he's never really done anything in Milwaukee and will "just be happy to find a restaurant." When a reporter jokingly asked if he'd ever take a vacation there, Smith replied, "Would you go? Everybody knows there ain't nothing to do in Milwaukee." 

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"But don't be a dirty player, man. He's a dirty player." 

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After missing 23 games following surgery to repair a torn right thumb ligament, O'Neal has come back rested and ready to fulfill his goal of winning a championship with James. The 7-foot-1 center has returned in incredible shape, saying he spent the down time "eating right, swimming, working out, doing what I do. It's all about the mission." 

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