The 2009âÂÂ10 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.
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.
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.
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.
|-align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 1 || October 2 || @Indiana Pacers || 104âÂÂ95 || || || || 11,255<br />(Indianapolis, USA) || 1âÂÂ0 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 2 || October 6 || Utah Jazz || 102âÂÂ101 || || || || 18,689<br />(London, UK) || 2âÂÂ0 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 || October 10 || Milwaukee Bucks || 86âÂÂ98 || || || || 5,642<br />(Milwaukee, USA) || 2âÂÂ1 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 4 || October 13 || @Milwaukee Bucks || 87âÂÂ86 || || || || 18,119<br />(Chicago, USA) || 3âÂÂ1 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 5 || October 14 || Minnesota Timberwolves || 99âÂÂ94 || || || || 11,955<br />(Minneapolis, USA) || 4âÂÂ1 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 || October 19 || @Orlando Magic || 98âÂÂ101 || || || || 20,688<br />(Chicago, USA) || 4âÂÂ2 recap |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 7 || October 23 || @Washington Wizards || 93âÂÂ70 || || || || 20,981<br />(Chicago, USA) || 5âÂÂ2 recap |-
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 1 | October 29 | San Antonio | | Luol Deng (17) | Joakim Noah (10) | Derrick Rose (10) | United Center<br />21,412 | 1âÂÂ0 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | October 30 | @ Boston | | Joakim Noah (16) | Joakim Noah (10) | Kirk Hinrich (7) | TD Garden<br />18,624 | 1âÂÂ1
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | November 1 | @ Miami | | Luol Deng (26) | Luol Deng (8) | Derrick Rose (5) | American Airlines Arena<br />15,865 | 1âÂÂ2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 4 | November 3 | Milwaukee | | Luol Deng (24) | Luol Deng (20) | Derrick Rose (5) | United Center<br />19,789 | 2âÂÂ2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 5 | November 5 | @ Cleveland | | Luol Deng (15) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose (11) | Quicken Loans Arena<br />20,562 | 3âÂÂ2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 6 | November 7 | Charlotte | | John Salmons (27) | Joakim Noah (16) | Kirk Hinrich (7) | United Center<br />21,108 | 4âÂÂ2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 10 | Denver | | Derrick Rose (22) | Joakim Noah (21) | Luol Deng, John Salmons, Derrick Rose (7) | United Center<br />21,409 | 4âÂÂ3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 11 | @ Toronto | | Luol Deng, Taj Gibson (18) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose (6) | Air Canada Centre<br />16,310 | 4âÂÂ4 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 9 | November 14 | Philadelphia | | Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich (19) | Joakim Noah (12) | Kirk Hinrich (7) | United Center<br />21,837 | 5âÂÂ4 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 10 | November 17 | @ Sacramento | | John Salmons (23) | Joakim Noah (14) | Derrick Rose (7) | ARCO Arena<br />12,634 | 6âÂÂ4 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | November 19 | @ Los Angeles | | Derrick Rose (20) | Joakim Noah (15) | Derrick Rose (6) | Staples Center<br />18,997 | 6âÂÂ5 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 21 | @ Denver | | Derrick Rose (28) | Taj Gibson (12) | Kirk Hinrich (5) | Pepsi Center<br />15,823 | 6âÂÂ6 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | November 23 | @ Portland | | Luol Deng (25) | Joakim Noah (8) | Derrick Rose (5) | Rose Garden<br />20,383 | 6âÂÂ7 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | November 26 | @ Utah | | Luol Deng (25) | Joakim Noah (9) | John Salmons (5) | EnergySolutions Arena<br />19,911 | 6âÂÂ8 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 | November 30 | @ Milwaukee | | John Salmons (23) | Joakim Noah (17) | Derrick Rose (7) | Bradley Center<br />13,684 | 6âÂÂ9
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 16 | December 2 | Detroit | | John Salmons (22) | Joakim Noah (14) | Derrick Rose, Brad Miller (6) | United Center<br />21,523 | 7âÂÂ9 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | December 4 | @ Cleveland | | Taj Gibson (14) | Taj Gibson (13) | Derrick Rose (7) | Quicken Loans Arena<br />20,562 | 7âÂÂ10 |-bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | December 5 | Toronto | | John Salmons, Jannero Pargo (13) | Joakim Noah (7) | Derrick Rose (5) | United Center<br />20,481 | 7âÂÂ11 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | December 8 | New Jersey | | Luol Deng, Derrick Rose (27) | Luol Deng, Joakim Noah (9) | Derrick Rose (10) | United Center<br />17,872 | 7âÂÂ12 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 9 | @ Atlanta | | Derrick Rose (19) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose (7) | Philips Arena<br />16,808 | 7âÂÂ13 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 21 | December 11 | Golden State | | Luol Deng (21) | Joakim Noah (14) | Luol Deng (6) | United Center<br />18,803 | 8âÂÂ13 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 12 | Boston | | Derrick Rose (19) | Joakim Noah (13) | John Salmons (9) | United Center<br />21,257 | 8âÂÂ14 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | December 15 | L.A. Lakers | | Luol Deng, Derrick Rose (21) | Joakim Noah (20) | Derrick Rose, Brad Miller (6) | United Center<br />21,416 | 8âÂÂ15 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 24 | December 17 | New York | | Luol Deng (24) | Luol Deng (13) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center<br />19,791 | 9âÂÂ15 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 25 | December 19 | Atlanta | | Derrick Rose (32) | Luol Deng (12) | Derrick Rose, Luol Deng (6) | United Center<br />21,381 | 10âÂÂ15 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 21 | Sacramento | | Luol Deng (26) | Joakim Noah (10) | Derrick Rose (7) | United Center<br />19,631 | 10âÂÂ16 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | December 22 | @ New York | | Derrick Rose (26) | Joakim Noah (21) | Derrick Rose (4) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 10âÂÂ17 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 28 | December 26 | New Orleans | | Tyrus Thomas (21) | Joakim Noah (18) | Derrick Rose (9) | United Center<br />22,008 | 11âÂÂ17 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 29 | December 29 | Indiana | | Derrick Rose (28) | Tyrus Thomas (15) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center<br />21,887 | 12âÂÂ17 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 30 | December 31 | @ Detroit | | Derrick Rose (22) | Joakim Noah (21) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br />22,076 | 13âÂÂ17
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 31 | January 2 | Orlando | | Derrick Rose (30) | Taj Gibson (12) | Derrick Rose (7) | United Center<br />21,162 | 14âÂÂ17 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | January 4 | Oklahoma | | Derrick Rose (19) | Joakim Noah (14) | Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich (7) | United Center<br />18,838 | 14âÂÂ18 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 | January 5 | @ Charlotte | | Derrick Rose (24) | Luol Deng (9) | Derrick Rose (9) | Time Warner Cable Arena<br />13,749 | 14âÂÂ19 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | January 8 | @ Milawaukee | | Derrick Rose (25) | Joakim Noah (18) | Derrick Rose (9) | Bradley Center<br />18,717 | 14âÂÂ20 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 35 | January 9 | Minnesota | | Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich (20) | Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson (9) | Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich (7) | United Center<br />20,255 | 15âÂÂ20 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 36 | January 11 | Detroit | | Luol Deng (27) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose (9) | United Center<br />21,014 | 16âÂÂ20 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 37 | January 14 | @ Boston | | Luol Deng (25) | Joakim Noah (11) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | TD Garden<br />18,624 | 17âÂÂ20 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 38 | January 15 | Washington | | Derrick Rose (37) | Joakim Noah (15) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center<br />20,304 | 18âÂÂ20 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | January 18 | @ Golden State | | John Salmons (37) | Joakim Noah (16) | Derrick Rose, John Salmons, Jannero Pargo (4) | Oracle Arena<br />19,208 | 18âÂÂ21 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 | January 20 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Derrick Rose (23) | Joakim Noah (15) | Derrick Rose (7) | Staples Center<br />16,794 | 18âÂÂ22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 41 | January 22 | @ Phoenix | | Derrick Rose (32) | Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson (8) | Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich (5) | US Airways Center<br />18422 | 19âÂÂ22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 42 | January 23 | @ Houston | | Brad Miller (25) | Taj Gibson (14) | Kirk Hinrich (7) | Toyota Center<br />18,119 | 20âÂÂ22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 43 | January 25 | @ San Antonio | | Derrick Rose (27) | Luol Deng (9) | Derrick Rose (6) | AT&T Center<br />18,581 | 21âÂÂ22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 44 | January 27 | @ Oklahoma | | Derrick Rose (26) | Taj Gibson (15) | Derrick Rose (7) | Ford Center<br />17,562 | 22âÂÂ22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 45 | January 29 | @ New Orleans | | Luol Deng (26) | Joakim Noah (18) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | New Orleans Arena<br />16,578 | 23âÂÂ22
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | February 2 | L.A. Clippers | | Luol Deng (18) | Tyrus Thomas (9) | Derrick Rose (4) | United Center<br />19,335 | 23âÂÂ23 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 | February 3 | @ Philadelphia | | Derrick Rose (30) | Luol Deng (11) | Derrick Rose (9) | Wachovia Center<br />13,295 | 23âÂÂ24 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | February 5 | @ Atlanta | | Luol Deng (20) | Kirk Hinrich (9) | Derrick Rose (6) | Philips Arena<br />18,729 | 23âÂÂ25 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 49 | February 6 | Miami | | Luol Deng (25) | Brad Miller (8) | John Salmons (5) | United Center<br />22,352 | 24âÂÂ25 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 50 | February 9 | @ Indiana | | Luol Deng (23) | Luol Deng (11) | Derrick Rose (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />12,945 | 25âÂÂ25 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 10 | Orlando | | Luol Deng (23) | Luol Deng (7) | Kirk Hinrich, Tyrus Thomas (4) | United Center<br />21,566 | 25âÂÂ26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 52 | February 16 | New York | | Derrick Rose (29) | Taj Gibson (10) | Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose, John Salmons (6) | United Center<br />20,989 | 26âÂÂ26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 53 | February 17 | @ New York | | Derrick Rose (27) | Taj Gibson (16) | Derrick Rose (6) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 27âÂÂ26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 54 | February 19 | @ Minnesota | | Kirk Hinrich (20) | Brad Miller (10) | Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose (5) | Target Center<br />18,183 | 28âÂÂ26 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 55 | February 20 | Philadelphia | | Taj Gibson (20) | Taj Gibson (13) | Derrick Rose (6) | United Center<br />22,147 | 29âÂÂ26 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | February 22 | @ Washington | | Derrick Rose (22) | Taj Gibson (8) | Derrick Rose (6) | Verizon Center<br />14,113 | 29âÂÂ27 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 57 | February 24 | Indiana | | Luol Deng (31) | Taj Gibson (11) | Derrick Rose (8) | United Center<br />20,363 | 30âÂÂ27 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 58 | February 26 | Portland | | Derrick Rose (33) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich, Joakim Noah (4) | United Center<br />21,508 | 31âÂÂ27 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 | February 27 | @ Indiana | | Derrick Rose (27) | Luol Deng (18) | Derrick Rose (4) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />18,165 | 31âÂÂ28
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 60 | March 1 | Atlanta | | Derrick Rose (24) | Taj Gibson (13) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | United Center<br />19,011 | 31âÂÂ29 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 | March 4 | Memphis | | Luol Deng (23) | Brad Miller (7) | Kirk Hinrich (4) | United Center<br />19,187 | 31âÂÂ30 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 | March 6 | Dallas | | Derrick Rose (34) | Taj Gibson (11) | Derrick Rose (8) | United Center<br />21,737 | 31-31 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 | March 9 | Utah | | Derrick Rose (25) | Kirk Hinrich, Hakim Warrick (5) | Derrick Rose (13) | United Center<br />18,451 | 31âÂÂ32 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 64 | March 11 | @ Orlando | | James Johnson (13) | Taj Gibson (9) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | Amway Arena<br />17,461 | 31âÂÂ33 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 | March 12 | @ Miami | | James Johnson, Jannero Pargo (20) | Brad Miller (11) | Kirk Hinrich (6) | AmericanAirlines Arena<br />19,600 | 31âÂÂ34 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 | March 16 | @ Memphis | | Ronald Murray (25) | Brad Miller (11) | Jannero Pargo (8) | FedEx Forum<br />15,413 | 31âÂÂ35 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 | March 17 | @ Dallas | | Acie Law (22) | Chris Richard (9) | Brad Miller, Jannero Pargo (4) | American Airlines Center<br />20,406 | 31âÂÂ36 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 | March 19 | Cleveland | | Taj Gibson (20) | Taj Gibson (13) | Kirk Hinrich (11) | United Center<br />23,129 | 31âÂÂ37 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 69 | March 20 | @ Philadelphia | | Derrick Rose (23) | Taj Gibson (7) | Kirk Hinrich (11) | Wachovia Center<br />16,098 | 32âÂÂ37 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 70 | March 22 | Houston | | Derrick Rose (27) | Brad Miller, Taj Gibson (12) | Derrick Rose (8) | United Center<br />19,834 | 33âÂÂ37 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 71 | March 25 | Miami | | Hakim Warrick (14) | Taj Gibson (10) | Derrick Rose (5) | United Center<br />21,592 | 33âÂÂ38 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 72 | March 27 | New Jersey | | Jannero Pargo (27) | Taj Gibson (13) | Derrick Rose (9) | United Center<br />20,592 | 34âÂÂ38 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 73 | March 28 | @ Detroit | | Ronald Murray (23) | Taj Gibson (10) | Derrick Rose (9) | Palace of Auburn Hills<br />22,076 | 35âÂÂ38 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 | March 30 | Phoenix | | Ronald Murray, Derrick Rose (23) | Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson (10) | Derrick Rose (10) | United Center<br />21,169 | 35âÂÂ39
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 75 | April 2 | @ Washington | | Derrick Rose (24) | Taj Gibson (16) | Derrick Rose, Kirk Hinrich (5) | Verizon Center<br />18,002 | 36âÂÂ39 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 76 | April 3 | Charlotte | | Derrick Rose (26) | Joakim Noah (16) | Brad Miller (5) | United Center<br />20,996 | 37âÂÂ39 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 77 | April 6 | Milwaukee | | Luol Deng (16) | Joakim Noah (11) | Derrick Rose (11) | United Center<br />20,268 | 37âÂÂ40 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 78 | April 8 | Cleveland | | Derrick Rose (24) | Joakim Noah (15) | Derrick Rose (10) | United Center<br />21,707 | 38âÂÂ40 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 79 | April 9 | @ New Jersey | | Brad Miller (27) | Brad Miller (10) | Kirk Hinrich (9) | Izod Center<br />15,909 | 38âÂÂ41 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 80 | April 11 | @ Toronto | | Derrick Rose (26) | Joakim Noah (19) | Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah (7) | Air Canada Centre<br />19,515 | 39âÂÂ41 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 81 | April 13 | Boston | | Derrick Rose (39) | Joakim Noah (16) | Derrick Rose (7) | United Center<br />20,649 | 40âÂÂ41 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 82 | April 14 | @ Charlotte | | Derrick Rose (27) | Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson (13) | Derrick Rose (5) | Time Warner Cable Arena<br />17,439 | 41-41 |-
The Bulls managed to clinch the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference over the Toronto Raptors near the final day of the regular season. This marked the fifth time in six years Chicago has made the playoffs. With the lowest seed they faced the number one ranked Cleveland Cavaliers. Poised to win a championship LeBron James and the Cavs defeated the Bulls 4 games to 1 with the over-matched Bulls making a valiant effort in game 5, losing 96âÂÂ94.
|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | April 17 | @ Cleveland | | Derrick Rose (28) | Kirk Hinrich, Joakim Noah (8) | Derrick Rose (10) | Quicken Loans Arena<br />20,562 | 0âÂÂ1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | April 19 | @ Cleveland | | Joakim Noah (25) | Joakim Noah (13) | Derrick Rose (8) | Quicken Loans Arena<br />20,562 | 0âÂÂ2 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 3 | April 22 | Cleveland | | Derrick Rose (31) | Joakim Noah (15) | Derrick Rose (7) | United Center<br />22,991 | 1âÂÂ2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | April 25 | Cleveland | | Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose (21) | Joakim Noah (20) | Derrick Rose (5) | United Center<br />22,991 | 1âÂÂ3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | April 27 | @ Cleveland | | Derrick Rose (31) | Taj Gibson (11) | Derrick Rose (6) | Quicken Loans Arena<br />20,562 | 1âÂÂ4 |-
<small><sup>1</sup>Stats with the Bulls.</small>
First team to win five consecutive games over opponents over .500 on the road