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CHICAGO - Hassan Whiteside bounced around the NBA Development league and played in China and Lebanon, hoping NBA teams were keeping tabs and would give him an opportunity. Travis Kelce Super Bowl Jersey .He was in Charlotte, working out at the downtown YMCA, a few months ago. He then got his chance with the Heat and hes making the most of it.Whiteside had an unconventional triple-double with a team-record and career-high 12 blocks to go with 14 points and 13 rebounds to help Miami beat the sluggish Chicago Bulls 96-84 Sunday.Its a blessing. Like I told my teammates, you wont believe how things work out in life, said Whiteside, who signed with Miami in late November. Three months ago I was at the downtown Y just chilling, working on my game. I couldnt get a team to pick up the phone.On Sunday, he made the Bulls miserable. His teammates did their part, too.Dwyane Wade scored 26 points, and Chris Bosh finished with 20.Luol Deng scored 15 in his return to Chicago. Mario Chalmers had 15 points, and the Heat squashed whatever momentum the Bulls appeared to be building after beating San Antonio and Dallas.Miami led by 10 at halftime, 12 going into the fourth quarter and remained in control the rest of the way.Wade and Bosh came through with strong performances. Deng had 10 rebounds and four assists in his first game at the United Center since the Bulls traded him to Cleveland last season. And Whiteside wreaked all kinds of havoc in just 24 minutes after missing two games with a sprained right ankle.Pau Gasol had 13 points and 17 rebounds for Chicago, giving him 50 over the past three games. Derrick Rose scored 19 for Chicago but missed all six 3-pointers.Aaron Brooks scored 17. But Chicago fell to 13-11 at home.It was certainly not what the Bulls had in mind after handing the Spurs their most lopsided loss of the season Thursday in Chicago and then winning at Dallas the following night. Those two wins on the heels of a 2-6 slide seemed like strong signals they were coming around. But this was a big step back. Worse, the Bulls are staring at a tough six-game trip that starts Tuesday at Golden State.I dont know if theres a straight explanation for it, Gasol said. We understand the importance of every game, especially here at home. Were trying to get ourselves going, get in some kind of rhythm but we havent been able to do it yet.The Bulls were within 83-76 after Brooks four-point play with 6:36 left in the game. But the Heat stayed in control thanks to three dunks by Whiteside in about a two-minute span.That spree started with an alley-oop from Chalmers and continued with a dunk over Gasol off a feed from Deng to make it an 11-point game.Whiteside then answered a layup by Chicagos Taj Gibson with another dunk, his third in about a two-minute span.What hes doing is, of course, more than I expected, Bosh said. But I kinda saw the fit (after he signed). Hes just playing at a high level right now. I just want him to stay grounded, just continue to work.COMING HOMEIt was an emotional day for Deng, who was back at the United Center for the first time since the Bulls traded him to Cleveland last year. He spent his first nine-plus seasons in Chicago.I have so many friends here, Deng said. Youve got everyone (on) your phone (saying) I cant wait to see you. Its a lot of distractions at the same time, but its also exciting.The Bulls honoured Deng with a video tribute, showing clips of his time in Chicago, during a timeout in the first quarter.TIP-INSHeat: Whitesides 12 blocks were the most in the NBA this season. His previous career high was five blocks. ... Bosh scored his 16,000th career point in the first quarter.Bulls: Chicago was again without Mike Dunleavy Jr., who missed his 13th straight game because of a right ankle injury. The Bulls keep saying hes close to returning, but coach Tom Thibodeau said he is just not comfortable enough to be in a game.UP NEXT:Heat: Host Milwaukee on Tuesday.Bulls: Visit Golden State on Tuesday. Marcus Allen Super Bowl Jersey . Showing more spark after not taking enough challenging shots on goal in their 1-0 loss Friday night, the Bruins had 18 shots in the first period after managing just 25 in the entire opener. Luke Glendening cut Bostons lead to 2-1 at 13:20 of the second period before Milan Lucic scored late in the second and Zdeno Chara added a power-play goal early in the third. Christian Okoye Super Bowl Jersey . -- The defending Canadian womens curling champions squandered an opportunity to take sole possession of first place in the standings Tuesday at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.Newcastle are top of the Sky Bet Championship but just how good are Rafael Benitezs side? Whoscored.com dig into the stats ahead of Sundays clash with Leeds United live on Sky Sports... The return of the Championship is bookended by the two biggest matches of the weekend, with the Sky cameras pitching up at the Amex Stadium for Brightons clash with Aston Villa on Friday night before Newcastles clash with Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday.High-flying Brighton are unbeaten in 10 games and host a resurgent Villa side who are yet to lose under new boss Steve Bruce. Its not an easy game, but it represents a chance for Chris Hughtons charges to move level on points with the team to beat at the top of the table. In the summer the bookies priced up Newcastle as the strongest favourites ever to win the Championship, such was the support behind a club that invested heavily in the transfer market and, crucially, kept hold of a manager whose CV is unrivalled at this level.Rafael Benitezs decision to stay on at St. James Park despite last seasons relegation from the Premier League was arguably the biggest factor behind the Magpies early billing as the second tiers best ever side. Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez was the Sky Bet EFL Manager of the Month for October Optimism was dampened after they lost their opening two matches to Fulham and Huddersfield at the start of the campaign, but having acclimatised to their new surroundings and bedded in a large number of summer arrivals, they are once again being touted as overwhelming favourites, despite Brightons close proximity in the table.A look at WhoScored.coms statistical team ratings actually suggests the Seagulls have been the stronger side over the course of the season. Their score of 7.02 is the highest in the league ahead of Newcastles 6.98, though both figures rank highly in relation to previous promoted sides. Leeds vs Newcastle November 20, 2016, 1:00pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass In fact, the only two teams to have gone up in the last two seasons with a higher rating than either of this seasons top two are Leicester (7.00), in their title-winning 2013/14 campaign, and Bournemouth (7.04), when they won the league the following season. The subsequent success of both of those sides in the top-flight certainly suggests that both Newcastle and Brighton are well-equipped to make the step up.Moreover, if you were to exclude Newcastles ratings from their first two games of the season, the Magpies WhoScored.com rating would be 7.07. Its a figure that will surely rise further if they continue in their current vein of form, demonstrating that few teams in the Championships history can match the current leaders strength.One of the key factors behind the success of Benitezs side thus far has undoubtedly been their effective movements in the summer transfer window. Whiile Dwight Gayle steals the spotlight in that regard, leading the scoring charts in Englands second tier with 11 goals for a rating of 7. Morris Claiborne Super Bowl Jersey. 34, the impact of a number of less heralded recruits has been just as decisive. Whoscored.coms top rated Newcastle players this season Of their first team regulars this season, four of Newcastles top six rated players are new arrivals.Top of the list is Ciaran Clark (7.42), who few would have expected to become such a key member of the side. Indeed, when Newcastle announced the capture of the defender from touted promotion rivals Aston Villa, it seemed a slightly odd move at the time. Benitez had already signed Grant Hanley to bolster his defensive ranks, had named Jamaal Lascelles as his captain and could also call upon Chancel Mbemba.In fact, Clarks addition was tipped in the local media to provide competition at left-back as much as centre-half, perhaps reading too much into the fact that the Ireland international had made a handful of appearances in that position at Villa. Ciaran Clark has impressed for Newcastle since his arrival from Aston Villa Make no mistake, though, Clark is central defender, and hes proving to be a very good one at this level. He has scored twice and is offering both the most interceptions (2.1) and clearances (8.1) per game for the club, while Newcastles record with the 27-year old at the back is exceptional.Ironically, the only game in 11 that Clark has not been on the winning side this season was a 1-1 draw back at Villa Park, with the Magpies losing three of five without him in the XI. Rafa not thinking of promotion Rafael Benitez insists hes not thinking about promotion yet. Meanwhile, alongside the impressive Jonjo Shelvey in the middle of the park, Isaac Hayden has also played an important role in ensuring Newcastles defence has been much improved. The Magpies were exposed to counter-attacks last season, but Hayden has provided the necessary protection. His average of 2.6 tackles per game is a team high, with 1.9 interceptions bettered only by Clark, helping him to a rating of 7.25.Along with Gayle, Matt Ritchie was the other real marquee signing and while the winger took a little time to adjust, he has also proven an astute acquisition. With two goals and five assists to his name in the league - the latter is a joint high in the Championship - he is beginning to have the sort of effect Benitez would have hoped in the final third. Matt Ritchie has made a strong start to life at St James Park Ritchie, after all, is a player that has excelled in a title-winning campaign, ranking among the top ten players in the second tier as Bournemouth were promoted, with a rating of 7.44 courtesy of superb figures of 15 goals and 17 assists.Its clear then, that while Newcastles enviable firepower in the form of Gayle, Mitrovic and Perez is seen as their greatest asset, Benitez has built a team that warrants its billing as outright favourites.Their credentials will be tested against an improving Leeds side on Sunday in a fixture steeped in top-flight tradition. While both will certainly be aiming to be back in the big time before long, its the Magpies who are flying right now. They are justifying the hype to make an immediate return appear a near certainty. Also See: Newcastle video Newcastle fixtures Newcastle stats Get a ￡10 free bet! ' ' '