2009–10 Chicago Bulls season

The 2009–10 Chicago Bulls season was the 44th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). They finished with a record of 41-41 (.500) for the third time in their past five seasons.

In the playoffs, the Bulls lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games in the First Round.

Key dates June 25: The 2009 NBA draft took place in New York City. July 1: Start of the free agency period.

Offseason On May 20, the Bulls promoted Gar Forman to General Manager. Former GM John Paxson accepted a new role as executive vice president of basketball operations. Forman's top priority for the offseason was to re-sign Ben Gordon. Ben Gordon signed with the Detroit Pistons on July 1, 2009.

NBA draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team 1 16 James Johnson F Wake Forest 1 26 Taj Gibson F USC

Free agency On July 13, 2009, the Bulls signed guard Jannero Pargo to a one-year deal, helping to fill the void Ben Gordon made in leaving the team. On July 14, the Bulls re-signed guard Lindsey Hunter with a one-year contract.

Regular season summary On January 25, 2010, the Bulls traded center Aaron Gray for guard Devin Brown of the New Orleans Hornets. On February 18, 2010, the Bulls traded guard John Salmons for forwards Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander of the Milwaukee Bucks. Meanwhile, the Bulls traded forward Tyrus Thomas for guards Ronald Murray and Acie Law of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Roster

Pre-season

|-align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 1 || October 2 || @Indiana Pacers || 104–95 || || || || 11,255(Indianapolis, USA) || 1–0 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 2 || October 6 || Utah Jazz || 102–101 || || || || 18,689(London, UK) || 2–0 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 || October 10 || Milwaukee Bucks || 86–98 || || || || 5,642(Milwaukee, USA) || 2–1 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 4 || October 13 || @Milwaukee Bucks || 87–86 || || || || 18,119(Chicago, USA) || 3–1 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 5 || October 14 || Minnesota Timberwolves || 99–94 || || || || 11,955(Minneapolis, USA) || 4–1 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 || October 19 || @Orlando Magic || 98–101 || || || || 20,688(Chicago, USA) || 4–2 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 7 || October 23 || @Washington Wizards || 93–70 || || || || 20,981(Chicago, USA) || 5–2 recap

Regular season

Standings

Game log

|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 1 | October 29 | San Antonio | | Luol Deng (17) | Joakim Noah (10) | Derrick Rose (10) | United Center21,412 | 1–0 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | October 30 | @ Boston | | Joakim Noah (16) | Joakim Noah (10) | Kirk Hinrich (7) | TD Garden18,624 | 1–1

|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | November 1 | @ Miami | | Luol Deng (26) | Luol Deng (8) | Derrick Rose (5) | American Airlines Arena15,865 | 1–2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 4 | November 3 | Milwaukee | | Luol Deng (24) | Luol Deng (20) | Derrick Rose (5) | United Center19,789 | 2–2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 5 | November 5 | @ Cleveland | | Luol Deng (15) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose (11) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 3–2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 6 | November 7 | Charlotte | | John Salmons (27) | Joakim Noah (16) | Kirk Hinrich (7) | United Center21,108 | 4–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 10 | Denver | | Derrick Rose (22) | Joakim Noah (21) | Luol Deng, John Salmons, Derrick Rose (7) | United Center21,409 | 4–3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 11 | @ Toronto | | Luol Deng, Taj Gibson (18) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose (6) | Air Canada Centre16,310 | 4–4 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 9 | November 14 | Philadelphia | | Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich (19) | Joakim Noah (12) | Kirk Hinrich (7) | United Center21,837 | 5–4 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 10 | November 17 | @ Sacramento | | John Salmons (23) | Joakim Noah (14) | Derrick Rose (7) | ARCO Arena12,634 | 6–4 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | November 19 | @ Los Angeles | | Derrick Rose (20) | Joakim Noah (15) | Derrick Rose (6) | Staples Center18,997 | 6–5 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 21 | @ Denver | | Derrick Rose (28) | Taj Gibson (12) | Kirk Hinrich (5) | Pepsi Center15,823 | 6–6 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | November 23 | @ Portland | | Luol Deng (25) | Joakim Noah (8) | Derrick Rose (5) | Rose Garden20,383 | 6–7 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | November 26 | @ Utah | | Luol Deng (25) | Joakim Noah (9) | John Salmons (5) | EnergySolutions Arena19,911 | 6–8 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 | November 30 | @ Milwaukee | | John Salmons (23) | Joakim Noah (17) | Derrick Rose (7) | Bradley Center13,684 | 6–9

|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 16 | December 2 | Detroit | | John Salmons (22) | Joakim Noah (14) | Derrick Rose, Brad Miller (6) | United Center21,523 | 7–9 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | December 4 | @ Cleveland | | Taj Gibson (14) | Taj Gibson (13) | Derrick Rose (7) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 7–10 |-bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | December 5 | Toronto | | John Salmons, Jannero Pargo (13) | Joakim Noah (7) | Derrick Rose (5) | United Center20,481 | 7–11 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | December 8 | New Jersey | | Luol Deng, Derrick Rose (27) | Luol Deng, Joakim Noah (9) | Derrick Rose (10) | United Center17,872 | 7–12 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 9 | @ Atlanta | | Derrick Rose (19) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose (7) | Philips Arena16,808 | 7–13 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 21 | December 11 | Golden State | | Luol Deng (21) | Joakim Noah (14) | Luol Deng (6) | United Center18,803 | 8–13 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 12 | Boston | | Derrick Rose (19) | Joakim Noah (13) | John Salmons (9) | United Center21,257 | 8–14 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | December 15 | L.A. Lakers | | Luol Deng, Derrick Rose (21) | Joakim Noah (20) | Derrick Rose, Brad Miller (6) | United Center21,416 | 8–15 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 24 | December 17 | New York | | Luol Deng (24) | Luol Deng (13) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center19,791 | 9–15 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 25 | December 19 | Atlanta | | Derrick Rose (32) | Luol Deng (12) | Derrick Rose, Luol Deng (6) | United Center21,381 | 10–15 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 21 | Sacramento | | Luol Deng (26) | Joakim Noah (10) | Derrick Rose (7) | United Center19,631 | 10–16 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | December 22 | @ New York | | Derrick Rose (26) | Joakim Noah (21) | Derrick Rose (4) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 10–17 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 28 | December 26 | New Orleans | | Tyrus Thomas (21) | Joakim Noah (18) | Derrick Rose (9) | United Center22,008 | 11–17 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 29 | December 29 | Indiana | | Derrick Rose (28) | Tyrus Thomas (15) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center21,887 | 12–17 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 30 | December 31 | @ Detroit | | Derrick Rose (22) | Joakim Noah (21) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills22,076 | 13–17

|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 31 | January 2 | Orlando | | Derrick Rose (30) | Taj Gibson (12) | Derrick Rose (7) | United Center21,162 | 14–17 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | January 4 | Oklahoma | | Derrick Rose (19) | Joakim Noah (14) | Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich (7) | United Center18,838 | 14–18 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 | January 5 | @ Charlotte | | Derrick Rose (24) | Luol Deng (9) | Derrick Rose (9) | Time Warner Cable Arena13,749 | 14–19 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | January 8 | @ Milawaukee | | Derrick Rose (25) | Joakim Noah (18) | Derrick Rose (9) | Bradley Center18,717 | 14–20 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 35 | January 9 | Minnesota | | Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich (20) | Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson (9) | Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich (7) | United Center20,255 | 15–20 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 36 | January 11 | Detroit | | Luol Deng (27) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose (9) | United Center21,014 | 16–20 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 37 | January 14 | @ Boston | | Luol Deng (25) | Joakim Noah (11) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | TD Garden18,624 | 17–20 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 38 | January 15 | Washington | | Derrick Rose (37) | Joakim Noah (15) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center20,304 | 18–20 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | January 18 | @ Golden State | | John Salmons (37) | Joakim Noah (16) | Derrick Rose, John Salmons, Jannero Pargo (4) | Oracle Arena19,208 | 18–21 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 | January 20 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Derrick Rose (23) | Joakim Noah (15) | Derrick Rose (7) | Staples Center16,794 | 18–22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 41 | January 22 | @ Phoenix | | Derrick Rose (32) | Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson (8) | Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich (5) | US Airways Center18422 | 19–22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 42 | January 23 | @ Houston | | Brad Miller (25) | Taj Gibson (14) | Kirk Hinrich (7) | Toyota Center18,119 | 20–22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 43 | January 25 | @ San Antonio | | Derrick Rose (27) | Luol Deng (9) | Derrick Rose (6) | AT&T Center18,581 | 21–22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 44 | January 27 | @ Oklahoma | | Derrick Rose (26) | Taj Gibson (15) | Derrick Rose (7) | Ford Center17,562 | 22–22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 45 | January 29 | @ New Orleans | | Luol Deng (26) | Joakim Noah (18) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | New Orleans Arena16,578 | 23–22

|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | February 2 | L.A. Clippers | | Luol Deng (18) | Tyrus Thomas (9) | Derrick Rose (4) | United Center19,335 | 23–23 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 | February 3 | @ Philadelphia | | Derrick Rose (30) | Luol Deng (11) | Derrick Rose (9) | Wachovia Center13,295 | 23–24 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | February 5 | @ Atlanta | | Luol Deng (20) | Kirk Hinrich (9) | Derrick Rose (6) | Philips Arena18,729 | 23–25 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 49 | February 6 | Miami | | Luol Deng (25) | Brad Miller (8) | John Salmons (5) | United Center22,352 | 24–25 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 50 | February 9 | @ Indiana | | Luol Deng (23) | Luol Deng (11) | Derrick Rose (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse12,945 | 25–25 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 10 | Orlando | | Luol Deng (23) | Luol Deng (7) | Kirk Hinrich, Tyrus Thomas (4) | United Center21,566 | 25–26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 52 | February 16 | New York | | Derrick Rose (29) | Taj Gibson (10) | Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose, John Salmons (6) | United Center20,989 | 26–26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 53 | February 17 | @ New York | | Derrick Rose (27) | Taj Gibson (16) | Derrick Rose (6) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 27–26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 54 | February 19 | @ Minnesota | | Kirk Hinrich (20) | Brad Miller (10) | Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose (5) | Target Center18,183 | 28–26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 55 | February 20 | Philadelphia | | Taj Gibson (20) | Taj Gibson (13) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center22,147 | 29–26 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | February 22 | @ Washington | | Derrick Rose (22) | Taj Gibson (8) | Derrick Rose (6) | Verizon Center14,113 | 29–27 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 57 | February 24 | Indiana | | Luol Deng (31) | Taj Gibson (11) | Derrick Rose (8) | United Center20,363 | 30–27 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 58 | February 26 | Portland | | Derrick Rose (33) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich, Joakim Noah (4) | United Center21,508 | 31–27 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 | February 27 | @ Indiana | | Derrick Rose (27) | Luol Deng (18) | Derrick Rose (4) | Conseco Fieldhouse18,165 | 31–28

|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 60 | March 1 | Atlanta | | Derrick Rose (24) | Taj Gibson (13) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | United Center19,011 | 31–29 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 | March 4 | Memphis | | Luol Deng (23) | Brad Miller (7) | Kirk Hinrich (4) | United Center19,187 | 31–30 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 | March 6 | Dallas | | Derrick Rose (34) | Taj Gibson (11) | Derrick Rose (8) | United Center21,737 | 31-31 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 | March 9 | Utah | | Derrick Rose (25) | Kirk Hinrich, Hakim Warrick (5) | Derrick Rose (13) | United Center18,451 | 31–32 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 64 | March 11 | @ Orlando | | James Johnson (13) | Taj Gibson (9) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | Amway Arena17,461 | 31–33 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 | March 12 | @ Miami | | James Johnson, Jannero Pargo (20) | Brad Miller (11) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | AmericanAirlines Arena19,600 | 31–34 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 | March 16 | @ Memphis |