During Thursday’s 128-96 win, running the Bulls out of the gym, the guy they call “The Manimal” (Kenneth Faried) was potent — shoot, he was omnipotent, sprinting, shooting, soaring and skewering Chicago. He finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds, doing so in just the 25 minutes his services were required.

“Not a lot of people (nationally) see us when we play,” Faried said, “so more people wanted to step to the stage on a nationally televised stage, and we brought it tonight. People might not respect us as much because we’re not on TV as much like a Clippers, Lakers or Knicks. But today we made a statement on TNT, showing everybody – hey, pay attention.”

via Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post