2 in a ROW!!!

It's amazing! Of course the last time the Bulls won two in a row the very next game they lost the biggest lead in franchise history, at home, against the Kings. So I'm not too excited yet. Anyway I didn't get to see the game so I don't have any comment except when Tyrus plays big minutes (like last night) good things usually happen. VDN just continue to turn Tyrus, Deng, Rose, and Noah loose on the league and see what happens. Hell if you did that I might stop screaming for your job!!!

Tyrus is BACK!

And in a shocking move by VDN he actually played 30+ minutes. I know, truly amazing. So what was the end result? Beating the New Orleans Hornets fairly handily. Thanks to a 3rd quarter lockdown on D in which the Hornets only managed 9 points the Bulls finally beat a decent team (N.O. is decent, not good, but I'll take what I can get). My hope, is that Del Firo noticed for the first time what Thomas brings to the table. Defense, athleticism, and lots of energy. Plus he was 10-17 from the field, YES HE CAN SHOOT PEOPLE! Anyway, this was the first step in the long process of rebuilding the confidence of the team and the fan base.

Some random questions involving the Bulls:

With Kirk Hinrich far outplaying John Salmons, will they look to move him for guaranteed cap space this offseason?

Will Noah be an all-star? Because I don't see too many Centers in the League, much less the Eastern Conference, that are better than him right now.

With VDN pretty much secure for the rest of the season, will they decide to make a coaching move in the off season?

Will Ben Gordon ever play again? Oh wait, he thankfully plays for the Pistons now.

If the Bulls turn it around and get to .500 or so by the all-star break will they still look to make a move, or put all their eggs in one basket with FA?

Who will play more minutes going forward Taj or Tyrus? Taj or James Johnson? Miller or the rookies? Salmons or Hinrich? This last question will determine the fate of the team this year!!!

A Christmas Miracle?

How do we fix the Bulls, that's the miracle. Here is my take, with the exception of firing the coach, because clearly that isn't going to happen.

First and foremost, Tyrus Thomas HAS to play at least 30 minutes every single game and play crunch time minutes in the fourth quarter. He is their best shot blocker and a freak athlete. Yes there are times when he makes really really dumb mistakes especially on offense, but he is the only guy on the team that can intimidate opponents on defense. He can alter games with his shot blocking and quick hands. Also, he is a better offensive player than most give him credit for and every game he matures a little bit more. Lastly, he needs these minutes so that the Bulls can make an actual educated decision about him this offseason instead of some knee jerk reaction (which is the path they are currently on).

Second, VDN (or hopefully a new coach) needs to continue to turn Derrick Rose loose. Clearly Rose is healthy, and although it isn't leading to wins, he has played like an all-star the last three weeks. This is the Rose all of us expected to see at the start of the season. Also, the Bulls need to utilize the small aspect of their roster, especially while Tyrus is still out. There is no shame in playing 3 guards, a SF, and a center. In the NBA it's whatever gets the job done and against most teams that lineup will be very tough to guard.

Third, either Hinrich or Salmons needs to stop sucking. Hopefully both of them will turn it around, but one of them has to otherwise...

Fourth, if the trade deadline rolls around and the Bulls still suck, it's time to make major moves and over haul the roster. Here are some players we know are available: Michael Redd, David West, Boozer, David Lee, possibly Chris Bosh, CP3, the entire Golden State Warriors team etc...So what I would do is try to make a move for the following players with trades such as these or something similar

Tyrus Thomas, Jerome James, our first rounder, and cash for David West. The Hornets would save almost 5 million off their payroll while picking up extra cash and a good young PF who is from the area (who I love by the way). For the Bulls this is a no brainer. West is an all-star, brings it every night, and only makes 9-10 million per year for the next three seasons. I doubt the Hornets want to do this trade, but at the deadline the owner may force the team to make a cost cutting move. So the question will become is this the best deal that they can find?

John Salmons, Taj Gibson, and James Johnson for Anthony Randolph and Corey Maggette. G.S. clearly wants to get rid of Maggette's ridiculously long and expensive contract and I think the only way that happens is if they include Anthony Randolph. And as far as I'm concerned, I would trade anyone not named Rose or Noah to get Randolph. This would be my initial offer and since Randolph is only playing 20 minutes a night for them, you might be able to get away with lowballing them if you really sell the idea of taking mister "I got mine" off their hands. If I had to sweeten the pot, I'd have no problems doing that. The key is to get Rose, Noah, Randolph, and hopefully Deng and Thomas on the same team. Two years from now that would be one of the best teams in the league.

I would offer just about anything for Bosh to try and get him into chicago for 30 games or so, so he can see how amazing it would be to play for a team that sells out every night and has a talented PG like Rose. Unfortunately, I doubt the Bulls take a shot at this unless they can get him cheap (which isn't happening). If Bosh doesn't come to Chicago THIS season, I don't think there is any chance he comes here in free agency. My bet he goes to play with either Wade or LeBron.

Anyway, this is just a couple suggestions. There are an infinite number of ways to improve the team, however, if the Bulls stand pat I definitely see dark days coming (see below for full details).

Dark Days are Coming!

Many around the world of basketball think the dark days are already here for the Bulls. But I disagree. I think what we saw on Monday and Tuesday is just a sign of things to come. On Monday the Bulls dominated the Kings for two and half quarters and at one point in the 3rd were up by 35 points. The game looked over, the Kings were playing some bench guys the game was literally over, but the Bulls continued with their starters. The guys started relaxing, they started getting tired, they started turning the ball over. VDN didn't adjust, didn't go to his bench, didn't do anything. So the Kings get momentum and win the game. Did Rose miss a potential game tying floater? Yes. But let's be honest, if you're up 35 in the second half and the other team comes back to take the lead, you're not going to win that game.

So the Bulls make history by blowing the single biggest second half lead...at home...EVER. It's the biggest blown lead in franchise history and more importantly, before this game started the team appeared to have turned the corner by winning two in row (see below for full details).

Last night the Bulls went back on the road for one game, to MSG, to face the NY Knicks and the coach the Bulls should have hired Mike D'Antoni. So what happens, they shit the bed and only scored 31 points in the first half. Shocking!!! Who would have thought the day after blowing a 35 point lead the Bulls would then lose to a shitty team. Anyway, all the talk today is about how D'Antoni should have been the Bulls coach, and both teams are worse off. But to me that is irrelevant. What is relevant, the Bulls have a no talent coach, a very talented top five (including Tyrus Thomas), and a management team that is afraid to fire another coach and is to incompetent to replace him with someone talented.

So where does that leave us Bulls fans and where does that leave the team? My guess, a very dark place. The players are pros, they won't flat out quit on Vinny, but it has become abundantly clear that the players have lost faith. You can see it on their faces whenever they fall behind by more than a bucket or two, you can see it in the post game interviews where Noah says things like, "If you were my friend, I would tell you a lot of things, but I feel like if I say something, it's going to make things really bad," and you can see it in the scoreboard. There is no reason the Bulls should ever lose to the Kings or the Knicks. They are better at virtually every position, except for coach.

In fact, a lot of the Bulls losses this year are against teams where they are more talented from top to bottom. So what does that tell everyone except for Bulls management? That the coach has to go! Well, it doesn't tell Bulls management that, but it tells everyone else that Vinny needs to go. But since VDN won't get fired I just see more and more losing and more and more games being lost because the coach is incompetent. It's amazing the way the Bulls are losing games. Blowouts, poor defense, poor offense, guys not knowing where to rotate on D, zero offensive plays, guys standing around on offense, and the team only going 7 deep no matter what the situation is. This all comes down to coaching, and let me tell you, Ben Gordon wouldn't change any of it. The only thing that will change this trend is a new coach.

FIRE VINNY DEL OVERMATCHEDO AND HIRE A GOOD COACH IN SEASON ALREADY!!! My nominees are Avery Johnson, Sam Mitchell, and Lawrence Frank! This season is about to get out of hand, and unless drastic changes are made immediately we are looking at another lottery pick between 9-14!!!

The Bulls Beat the Hawks?

I can't believe it. I'm downright shocked. But this is what this team can do when Deng, Rose, and Noah are all being aggressive and the rest of the team is just ok. There is no way the Bulls should miss the playoffs, and hopefully this gets them back on track. If they beat Sac-Town tonight then I will be close to calling this team officially back. However, the big question is still going to be what does VDN do with Tyrus Thomas? A good coach would be excited about Thomas coming back, but for Vinny, I get the feeling he wishes he didn't have to deal with him so he can continue to play Taj big minutes, despite the difference in talent.

Nonetheless, I am a Bulls fan through and through and I am excited that the Bulls finally beat a good team in a close game. It's been quite literally weeks!!!

Bulls Win, and VDN Stays

Sadly, the Bulls came back from a 17 point deficit last night and ended up beating the NYK at home. Had the Bulls lost, my money was on him getting fired. However, I now believe there is no way he loses his job this season, unless he rapes a player, he is safe. The organization doesn't seem willing to pull the trigger despite him not knowing how to coach offense, defense, or get his players to play hard for 48 minutes. But apparently they have no backup plan (I guess Bickerstaff doesn't qualify and neither does trying to bring in Avery or Sam Mitchell) so they have resigned themselves to standing pat and seeing what VDN can do. The whole thing makes me sick. He was a terrible hire to begin with, he should have been fired after being overmatched all of last year, including in the playoffs when he basically handed two games to the Celts (not fouling anyone when the Bulls were up three and continuing to play Brad Miller for 15 straight minutes to end games despite him needing a respirator) and definitely this year when he refused to play Tyrus more than 24 minutes a game. And oh, let's not forget this recent stretch of terrible play. But none of that mattered, the Bulls hired him and they are going to stick with there guy 'Through Thick and Thin,' just like it was 2001.

God I hate VDN, he has to be the worst coach in the league at this point. Can anyone think of a worst coach? I think I'd rather have some of the interim guys out there than VDN. It's SIMPLE VINNY, STAY OUT OF THE FUCKING WAY AND STOP FUCKING UP THE ROTATIONS!!!

Trade Thoughts (other than my Bulls)

I think the Pistons should trade Richard Hamilton for 50 cents on the dollar. If they could give him away for expiring contracts they should do it. The Pistons have way too many guards and Hamilton is the old crew while Gordon, Stuckey, and Bynum are with the new crew. So one proposal that works and makes sense for both teams is Hamilton, Wilcox, and Kwame Brown for T-Mac. That's right T-MAC!!! The guy I said would never play for Houston, who incidently suited up tonight and played. T-Mac would be perfect for Detroit because he has a 22 million dollar expiring contract and the Pistons are a team going nowhere, so why not free up more money by getting rid of a guy you don't need in Hamilton. For the Rockets this trade is perfect. They are capped out next year so getting a pure shooter like Hamilton for basically nothing is a steal. And both Brown and Wilcox come off the books after this season. Hamilton would fit right in with the Rockets and you could either start him or bring him off the bench. Guys are always more willing to come off the bench when they've been traded (unless their name is AI). Moving forward, Hamilton also fits for the Rockets because in theory Yao Ming should be back next year and who better to open things up than a spot shooter like Rip. As for Detroit, you're rebuilding, it's obvious, this clears things up and makes the rotation clearer and let's the young guys get big minutes...it's win win baby!

I still think Utah trades Boozer and this trade makes some sense. The Jazz give up Boozer and their first rounder, lottery protected, for Anthony Randolph, K. Azubuike, Speedy Claxton, and Devan George. The Jazz get a seriously talented prospect in Randolph. In fact, I doubt any team would offer anyone close to Randolph's talent. They also get a rotation player in Azubuike and then two expiring contracts in George and Claxton. I'm not sure if it's enough to get them under the Luxury Tax, but it's at least close, plus you don't have Boozer on your team. So that's a big win. For Golden State, they get a PF who can run, shoot, board, and doesn't play any defense. So he fits in perfectly with their system. Boozer can also post up so if they ever do get in the half court he could help them down low or with the pick and roll. Plus GS will have the ability to go over the cap to resign him if they feel like he is a good fit going forward. I really think this makes both teams better moving forward...It's win win!!!

The Portland Trailblazers trade Andre Miller to either Memphis or Philadelphia for anything. I don't care what, anything they will give up is just fine with me. Miller is trying to fit in, he's trying to be a good soldier, but this isn't going to last much longer. Miller is eventually going to get pissed off and Brandon Roy (your franchise) has already complained about playing with him. Trade him for any contract that is of equal or lesser value for no other reason than team harmony, which we all know goes a long way in the NBA.

I'd love to see the Hawks make a move, but looking at their team, I just don't see much they can do without crushing their core. And the way they are playing there is no reason to mess with that. But looking at that team, I just don't think they can beat the big three in the East in a 7 game series, which is why I'd love to see them do something, I'm just not sure what.

Why Wait for 2010?

For the last year I've been all about setting up the Chicago Bulls for the free agent bonanza that is 2010. But recently I've soured on the idea, and by recently I mean the day the Bulls signed VDN to coach their team. Why would LeBron, Wade or Bosh want to come to the Windy (and freezing) city to play with similar talent when other cities have better coaching. With the Bulls struggling this year I find it hard to believe those three would even consider coming here. My guess, LeBron stays put, Wade stays put, and Bosh goes to play with either LeBron in Cleveland or Wade in Miami (my money is on Wade in Miami).

So where does that leave the Bulls? What is their best case scenario if they miss out on those top three guys (which I believe is extremely likely)? I love Joe Johnson, LOVE HIM! And I believe he would next on the Bulls board. But would they have what it takes to lure him here. He's proven once that he wanted the money and to be the man (by begging Phoenix not to match the offer the Hawks made back in the day) so what's to say he wouldn't do it again. He could take the money and stay in ATL, or he could take the endorsement money and be the man for the New York Knicks. As for winning, his best options will be to either stay put, play with one of the big three as mentioned above, or come to Chicago. But those are a lot of ifs, and the Bulls got fucked once back in 2000 when Grant Hill, T-Mac, and Duncan all passed on playing for the Bulls. After Johnson it has to be Amar'e and after that it has to be Boozer and then I would assume it's restricted FA Rudy Gay. Sadly, Gay plays the same position as Deng, and I don't think Deng is really physical enough to play the four. It could work, but I doubt the Bulls ever really try this, unless they lose out on everyone in free agency and make Gay a crazy offer that Grizz just can't match, which is possible.

So my question is, why wait. Of the guys that the Bulls have a realistic chance of getting, only Joe Johnson is significantly better than...David West! It's become pretty clear to me, that just about everyone on the Hornets is available and that includes their all-star Power Foward. The Bulls could get a big free agent right now, potentially saving this season, and putting themselves in position to be a great team for the next two or three years. Is Amar'e better than West, probably, but it's closer than you think, and West brings a lot less baggage to the team than Amar'e does. So here are the stats and I am only going to look at the last two years because there is no way Amar'e is the same player he was back when he was throwing up 26 points a night. Those days are long gone.

Amar'e 2008-09 PPG-21.4 REB-8.1 BLK-1.1 FG-53.9 FT-83.5

West 2008-09 PPG-21.0 REB-8.5 BLK-.9 FG-47.2 FT-88.4

Amar'e 2009-10 PPG-19.2 REB-7.8 BLK-1.0 FG-55.8 FT-74.8

West 2009-10 PPG-15.9 REB-7.0 BLK-.8 FG-45.8 FT-85.0

So last season their numbers were almost identical and this season both players numbers are down. Amar'e has no excuse as the Suns are killing it, but West has had to deal with Chris Paul being out half the season. With Paul back his numbers are trending up and I believe he'll match Amar'e by the end of the year (hopefully while being a Bull). To me, taking the risk in free agency and possibly ending up with no one (or even worse, the injury plagued and uninspired Carlos Boozer) is not nearly as desirable as trading say Jerome James' expiring contract and Tyrus Thomas (who is a Louisiana native) for David West. Acquiring West at less than 10 mil per season for two and half years is a lot better than either Amar'e or Boozer at 14-15 mil for five years. Plus this leaves the Bulls with some money to play with this offseason. Not max money, but enough to sign a could FA and even still make a run at a guy like Rudy Gay who a lot of teams will be afraid of because he's restricted.

A team of Rose, Salmons (or FA pickup in 2010), Deng, West, and Noah is a pretty good team. If Rose ever makes the jump and the Bulls can add a solid two guard the team could compete in the East. Could of course depends on who Bosh decides to play with, LeBron or Wade?

Another Blowout Loss...

And yet, Vinny still has a job. It just doesn't make any sense. The team can't score a hundred points against two of the worst defenses in the league (GS and TOR) and they don't defend worth a shit giving up almost 100 per game. So let's see, you can't score, and you can't defend. And your telling me this has nothing to do with coaching? Seriously, make the fucking move, the team can't get any worse with Bernie Bickerstaff and maybe you can bring in a guy like Avery Johnson, Lawrence Frank, or Sam Mitchell before the end of the year and still salvage this season and have a shot at a solid FA in the summer of 2010!!!

Other Notes:

Under no circumstances will T-Mac ever play for the Houston Rockets. I'm very excited to see how this all plays out. My guess is T-Mac will be shopped and will either be traded for one young average player and expiring contracts or he will be bought out for less money after the trade deadline passes. Either way, you can write it down, there is no chance he suits up for Houston.

Yes the Lakers are one of the two best teams in the League, but let's all calm down with the talk of them dominating night in and night out. They've played 17 home games already, by far the most of any team. Last night they started their first road trip of the season, and oh by the way, they lost in Utah. So yes, they are a great team, but they're not going to win 70 games and it's not a forgone conclusion that they win the title.

I love the Mavericks and even though there is no chance they win it all this year, I love it that they're going for it. The offseason moves may hurt them in 2 years, but this year they are a great team to watch. Lots of ball movement, good defense, and the first open shot is rarely passed up. It's the way the game should be played. I think the Mavs can beat everyone in the West with one exception...The Lakers. The only way the Mavs can beat the Lakers is if Josh Howard turns back the clock and dominates both defensively and offensively like he did when the Mavs went to the Finals and lost to the Referees and D-Wade. Which sadly isn't going to happen.

I've watched Miami play a few times this year, and I can't help but think it would be in their best interests to trade Michael Beasley...for the right player. At this point everyone has to think Chris Bosh is leaving Toronto, so if your Miami why not offer Beez, Haslem, Diawara, and a first rounder for Bosh. Toronto would be silly not to take this because there is no way they will get a better deal for a rental. And all this talk about a sign trade in the off season is silly. Bosh will hold all the cards at that point, and why would he agree to a trade that would gut the team he is going to? It just doesn't make any sense. If Toronto continues to suck, the Raps should trade him because they are capped out, and that team isn't going anywhere without some major moves. Getting Beasley, expiring contracts, and a first rounder would count as a major move. Hell you could even expand the deal and make the Heat take Hedo for O'Neal and then buy O'Neal out! The possibilities for the Raps are endless, but only if they make a move before the deadline! As for the Heat, if they bring in Bosh, they can sign him to the max six year deal and he would definitely take a lot of pressure off of Wade. That pairing would have a chance at a title for as long as their together. The rest of the team barely matters.

What Does He Have To Do?

Seriously, what does Vinny Del Negro have to do to get fired? His team is getting blown out, at home, and the only teams they can beat are the bottom of the barrel. The Bulls are about to lose two more at home (Boston tonight, LA Lakers on Tuesday) and at that point if VDN doesn't get fired, it's clear it's never going to happen. The offense is completely disjointed, half the team looks lost on defense, and other than Noah, Deng, and Rose no one is playing up to their potential.

Other NBA News:

Allen Iverson is back with Philly, and they are yet to win a game with him on the roster. Is it a coincidence? I have no idea, but it's freaking HIGH-larious. AI wanted back, he wanted to start, and I wonder how long it will be before he starts calling out his coach and new teammates? This is so much fun, fans shouldn't be aloud to have this much fun.

The Suns keep winning, and they are beating good teams. Why is this relevant? Because once the playoffs start their record is irrelevant. They will lose to the Spurs, Lakers, and possibly even the Nuggets. The only their regular season does is set me up for disappointment once the playoffs start.

This whole season has already been about where will LeBron, Wade, and Bosh end up in the offseason. The rumors are flying and even someone like me (who loves this kind of talk) is already sick of it. As of right now, Bosh looks like he'll leave, LeBron and Wade will most likely stay put.

What is more interesting is what is going to happen to Carlos Boozer? How he hasn't been traded yet is one of the stories of the year. Everyone knows he won't be back next year, so at this point wouldn't Utah take anything, as in any player that would crack their rotation and not kill their cap? I would think players like Tyrus Thomas, Jordan Hill, anyone from the Warriors, would be very high on the Jazz's trade talk list. Yet we hear nothing.

The Blazers are Fucked...AGAIN! Oden is out for the year. Outlaw is out for who knows how long, and Rudy has been in and out of the lineup. The Blazers had a chance last year to make major moves but chose to stand pat, and now they are paying the price. This team is no closer to winning a championship than the Jazz are or the Heat, or any other middle of the rung team. I feel bad for Oden since he was finally putting it together, but the Blazers could have added serious players to their team and instead all they ended up with is a backup point guard who is getting paid starters money.