After beginning the season on the road, the Chicago Bulls returned home and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 104-64 on Sunday, Jan. 1.

It was a good way to kick off the New Year after a four-game California road trip.

The Bulls got on the board after two shots from the line by Luol Deng. The game remained tight for a few minutes but the Bulls took a lead and finished the first quarter with a 25-12 advantage.

In the second quarter, Carlos Boozer stepped up. In a 13-3 run around the six-minute mark, Boozer contributed 11 of the points and helped the Bulls take a 48-27 lead.

The Bulls entered halftime with a 54-28 advantage.

After the break, Derrick Rose showed up and got the quarter started with a jumper. Success at the line helped the Bulls extend their lead and with five minutes remaining in the third quarter, they were ahead by 40 points.

The Bench Mob successfully took over and the Bulls ended the third quarter leading 84-44.

In the final quarter, the starters continued resting and John Lucas got hot with three-pointers. Rookie Jimmy Butler got some playing time and an all-team effort led the Bulls to their first home game win of the season.

This is a team that’s on a mission to win. The Bulls dominated Sunday’s game: they outrebound 55-40, outshot 46 percent to 31 percent and outscored on the break, 33-13.

With their 4-1 record, the Bulls are seeing their best start since the 1996-97 season, as they won their first 12 games.

Scoring…Boozer led the team with 17 points in scoring and 11 rebounds. Ronnie Brewer also had 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

After initially struggling (missing his first shots, then going 4 for 10), Rose added 16 points for the night.

Rip Hamilton did not play on Sunday due to a groin injury and in the fourth quarter against Memphis, C.J. Watson exited the game with an elbow injury. Both players have been listed as day to day.

Next up? The Bulls will host Atlanta on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

As a lifelong Bulls fan and Chicago resident, the Derrick Rose era has been a good one.

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By Scott Schroeder

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Jan 1, 2012 – Zach Randolph has been great for the Memphis Grizzlies the past several seasons, but the veteran power forward suffered what looked to be a knee injury during their game against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night. The team announced that it was only a knee contusion, but an MRI is likely in store.

Randolph was attempting to rebound a blocked shot from teammate O.J. Mayo, but the team’s guard had too much momentum and fell into the right knee of Rondo. The veteran power forward was tended to on the baseline by the Grizzlies training staff before eventually being taken to the locker room.

Randolph is averaging 19 points and nine rebounds through the first the first three games of the Grizzlies season and had scored two points and grabbed three rebounds in the first quarter of Sunday night’s contest. If he misses any considerable time, the Grizzlies will be very light at power forward as they lost Darrell Arthur to injury during the preseason.

For more on the Grizzlies, be sure to visit Straight Outta Vancouver.

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The Chicago Bulls could do no wrong Sunday in their season debut at the United Center, crushing the Memphis Grizzlies in a lopsided, 104-64 affair to open the New Year with a bang and send a simple message to visitors: This is our house, baby.

While there are plenty of positives from which to choose, the story of the night was the Bulls’ suffocating defense. It was, in a word, brutal: The Grizzlies managed just 12 first quarter points, and shortly before the end of the third quarter, were shooting 23 percent from the field with twice as many turnovers (12) as assists (6). Yikes.

On the other end of the floor, the Bulls were led by Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer.

Boozer played like a man possessed: He double-doubled before halftime and finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds in just 24 minutes of action. He showed some of the explosiveness he’s recently lacked, and even made some decent defensive plays. He’s now averaging 15.4 points and 9.8 rebounds per 36, which is close to what the Bulls want, need and expect from their $70 million man.

Brewer, however, gets player of the game accolades. Starting for the sidelined Rip Hamilton (sore groin), Ronnie had 17 points (the most he’s ever had with the Bulls) with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Brewer was, well, vintage Brewer: Always around the ball making something good happen.

Overall, the Bulls’ offense was good but never great, which may sound strange for a 40-point win. They overcame a slow start shooting by sharing the ball (24 assists), using the fast break (33 points) and dominating the paint (+20). The Bulls have now averaged 108.7 ppg the past three games, and are averaging 101 ppg on the season, good for sixth best in the league (bet you didn’t expect that).

Not only did the Bulls get the win, they got it while getting a chance to rest their starters. Only two starters – Luol Deng and Brewer – played more than 30 minutes, as the Bench Mob closed out the game.

A win is a win, who cares if the Grizzlies were missing a couple of players, but this was a win at home, and a rather convincing one at that. The Bulls were a league-best 36-5 at home last season, and absolutely must win home games during this short NBA season.

Winning your home opener by 40 is a good way to get started.

Notes: The Bulls are 4-0 in home openers during the Derrick Rose era….. The +/-’s from last night’s game were utterly ridiculous. Brewer was +48, no other starter was less than +35….. Brewer is 4-for-4 on three’s this year; he made just six all of last season on 22 percent shooting….. Deng has held Rudy Gay, a career 18 ppg scorer, to 14 points on 3-of-22 shooting the last two times he played against the Bulls….. The win moved the Bulls to 4-1 for the franchise’s best start since 1996-97, when…well, you know….. The Bulls last played on New Year’s Day in 2005; Eddy Curry had 22 points in a 105-90 win over the Orlando Magic….. The Miami Heat may be 5-0, but the teams they’ve so far played are a combined 4-10.

Sources: Boozer leads Bulls past Grizzlies 104-64, Associated Press/Yahoo! Sports; Memphis Grizzlies at Chicago Bulls recap & box score, ESPN.com; Bulls win 40-point laugher in home opener, Chicago Tribune;

Other Articles By This Contributor:

Chalk One Up for Chicago Bulls Coach Tom Thibodeau (December 31)

Bulls, Heat Will Meet in Eastern Conference Finals: Fan Forecast (December 23)

Top 10 Moments of Chicago Bulls’ 2010-11 Season (December 22)

YCN featured sports contributor Steve Merritt is – for better or worse – a lifelong Chicago Bulls, Bears and Cubs fan. He’s followed the Bulls since 1969, when he tuned in after bedtime on a cheap dime store radio tucked under his pillow.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – The Memphis Grizzlies will open the season Dec. 26 at San Antonio and play their first home game Dec. 28 against Oklahoma City.

The Grizzlies on Tuesday announced their 2011-12 regular season schedule that will follow the most successful season in franchise history.

The team will play the 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day game against Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 16 at FedExForum.

The Grizzlies will welcome the reigning NBA champion Dallas Mavericks to Memphis on Feb. 29 and April 7.

The team will play 7 of its first 12 games at home, including a 4-game home stand Jan. 10-16.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – The Memphis Grizzlies will open the season Dec. 26 at San Antonio and play their first home game Dec. 28 against Oklahoma City.

The Grizzlies on Tuesday announced their 2011-12 regular season schedule that will follow the most successful season in franchise history.

The team will play the 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day game against Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 16 at FedExForum.

The Grizzlies will welcome the reigning NBA champion Dallas Mavericks to Memphis on Feb. 29 and April 7.

The team will play 7 of its first 12 games at home, including a 4-game home stand Jan. 10-16.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.