The 2010–11 Chicago Bulls season was the 45th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Led by 22-year old guard Derrick Rose, the Bulls finished the season with a 62–20 record, the best in the league and first-place in the Central Division. They advanced to the Eastern Conference finals where they were eliminated by the Miami Heat team led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh in 5 games. Derrick Rose won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the youngest NBA player ever to win the award, at the age of 22.
The Bulls won their 8th division title this season and finished with the best record in the NBA, but fell short to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. It is the first time since 1975 that the Bulls failed to follow up a division title with an NBA title (that year, the Bulls were in the Midwest Division).
In the playoffs, the Bulls defeated the Indiana Pacers in five games in the First Round, defeated the Atlanta Hawks in six games in the semifinals, before losing to the Miami Heat in five games in the conference finals. The Heat would eventually lose 4–2 to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, who won their first championship title.
To date, this playoff run is the deepest that the Bulls have advanced in the post-Michael Jordan era, and it is the only season since 1998 where they reached the conference finals.
Key dates June 24 – The 2010 NBA draft took place in New York City. July 1 – The free agency period began.
Summary
NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team 1 17 Kevin Séraphin F/C Cholet Basket (France)
Free agency Carlos Boozer Kyle Korver Ronnie Brewer Ömer Aşık Keith Bogans John Lucas III Brian Scalabrine Kurt Thomas C. J. Watson
Roster
Pre-season
Game log
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | October 5 | @ Milwaukee | | Kyle Korver (22) | Joakim Noah (6) | C. J. Watson (6) | Bradley Center10,964 | 0–1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | October 7 | @ Dallas | | Derrick Rose (17) | Joakim Noah (8) | Joakim Noah (6) | American Airlines Center17,448 | 0–2 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | October 8 | Washington | | Derrick Rose (18) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose,Kyle Weaver,James Johnson (5) | United Center20,898 | 1–2 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | October 12 | Toronto | | Derrick Rose (23) | Joakim Noah (14) | Joakim Noah (8) | United Center20,165 | 2–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | October 15 | Dallas | | Derrick Rose,Luol Deng (23) | Joakim Noah (15) | Joakim Noah (5) | United Center21,125 | 2–3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | October 16 | @ Orlando | | C. J. Watson (13) | Brian Scalabrine,James Johnson (5) | C. J. Watson (4) | Amway Center18,846 | 2–4 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 7 | October 20 | @ Toronto | | Luol Deng (22) | Ömer Aşık (9) | Derrick Rose (9) | Air Canada Centre12,681 | 3–4 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | October 22 | Indiana | | Luol Deng (29) | Ömer Aşık (10) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center21,126 | 4–4
Regular season
Standings
Game log
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | October 27 | @ Oklahoma City | | Derrick Rose (28) | Joakim Noah (19) | Derrick Rose (6) | Oklahoma City Arena18,203 | 0–1 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | October 30 | Detroit | | Derrick Rose (39) | Joakim Noah (17) | Derrick Rose (7) | United Center21,038 | 1–1
|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | November 1 | Portland | | Luol Deng (40) | Joakim Noah (10) | Derrick Rose (13) | United Center21,057 | 2–1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | November 4 | New York | | Derrick Rose (24) | Joakim Noah (13) | Derrick Rose (14) | United Center21,203 | 2–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 5 | @ Boston | | Joakim Noah (26) | Joakim Noah (12) | Derrick Rose (9) | TD Garden18,624 | 2–3 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | November 8 | Denver | | Derrick Rose (18) | Joakim Noah (19) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center21,355 | 3–3 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | November 11 | Golden State | | Luol Deng (26) | Luol Deng (11) | Derrick Rose (13) | United Center21,140 | 4–3 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | November 13 | Washington | | Derrick Rose (24) | Luol Deng (9) | Derrick Rose (8) | United Center21,610 | 5–3 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 16 | @ Houston | | Derrick Rose (33) | Luol Deng (10) | Derrick Rose (7) | Toyota Center18,158 | 6–3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | November 17 | @ San Antonio | | Derrick Rose (33) | Joakim Noah (14) | Derrick Rose (4) | AT&T Center18,581 | 6–4 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 19 | @ Dallas | | Derrick Rose (22) | Taj Gibson (18) | Derrick Rose (6) | American Airlines Center20,133 | 7–4 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 23 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Derrick Rose (30) | Joakim Noah (13) | Derrick Rose (8) | Staples Center18,997 | 7–5 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 | November 24 | @ Phoenix | | Derrick Rose (35) | Joakim Noah (15) | Derrick Rose (7) | US Airways Center18,422 | 8–5 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | November 26 | @ Denver | | C. J. Watson (33) | Joakim Noah (16) | Joakim Noah (4) | Pepsi Center19,155 | 8–6 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | November 27 | @ Sacramento | | Derrick Rose (30) | Ronnie Brewer (10) | Derrick Rose (7) | ARCO Arena13,504 | 9–6
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | December 1 | Orlando | | Joakim Noah (16) | Luol Deng,Taj Gibson (4) | Joakim Noah,Derrick Rose (4) | United Center21,435 | 9–7 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | December 3 | @ Boston | | Derrick Rose (20) | Joakim Noah (10) | Derrick Rose (8) | TD Garden18,624 | 9–8 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | December 4 | Houston | | Derrick Rose (30) | Joakim Noah (12) | Derrick Rose (11) | United Center21,232 | 10–8 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 6 | Oklahoma City | | Carlos Boozer (29) | Carlos Boozer,Joakim Noah (12) | Derrick Rose (9) | United Center21,184 | 11–8 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 | December 8 | @ Cleveland | | Derrick Rose (29) | Joakim Noah (14) | Derrick Rose (8) | Quicken Loans Arena20,562 | 12–8 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 | December 10 | L.A. Lakers | | Derrick Rose (29) | Carlos Boozer (11) | Derrick Rose (9) | United Center22,760 | 13–8 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 22 | December 11 | Minnesota | | Derrick Rose (21) | Taj Gibson,Joakim Noah (10) | Derrick Rose (7) | United Center21,102 | 14–8 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 13 | Indiana | | Carlos Boozer (22) | Carlos Boozer (18) | Derrick Rose (12) | United Center21,287 | 15–8 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | December 15 | @ Toronto | | Carlos Boozer (34) | Carlos Boozer (12) | Derrick Rose (11) | Air Canada Centre17,750 | 16–8 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 25 | December 18 | L.A. Clippers | | Derrick Rose (34) | Luol Deng (8) | Derrick Rose (8) | United Center21,760 | 16–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 26 | December 21 | Philadelphia | | Luol Deng,Derrick Rose (22) | Carlos Boozer (11) | Derrick Rose (12) | United Center21,521 | 17–9 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 | December 22 | @ Washington | | Carlos Boozer (30) | Carlos Boozer (10) | Carlos Boozer (7) | Verizon Center18,011 | 18–9 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | December 25 | @ New York | | Carlos Boozer (26) | Carlos Boozer (19) | Derrick Rose (8) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 18–10 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | December 26 | @ Detroit | | Carlos Boozer (31) | Derrick Rose (12) | Derrick Rose (8) | The Palace of Auburn Hills20,765 | 19–10 |-bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | December 28 | Milwaukee | | Carlos Boozer,Luol Deng (24) | Carlos Boozer (9) | Derrick Rose (12) | United Center22,091 | 20–10 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | December 31 | New Jersey | | Carlos Boozer (20) | Carlos Boozer (15) | Derrick Rose (9) | United Center21,792 | 21–10
|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 | January 1 | Cleveland | | Derrick Rose (28) | Kurt Thomas (13) | Derrick Rose (11) | United Center21,416 | 22–10 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | January 4 | Toronto | | Luol Deng (24) | Taj Gibson (14) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center21,290 | 23–10 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | January 5 | @ New Jersey | | Derrick Rose (21) | Carlos Boozer (9) | Carlos Boozer (5) | Prudential Center15,025 | 23–11 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | January 7 | @ Philadelphia | | Carlos Boozer (31) | Carlos Boozer (13) | Derrick Rose (9) | Wells Fargo Center15,303 | 23–12 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 36 | January 8 | Boston | | Derrick Rose (36) | Carlos Boozer (10) | Luol Deng (5) | United Center22,663 | 24–12 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 37 | January 10 | Detroit | | Derrick Rose (29) | Carlos Boozer (11) | Derrick Rose (7) | United Center21,407 | 25–12 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | January 12 | @ Charlotte | | Carlos Boozer (23) | Carlos Boozer (14) | Derrick Rose (7) | Time Warner Cable Arena12,468 | 25–13 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 | January 14 | @ Indiana | | Derrick Rose (29) | Kurt Thomas (18) | Ronnie Brewer,Luol Deng,Derrick Rose (5) | Conseco Fieldhouse18,165 | 26–13 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | January 15 | Miami | | Derrick Rose (34) | Carlos Boozer (10) | Derrick Rose (8) | United Center23,017 | 27–13 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 41 | January 17 | @ Memphis | | Luol Deng (28) | Derrick Rose (10) | Derrick Rose (12) | FedExForum18,119 | 28–13 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 42 | January 18 | Charlotte | | Derrick Rose (33) | Kurt Thomas (10) | Luol Deng,Derrick Rose (4) | United Center21,263 | 28–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 | January 20 | Dallas | | Derrick Rose (26) | Luol Deng (12) | Derrick Rose (9) | United Center21,397 | 29–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | January 22 | Cleveland | | Derrick Rose (24) | Luol Deng (12) | Derrick Rose (8) | United Center21,389 | 30–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 | January 24 | Milwaukee | | Kurt Thomas (22) | Carlos Boozer,Kurt Thomas (9) | Derrick Rose (10) | United Center21,126 | 31–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 | January 28 | Orlando | | Luol Deng (26) | Carlos Boozer (16) | Derrick Rose (12) | United Center21,676 | 32–14 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 | January 29 | Indiana | | Carlos Boozer (24) | Carlos Boozer (10) | Luol Deng (8) | United Center21,611 | 33–14
|- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 | February 2 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Derrick Rose (32) | Taj Gibson (12) | Derrick Rose (11) | Staples Center19,368 | 34–14 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | February 5 | @ Golden State | | Carlos Boozer (21) | Carlos Boozer (10) | Derrick Rose (10) | Oracle Arena19,596 | 34–15 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | February 7 | @ Portland | | Derrick Rose (36) | Carlos Boozer (12) | Derrick Rose (6) | Rose Garden20,534 | 34–16 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 51 | February 9 | @ Utah | | Derrick Rose (29) | Ömer Aşık,Luol Deng (7) | Derrick Rose (7) | EnergySolutions Arena19,911 | 35–16 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 52 | February 12 | @ New Orleans | | Derrick Rose (23) | Ömer Aşık,Kurt Thomas (11) | Derrick Rose (6) | New Orleans Arena17,831 | 36–16 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 53 | February 15 | Charlotte | | Luol Deng (24) | Carlos Boozer (9) | Derrick Rose (13) | United Center21,391 | 37–16 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 54 | February 17 | San Antonio | | Derrick Rose (42) | Kurt Thomas (9) | Derrick Rose (8) | United Center22,172 | 38–16 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 | February 23 | @ Toronto | | Derrick Rose (32) | Joakim Noah (16) | Derrick Rose (10) | Air Canada Centre18,105 | 38–17 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 56 | February 24 | Miami | | Derrick Rose (26) | Ömer Aşık (11) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center23,024 | 39–17 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 | February 26 | @ Milwaukee | | Luol Deng (19) | Joakim Noah (17) | Derrick Rose (4) | Bradley Center18,717 | 40–17 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 | February 28 | @ Washington | | Luol Deng,Derrick Rose (21) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose (9) | Verizon Center17,873 | 41–17
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 | March 2 | @ Atlanta | | Luol Deng (15) | Joakim Noah (12) | Derrick Rose (12) | Philips Arena16,928 | 41–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 | March 4 | @ Orlando | | Derrick Rose (24) | Ömer Aşık (13) | Ronnie Brewer,Derrick Rose (4) | Amway Center19,207 | 42–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 61 | March 6 | @ Miami | | Derrick Rose (27) | Carlos Boozer (10) | Derrick Rose (5) | American Airlines Arena19,763 | 43–18 |- bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 62