Rose-less Bulls notch record-setting victory over Magic

ORLANDO: Even with the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose missing his fourth game in a row with a groin strain, the Chicago Bulls were too strong for Orlando Magic to handle.

Carlos Boozer scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while John Lucas came off the bench to contribute 20 points and Britain’s Luol Deng added 14 points to power the Bulls to a record–setting 8559 rout of Magic on Monday night.

The Bulls improved their league–best statistic to 38-10 and boosted their record without Rose this season to 10-4. Orlando fell to 29-18 while Chicago improved to a league-best 19-6 on the road this season.

“We needed this win,” Lucas said. “It was a good away win for us.”

Despite 18 points and 12 rebounds by Dwight Howard, Orlando scored the fewest points ever against the Bulls in a regular–season game, lowering the old mark of 62 by Milwaukee in 1997 when Michael Jordan sparked Chicago’s defence.

“We’re all about defence,” Lucas said. “We know we have enough firepower.”

And that’s with playmaker Rose watching from the bench and inspiring his team–mates before the game.

“Derrick comes to us every game and says, ‘It’s time. Let’s go. Just because I ain’t playing doesn’t mean we’re going to lose.’”

Boozer scored 16 points in the first half and Deng added eight as Chicago took a 48-33 half-time lead and Magic never threatened in the second half.

Rose suffered the groin injury last Monday in a victory over the New York Knicks when Asian- American sensation Jeremy Lin blocked a first-quarter Rose shot attempt.

“I haven’t been able to run in a couple days, just making sure that my leg is alright and that the pain goes away very quickly,” Rose said. “You don’t want this to linger where I can’t move. Every day it’s definitely getting better, but I haven’t been able to run.”

Rose expects to miss three more games this week and has no idea when he might be back on the court.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau is not taking any chances with the playoffs still more than a month away.

“We’re not going to rush Rose back,” Thibodeau said. “We want him to be completely healthy. We think that’s important.”