Monday night, we watched a different Chicago Bulls team perform. A team, I hope, we don’t see again anytime soon. The Bulls are now 1-1 on the regular season.

On Christmas day in Los Angeles, the Bulls showed up as a competitive group that came back in the final three minutes after trailing by eight points. Not only did they have a game winning floater by the MVP himself (Derrick Rose), but we witnessed Coach Thibodeau’s defensive-minded team is just that: defensive-minded still.

Game two, what would be back-to-back nights for Chicago, in Golden State is a completely different game with two completely different teams. The Bulls had trouble keeping up with the Warriors, giving up 20 turnovers and 20 points on the fastbreak. Chicago also settled for too many outside shots, going 8-for-24 behind the arc. They were outscored in the pain 42-32. Regardless of five Bulls in double-figures, Luol Deng had 22 points and 10 rebounds; Derrick Rose chipped in 13 points and eight assists, the Warriors starting backcourt, Monte Ellis and Stephen Curry, combined for 47 points and 17 assists.

In the fourth quarter, the Bulls turned the game around, erasing a 19-point deficit, bringing them within five. It wasn’t enough and the lack of intensity was the probable cause for their first loss of the season.

Tonight, the Bulls will visit the Sacramento Kings.

First things first, they need to provide a defensive edge. In the previous two games, they allowed their opponent shoot over 47 percent on the floor. Containing Kings’ guard Marcus Thorton should be one of the top assignments tonight, possibly for newly acquired guard Richard “Rip” Hamilton. In his last three games against the Bulls, Thorton has shot just under 59 percent on the floor.

The Bulls need to find a way to drive the ball to the rim and not settle for the jump shot a majority of the time. The lack of energy on offense has forced the Bulls into 34 total turnovers in a two-game span.

The addition of Hamilton to the roster and the excelling performance of Deng (almost every game) should take some pressure off of Rose, which is the goal Chicago was trying to reach over the summer. Rose has been stopped in the paint these past two games due to double teams but Rose must overcome that and find a way around the defenders. Rose has been 13-for-30 on the floor. In LA, he went 4-for-6 behind the arc and the next day at Golden State he went a cold 1-for-8.

From a fan’s perspective, I believe he can and will excel and the team is still trying to mold together, it’s just a matter of time. Stay tuned and see what happens tonight in Sacramento!

After recent struggles for one particular Chicago team (cough, cough: Chicago Bears), this city has been looking forward to one thing since before the lockout: Christmas Day.

Why?

The Chicago Bulls would open their season in Los Angeles against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. The marquee matchup that included two top players in this league, one, a five-time NBA Champion, the other, the 2011 MVP. Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose.

Sunday afternoon, the Bulls fought an eight-point deficit with just under two minutes remaining, coming out on top with an 88-87 victory at the Staples Center.

Bryant hit a fadaway turnaround jumper with just under a minute left for a six-point lead. That was the last shot for the Lake Show, the Bulls followed up a three-point play from Deng and a pair at the line to bring them within one.

Rose led the Bulls with 22 points and the shot to win it all. Down by one, the Bulls double-teamed Bryant, resulting in a bad pass to Pau Gasol, in which Luol Deng immediately picked up to find Rose on the other end. Rose then spit two defenders and put up a floater over Gasol for the game winner with 4.8 seconds left in regulation.

In the final seconds, Bryant tried to take matters into his own hands and drive in for a layup; however, Deng was right there to have the block of the game, giving the Bulls their first win of the season.

Deng finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Carlos Boozer chipped in 15 points and six rebounds. Noah (nine rebounds, three steals) and Rip Hamilton (debut) each scored six points.

Despite a torn ligament in his right wrist, Bryant showed up to play and didn’t let any injury slow him down. He led all scorers with 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists. He also committed eight turnovers.

The Lakers were forced into 17 turnovers. They missed their final four free throws crucial to the outcome of the game (a pair by Gasol and Josh McRoberts).

Three minutes into the fourth quarter, the Lakers had outscored the Bulls 27-12 (continuing from the third quarter) and the Bulls, who started the game shooting 59 percent on the floor, were down to 18%.

Steve Blake, a spark off the Lakers bench, contributed 12 of their 29 points, including a three-pointer at the top of the key, giving LA a 85-77 lead with 2:11 remaining.

The Bulls finished the night shooting 40 percent on the floor and 47 percent behind the arc (7-for-15) while the Lakers shot 47 percent on the floor and 25 percent from the three (4-for-16).

Bulls Extras: The Bulls will be sticking around the California area the next three games, including Golden State on Monday night, Sacramento on Thursday and the Clippers on Friday…Are the Bulls the team to beat in the East? Send your comments over!