The newest rumor is the Bulls are pursuing Carmelo Anthony from the Nuggets and have made a formal offer. The talk is also that the Bulls are considering sweeting the deal to include Joakim Noah. This might all be true, but the Bulls are NOT going to get Anthony. Any deal would have to involve Luol Deng and the Nuggets don't want him because of his contract. The Nuggets would also want Noah, and I promise you the Bulls ARE NOT trading him. You don't trade one of the top five or six centers in the league, period end of story. It just doesn't happen.
I'm torn on bringing Anthony to town. I'd love to see him in the Bulls uniform, but under no circumstances do I want the Bulls to lose Noah. Deng and Noah for Anthony is a step down. Without Noah the Bulls have no chance of getting past the Heat, Lakers, or Magic over the next 2-5 years. Now if they could get Anthony for Deng, Gibson, James Johnson, Omer Asik, and some first round picks I would do it in a second. I will give up bench depth for a star scorer every day of the week. But I think the team the Bulls have currently built is better suited to win moving forward then a team with Anthony in place of Deng AND Noah. Deng is solid, but Noah is about to be an all-star and a contender for defensive player of the year. You just don't give that up, especially when you have an offensive minded, but defensively challenged power forward in Carlos Boozer. Noah is the perfect compliment to Boozer and to Rose, who also lacks when it comes to defense.
So to recap, this is fun to talk about, but it's not happening. And me personally I'm ok with it.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Bulls v. Celtics
Last season the Celtics were only the fourth seed in the East, but went on to upset both the Cavs and Magic to make it to the Finals were they lost in seven games to the Lakers. This is a veteran team (meaning they are really old) who this offseason lost Rasheed Wallace and Tony Allen and added a couple of lousy pieces in the non-related O'Neal brothers, Jermaine and Shaquille. I expect this team to take a minor step back, if not a major step back during the regular season. With so many players over the age of 30 (five rotation players) and four of them being starters (at least until Kendrick Perkins comes back in Feb.) the Celtics aren't going to tear up the regular season. Their goal, like last year, is to be healthy and ready to play once the playoffs start. So over the course of an 82 game season I think the Bulls will definitely have a better record, but once the playoffs start all bets are off with the Celtics.
Rose v. Rajon Rondo-A lot of sportswriters and websites (yahoo, ESPN) have Rondo as the better point guard. I think that's a joke. This year Rondo is going to have to do a lot more than stand at the top of the key and make an easy chest pass to the wing for an open three. This year Rondo is going to have to score in the half court and is going to be forced to shoot more jumpers as defenses continue to adjust to his game. Rondo isn't just a below average jump shooter, he's one of the worst jump shooting PG's in the league. Rondo also gets all this press for being a great defender, which isn't 100% true. He IS a great help defender, but he is a terrible on the ball defender. And with Rose, Rondo won't be able to help much which will neutralize some of his defensive prowess. The problem for the Bulls is if Rose can't stay in front of Rondo defensively, HE will go wherever he wants and get wide open shots for Pierce and Allen, and dunks for the O'Neal's and KG. This matchup is all about who you ask. Ask a Bulls fan and it's Rose, ask a Celtics fan and it's Rondo. So I'll call it a wash. Rondo is clearly better defensively, even though he does have some flows, and Rose is clearly better offensively. I will say this, when these two teams play, this matchup will be a lot of fun to watch.
Brewer v. Ray Allen-Until Ray Allen retires or gets seriously injured he will be the best pure shooter in the league. I love what Brewer brings to the table, but even at age 35 Ray is still the better player and can single-handedly carry a team on certain nights. The only advantage the Bulls have is age, Ray is old, Brewer is young. So if Brewer can get out and run and pester the crap out of Allen then who knows, but I still won't bet against him.
Deng v. Paul Pierce-There isn't much to talk about here. If Pierce is getting bailed out by the refs for putting his head down and barreling into the lane out of control and getting two free throws for doing nothing more than throwing his arms up in the air, then the Celtics will dominate this matchup. If refs aren't bailing out Pierce, then Deng is every bit his equal. He's younger, faster, stronger, longer, a better defender, a better rebounder, and just as good a mid range shooter. Pierce is a better three point shooter and can create his own shot, but unfortunately with the Celtics it always comes down to the refs. So I have to go with a slight edge to Pierce.
Boozer v. Kevin Garnett-I think KG is done. He looked terrible all season last year, he can't jump, his post moves are in slow motion and his defensive rotation is slow. I give a big edge to Boozer and I will be SHOCKED if KG has anything left in the tank this season. I hate to bet against him because he is such a passionate competitor but after all the injuries he has sustained after the last few years I just don't see him getting back to 2008 form.
Noah v. Jermaine O'Neal-That's right, Jermaine O'Neal is going to start for the Boston Celtics until AT LEAST February when Kendrick Perkins comes back from injury. And who knows how good Perkins will be after major knee surgery this off season. My guess, not very good. So this is a Ginormous edge to the Bulls. The Celtics don't have anyone on their roster that can keep up with Noah, he is too fast and strong for Jermaine and way to agile for Shaq and just plain to big for KG. This matchup is the reason the Bulls should beat the Celtics this year IF they meet in the playoffs.
Korver, Watson, Asik, Gibson v. Nate Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, Glen Davis, Marquis Daniels-I actually hate the Celtics bench. Shaq is completely done, D.U.N. DONE!!! Nate Robinson is a little firecracker that I like every other game when he goes off, but that other game he usually disrupts the flow of the offense, takes stupid shots, and turns the ball over (he still thinks he's playing for Isiah Thomas in New York). Marquis Daniels can't be counted on to stay healthy and is at best an average player, and he's no longer young, he turns thirty during the season. lastly it's Glen Davis. Sadly I like Davis. He plays hard and gets the most out of his talent. You know every night you will get everything Davis has, in fact, Davis is the only Celtic bench guy that might be able to crack the Bulls rotation(although he'd probably have to play center to do it). Needless to say I think the Bulls bench is better across the board.
Thibs v. Rivers-I am very interested to see how Rivers does this year without his top assistant. Rivers gave Thibs credit every step of the way and I'm not sure they will be able to sustain the type of intense defense they've had the best few years without him. I still give the edge to Rivers, after all, he's won a championship and made it to last year's Finals and Thibs is yet to coach a game. I'm just saying I can't wait to see this match up.
I believe the Bulls will have a better record than the Celtics (possibly four or five more wins), i think the Celtics will most likely be in that 4-5-6 range come playoff time, most likely falling into the four seed. I don't see them getting to 50 wins, 47 seems like the most they can hope for with Shaq playing significant minutes, Jermaine O'Neal starting, and Perkins maybe being a shell of his former self. That being said, if they are healthy during the playoffs anything can happen, but during the regular season I just can't see the Bulls finishing below them in the standings.
Rose v. Rajon Rondo-A lot of sportswriters and websites (yahoo, ESPN) have Rondo as the better point guard. I think that's a joke. This year Rondo is going to have to do a lot more than stand at the top of the key and make an easy chest pass to the wing for an open three. This year Rondo is going to have to score in the half court and is going to be forced to shoot more jumpers as defenses continue to adjust to his game. Rondo isn't just a below average jump shooter, he's one of the worst jump shooting PG's in the league. Rondo also gets all this press for being a great defender, which isn't 100% true. He IS a great help defender, but he is a terrible on the ball defender. And with Rose, Rondo won't be able to help much which will neutralize some of his defensive prowess. The problem for the Bulls is if Rose can't stay in front of Rondo defensively, HE will go wherever he wants and get wide open shots for Pierce and Allen, and dunks for the O'Neal's and KG. This matchup is all about who you ask. Ask a Bulls fan and it's Rose, ask a Celtics fan and it's Rondo. So I'll call it a wash. Rondo is clearly better defensively, even though he does have some flows, and Rose is clearly better offensively. I will say this, when these two teams play, this matchup will be a lot of fun to watch.
Brewer v. Ray Allen-Until Ray Allen retires or gets seriously injured he will be the best pure shooter in the league. I love what Brewer brings to the table, but even at age 35 Ray is still the better player and can single-handedly carry a team on certain nights. The only advantage the Bulls have is age, Ray is old, Brewer is young. So if Brewer can get out and run and pester the crap out of Allen then who knows, but I still won't bet against him.
Deng v. Paul Pierce-There isn't much to talk about here. If Pierce is getting bailed out by the refs for putting his head down and barreling into the lane out of control and getting two free throws for doing nothing more than throwing his arms up in the air, then the Celtics will dominate this matchup. If refs aren't bailing out Pierce, then Deng is every bit his equal. He's younger, faster, stronger, longer, a better defender, a better rebounder, and just as good a mid range shooter. Pierce is a better three point shooter and can create his own shot, but unfortunately with the Celtics it always comes down to the refs. So I have to go with a slight edge to Pierce.
Boozer v. Kevin Garnett-I think KG is done. He looked terrible all season last year, he can't jump, his post moves are in slow motion and his defensive rotation is slow. I give a big edge to Boozer and I will be SHOCKED if KG has anything left in the tank this season. I hate to bet against him because he is such a passionate competitor but after all the injuries he has sustained after the last few years I just don't see him getting back to 2008 form.
Noah v. Jermaine O'Neal-That's right, Jermaine O'Neal is going to start for the Boston Celtics until AT LEAST February when Kendrick Perkins comes back from injury. And who knows how good Perkins will be after major knee surgery this off season. My guess, not very good. So this is a Ginormous edge to the Bulls. The Celtics don't have anyone on their roster that can keep up with Noah, he is too fast and strong for Jermaine and way to agile for Shaq and just plain to big for KG. This matchup is the reason the Bulls should beat the Celtics this year IF they meet in the playoffs.
Korver, Watson, Asik, Gibson v. Nate Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, Glen Davis, Marquis Daniels-I actually hate the Celtics bench. Shaq is completely done, D.U.N. DONE!!! Nate Robinson is a little firecracker that I like every other game when he goes off, but that other game he usually disrupts the flow of the offense, takes stupid shots, and turns the ball over (he still thinks he's playing for Isiah Thomas in New York). Marquis Daniels can't be counted on to stay healthy and is at best an average player, and he's no longer young, he turns thirty during the season. lastly it's Glen Davis. Sadly I like Davis. He plays hard and gets the most out of his talent. You know every night you will get everything Davis has, in fact, Davis is the only Celtic bench guy that might be able to crack the Bulls rotation(although he'd probably have to play center to do it). Needless to say I think the Bulls bench is better across the board.
Thibs v. Rivers-I am very interested to see how Rivers does this year without his top assistant. Rivers gave Thibs credit every step of the way and I'm not sure they will be able to sustain the type of intense defense they've had the best few years without him. I still give the edge to Rivers, after all, he's won a championship and made it to last year's Finals and Thibs is yet to coach a game. I'm just saying I can't wait to see this match up.
I believe the Bulls will have a better record than the Celtics (possibly four or five more wins), i think the Celtics will most likely be in that 4-5-6 range come playoff time, most likely falling into the four seed. I don't see them getting to 50 wins, 47 seems like the most they can hope for with Shaq playing significant minutes, Jermaine O'Neal starting, and Perkins maybe being a shell of his former self. That being said, if they are healthy during the playoffs anything can happen, but during the regular season I just can't see the Bulls finishing below them in the standings.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Bulls v. Hawks
Last season the Atlanta Hawks were the third seed in the Eastern Conference so this seems like the logical place for me to start my team comparisons. I am predicting the Bulls as a third or fourth seed so here we go.
Mike Bibby or Jeff Teague v. Rose-This is a huge advantage for the Bulls. Neither Teague nor Bibby can guard Rose and at this point in Bibby's career you really don't even have to guard him. Teague looks promising moving forward, but this year this matchup isn't even close.
Joe Johnson v. Brewer-Needless to say Johnson is a better player, but the gap isn't as big as people think. Brewer is a lockdown defender who is big enough and strong enough to contain Johnson. Brewer is constantly running the floor and will put a lot of pressure on Johnson to get back defensively. Johnson also requires a lot minutes to get his stats, which also plays right into the Bulls with their deep bench. Yes Johnson wins this battle, but my point is the gap isn't nearly as big as the gap between Rose and Bibby or Teague.
Marvin Williams v. Deng-I give the edge to Deng. Williams is a solid player who is good on the break and has a decent mid range game, but Deng is a much better rebounder and defender. Offensively I think these two players are similar, neither can create their own shot, both are good jump shooters and both can finish at the basket. So this comes down to defense and rebounding and Deng wins both of those.
Josh Smith v. Boozer-I know Smith is a great shot blocker and dunker, but Boozer is a much better all around player. Smith is a time bomb waiting to happen. He kept it together until the playoffs when he started jacking threes all over the place. Boozer is a consistent rebounder, jump shooter, finisher, and plays within himself. Josh Smith is non of these things.
Al Horford v. Noah-I admit Horford is a better player, but he is not a better center. Horford has been playing out of position since day one and Noah is one of the top 5 or 6 centers in the league. I will call this a wash purely because of position. If Horford was matched up against Boozer he'd lose that battle for sure and if Noah was matched up against any other center on the Hawks he would crush him. So a wash it is.
Bench-This is pretty much a toss up, a lot of it will depend on how Jamal Crawford is playing on any particular day. If Crawford is playing well this unit is tough, if he's jacking up shots left and right then I will take the Bulls every time. The Hawks reserves rely on Crawford way to much and if he is off this unit will be terrible, whereas the Bulls should be consistently solid every night. The Hawks also don't have nearly the depth of the Bulls, as most nights the Bulls will go nine deep, but they have the ability to go 11 deep if needed. The Hawks really only go 8 deep and that depends on how rookie Jordan Crawford plays.
Larry Drew v. Thibs-Both are rookie coaches, but I'll take Thibs and his resume over Drew.
So what does all this tell us, on paper the Bulls are better than the Hawks and I expect them to finish several games ahead of them in the standings. I think the Hawks will be the team in the East to drop out of the top four with the Bulls moving in.
Mike Bibby or Jeff Teague v. Rose-This is a huge advantage for the Bulls. Neither Teague nor Bibby can guard Rose and at this point in Bibby's career you really don't even have to guard him. Teague looks promising moving forward, but this year this matchup isn't even close.
Joe Johnson v. Brewer-Needless to say Johnson is a better player, but the gap isn't as big as people think. Brewer is a lockdown defender who is big enough and strong enough to contain Johnson. Brewer is constantly running the floor and will put a lot of pressure on Johnson to get back defensively. Johnson also requires a lot minutes to get his stats, which also plays right into the Bulls with their deep bench. Yes Johnson wins this battle, but my point is the gap isn't nearly as big as the gap between Rose and Bibby or Teague.
Marvin Williams v. Deng-I give the edge to Deng. Williams is a solid player who is good on the break and has a decent mid range game, but Deng is a much better rebounder and defender. Offensively I think these two players are similar, neither can create their own shot, both are good jump shooters and both can finish at the basket. So this comes down to defense and rebounding and Deng wins both of those.
Josh Smith v. Boozer-I know Smith is a great shot blocker and dunker, but Boozer is a much better all around player. Smith is a time bomb waiting to happen. He kept it together until the playoffs when he started jacking threes all over the place. Boozer is a consistent rebounder, jump shooter, finisher, and plays within himself. Josh Smith is non of these things.
Al Horford v. Noah-I admit Horford is a better player, but he is not a better center. Horford has been playing out of position since day one and Noah is one of the top 5 or 6 centers in the league. I will call this a wash purely because of position. If Horford was matched up against Boozer he'd lose that battle for sure and if Noah was matched up against any other center on the Hawks he would crush him. So a wash it is.
Bench-This is pretty much a toss up, a lot of it will depend on how Jamal Crawford is playing on any particular day. If Crawford is playing well this unit is tough, if he's jacking up shots left and right then I will take the Bulls every time. The Hawks reserves rely on Crawford way to much and if he is off this unit will be terrible, whereas the Bulls should be consistently solid every night. The Hawks also don't have nearly the depth of the Bulls, as most nights the Bulls will go nine deep, but they have the ability to go 11 deep if needed. The Hawks really only go 8 deep and that depends on how rookie Jordan Crawford plays.
Larry Drew v. Thibs-Both are rookie coaches, but I'll take Thibs and his resume over Drew.
So what does all this tell us, on paper the Bulls are better than the Hawks and I expect them to finish several games ahead of them in the standings. I think the Hawks will be the team in the East to drop out of the top four with the Bulls moving in.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Back to Blogging
Over the last several months I have been toying with the idea of moving back to Chicago, living with my mom, and following the Chicago Bulls around the country. My plan was to write a blog and a book about my experience. Everything was in place, until our buyer backed out of buying our house, so now my wife and I are back to square one and stuck in St. Augustine, Florida. So I am back to blogging about my Bulls and the rest of the NBA on this site. Oh well, I'm only out 15 hundred bucks for a Bulls season ticket.
Anyway, here is my breakdown of the Bulls offseason...It was GREAT! Yes they missed out on LeCoward, Wade, and Bosh, but they did fulfill everyone of their needs. They added arguably the best PF in free agency (when healthy) in Carlos Boozer. He can score in the post, play the pick and roll game with Rose, and is a ridiculously good rebounder. His only downside (besides health) is his average defense, but playing alongside Noah should help a lot with that. Noah will be able to guard the team's best and biggest post player and he is also excellent at covering up for mistakes his teammates make, like Ben Gordon and Taj Gibson. Speaking of Taj, bringing in Boozer sends him to the bench where he instantly becomes one of the best big men bench guys in the league and is now free from my wrath of him not being good enough to be a starter on almost every other team in the league. Boozer is a perfect for the Bulls and with Taj backing him up even if he misses 10-15 games the Bulls won't miss a beat. Ok, they'll miss half a beat, but still the important thing is for Boozer to be healthy come playoff time.
The Bulls also brought in Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer. Korver is the stud 3-point shooter the Bulls desperately needed and Brewer is the stud defensive perimeter player they needed. These two will probably split time throughout the year based upon the opponent and what the team needs are on any particular night. I expect Brewer to start because defense wins championships, plus he is excellent in the open court filling the lanes and that is going to be the Bulls offensive plan, run, run, and run some more. Both of these additions are huge and I believe both players were a better fit for the Bulls than any other options on the market. The Bulls did make a run at JJ Redick before signing Brewer, but I believe they would have signed Brewer no matter what. He just fits too perfectly. The Bulls also brought in Keith Bogans as insurance should anyone get hurt. He is a veteran who will except his roll, no matter how big or small, and be ready to play whenever he is called upon. He's a perfect 11th man.
The Bulls then made a move and brought in PG CJ Watson. Watson played for Golden State last year, so his defense is non existent, but I'm pretty sure that will change on day one of training camp. Watson is athletic, a good shooter, and can run a team when Rose is on the bench. Since the Bulls traded away Kirk Hinrich they had to get a Backup PG somewhere and Watson is a much better option then I thought they would end up with. I loved this pickup and I can't believe they got him from GS for virtually nothing (a second round pick).
The Bulls also signed former second round draft pick Omer Asik from Turkey. He looks like a shot blocking, rebounding, lane filling dunking machine in the FIBA World Championships, but time will tell if this was a good signing or just a waste of money. I have no idea, because my viewing sample size is almost nothing. The Bulls were smart this offseason though, signing veteran Kurt Thomas as well. This means Asik can learn the Bulls system and learn the NBA game without having to be thrust right into action if he isn't ready. Thomas is also an enforcer who has a nice streak of crazy in him that the Bulls need. Any time a hard foul needs to be committed I will guarantee it is Thomas that does it.
Lastly, the Bulls hired the hottest coaching prospect on the planet, Tom Thibodeau. He's coached in the NBA for almost two decades as an assistant. Every coach he's ever been with speaks about his work ethic and his knowledge of the game. His former players love him (including Kobe Bryant), and he's consider a defensive genius. Brilliant. This was the first signing the Bulls made this offseason and it got everything in motion. Thibodeau will get this team to play above it's head instead of what Vinny did (which I won't talk about ever again).
Needless to say I'm excited about everything the Bulls did. Once they missed out on the so called Big Three they did everything they should have, they filled every hole, and best of all they didn't have to give up any of their own talent to do it. So here is the lineup as of 9/1/10
PG-Rose, Watson
SG-Brewer, Korver, Bogans
SF-Deng, Korver, James Johnson
PF-Boozer, Gibson
C-Noah, Asik, Thomas
That's pretty damn good! And in the coming weeks I will break down their chances against the elite in the League: Miami, LA, Orlando, Boston, Dallas and anyone else that has a shot at making the Finals. This team is significantly better than last year's squad and barring a major injury to Rose or Noah should jump up to fifty wins and a top four seed. Hell, just adding Thibs is good for at least 5 wins!
Anyway, here is my breakdown of the Bulls offseason...It was GREAT! Yes they missed out on LeCoward, Wade, and Bosh, but they did fulfill everyone of their needs. They added arguably the best PF in free agency (when healthy) in Carlos Boozer. He can score in the post, play the pick and roll game with Rose, and is a ridiculously good rebounder. His only downside (besides health) is his average defense, but playing alongside Noah should help a lot with that. Noah will be able to guard the team's best and biggest post player and he is also excellent at covering up for mistakes his teammates make, like Ben Gordon and Taj Gibson. Speaking of Taj, bringing in Boozer sends him to the bench where he instantly becomes one of the best big men bench guys in the league and is now free from my wrath of him not being good enough to be a starter on almost every other team in the league. Boozer is a perfect for the Bulls and with Taj backing him up even if he misses 10-15 games the Bulls won't miss a beat. Ok, they'll miss half a beat, but still the important thing is for Boozer to be healthy come playoff time.
The Bulls also brought in Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer. Korver is the stud 3-point shooter the Bulls desperately needed and Brewer is the stud defensive perimeter player they needed. These two will probably split time throughout the year based upon the opponent and what the team needs are on any particular night. I expect Brewer to start because defense wins championships, plus he is excellent in the open court filling the lanes and that is going to be the Bulls offensive plan, run, run, and run some more. Both of these additions are huge and I believe both players were a better fit for the Bulls than any other options on the market. The Bulls did make a run at JJ Redick before signing Brewer, but I believe they would have signed Brewer no matter what. He just fits too perfectly. The Bulls also brought in Keith Bogans as insurance should anyone get hurt. He is a veteran who will except his roll, no matter how big or small, and be ready to play whenever he is called upon. He's a perfect 11th man.
The Bulls then made a move and brought in PG CJ Watson. Watson played for Golden State last year, so his defense is non existent, but I'm pretty sure that will change on day one of training camp. Watson is athletic, a good shooter, and can run a team when Rose is on the bench. Since the Bulls traded away Kirk Hinrich they had to get a Backup PG somewhere and Watson is a much better option then I thought they would end up with. I loved this pickup and I can't believe they got him from GS for virtually nothing (a second round pick).
The Bulls also signed former second round draft pick Omer Asik from Turkey. He looks like a shot blocking, rebounding, lane filling dunking machine in the FIBA World Championships, but time will tell if this was a good signing or just a waste of money. I have no idea, because my viewing sample size is almost nothing. The Bulls were smart this offseason though, signing veteran Kurt Thomas as well. This means Asik can learn the Bulls system and learn the NBA game without having to be thrust right into action if he isn't ready. Thomas is also an enforcer who has a nice streak of crazy in him that the Bulls need. Any time a hard foul needs to be committed I will guarantee it is Thomas that does it.
Lastly, the Bulls hired the hottest coaching prospect on the planet, Tom Thibodeau. He's coached in the NBA for almost two decades as an assistant. Every coach he's ever been with speaks about his work ethic and his knowledge of the game. His former players love him (including Kobe Bryant), and he's consider a defensive genius. Brilliant. This was the first signing the Bulls made this offseason and it got everything in motion. Thibodeau will get this team to play above it's head instead of what Vinny did (which I won't talk about ever again).
Needless to say I'm excited about everything the Bulls did. Once they missed out on the so called Big Three they did everything they should have, they filled every hole, and best of all they didn't have to give up any of their own talent to do it. So here is the lineup as of 9/1/10
PG-Rose, Watson
SG-Brewer, Korver, Bogans
SF-Deng, Korver, James Johnson
PF-Boozer, Gibson
C-Noah, Asik, Thomas
That's pretty damn good! And in the coming weeks I will break down their chances against the elite in the League: Miami, LA, Orlando, Boston, Dallas and anyone else that has a shot at making the Finals. This team is significantly better than last year's squad and barring a major injury to Rose or Noah should jump up to fifty wins and a top four seed. Hell, just adding Thibs is good for at least 5 wins!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Tyrus' Days are Numbered
After last night's team suspension of Tyrus Thomas it is becoming even clearer that his days with the Bulls are numbered. I know this true, and I knew it before the season even started. It saddens me because I love his defense and I like his offense when he is playing within himself (which is usually about 65% of the time), but none of this matters because he will either be traded or the Bulls will renounce his rights in the offseason. So...Tyrus loses his temper and goes on a tirade against VDN. Shocking. Who would have thought that someone in a contract year who lost his starting job to a rookie because of an injury would be pissed off?! I'm shocked!
Anyway, the organization has done a great job in painting Thomas out to be a bad guy, so much so that most everyone in the media and on fansites now believes it. As for me, I blame the Org. as much as I blame the player, but since I'm a Bulls fan I will follow them and love them pretty much no matter what happens.
The one thing I am tired of, all this talk about the Bulls taking LaMarcus Aldridge. If the Bulls took Aldridge they would have been a playoff team each year and would not have struck gold and landed Derrick Rose. So everyone needs to shut up about that, I love Rose and there are only a small handful of players I would trade him for (LeBron, Durant, and maybe Wade).
Anyway, the organization has done a great job in painting Thomas out to be a bad guy, so much so that most everyone in the media and on fansites now believes it. As for me, I blame the Org. as much as I blame the player, but since I'm a Bulls fan I will follow them and love them pretty much no matter what happens.
The one thing I am tired of, all this talk about the Bulls taking LaMarcus Aldridge. If the Bulls took Aldridge they would have been a playoff team each year and would not have struck gold and landed Derrick Rose. So everyone needs to shut up about that, I love Rose and there are only a small handful of players I would trade him for (LeBron, Durant, and maybe Wade).
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Why the Bulls SHOULD Fire Vinny!
I'm not sure how this is even a debate. He has zero offensive game plan other than high pick and rolls and if that play doesn't work it's one on five time for whoever has the ball. He has absolutely no idea how to ride the hot hand and how to get players into there sweet spots on the floor...BECAUSE he has no offensive plays. And why is Noah the only one who ever sets a pick for Rose? What is Noah going to do with the ball 20 feet from the hoop? How about mixing it up with Deng, Tryus, or Miller every once in a while? Especially Deng, who was built for the pick and roll.
The defensive rotations are just plain terrible. Half the time players are looking at each other trying to figure out who screwed up. That is all coaching.
His player rotation is also terrible (with the exception of the way he handles Rose's minutes, which is just about perfect). There are stretches when Deng, Noah, and Rose are all on the bench at the same time. One of your best three players, should always be in the game. Watch the Celtics, Cavs, or Lakers. You will never see this with those teams unless there is major foul trouble.
Furthermore, he has buried Tyrus Thomas. Now I can't put all of this on him, because it's pretty clear the organization has given up on him and Gar Paxdorf may be forcing VDN to sit Tyrus. But anyone who watches the games can tell Taj brings very little to the table and Thomas is one of the few players in the League that can change the game on the defensive end and can also make up for a lot of poor defensive rotations (side note, it's going to suck watching him turn into a 15ppg, 8rebs, and 3 blocks per night for someone else in two years). Gibson doesn't turn the ball over...WOOOO HOOOO! He also is one of the worst at grabbing boards in traffic, rotates very poorly on defense, and brings almost nothing to the table on offense. Don't get me wrong, Thomas has some big flaws: Stupid turnovers, can play waaaay out of control, and if he's missing he is still shooting. But the good far outweighs the bad, and more importantly, his average game is
better than a very good game from Taj. Gibson's stats often look nice, but when you watch him play he looks like a 15 minute per night guy, not a 35 minute starter on a playoff team.
I give Vinny credit in one department, the guys play hard. Is that because of Vinny or because the players are professionals? I have no idea, but if other coaches get credit for that so should he. Aside from that, he has to be one of the bottom five coaches in the League. Seriously, go through the list. Other than Detroit, the Clippers, the Nets, and maybe New Orleans wouldn't you rather have the head coach of every other team in the League? I would!
As for the Bulls winning five games in a row on the road vs. Western Playoff teams, then losing three in a row, then winning tonight? Well that pretty much sums up everything I just wrote above. The players compete every night, but have no offensive or defensive game plans!
The defensive rotations are just plain terrible. Half the time players are looking at each other trying to figure out who screwed up. That is all coaching.
His player rotation is also terrible (with the exception of the way he handles Rose's minutes, which is just about perfect). There are stretches when Deng, Noah, and Rose are all on the bench at the same time. One of your best three players, should always be in the game. Watch the Celtics, Cavs, or Lakers. You will never see this with those teams unless there is major foul trouble.
Furthermore, he has buried Tyrus Thomas. Now I can't put all of this on him, because it's pretty clear the organization has given up on him and Gar Paxdorf may be forcing VDN to sit Tyrus. But anyone who watches the games can tell Taj brings very little to the table and Thomas is one of the few players in the League that can change the game on the defensive end and can also make up for a lot of poor defensive rotations (side note, it's going to suck watching him turn into a 15ppg, 8rebs, and 3 blocks per night for someone else in two years). Gibson doesn't turn the ball over...WOOOO HOOOO! He also is one of the worst at grabbing boards in traffic, rotates very poorly on defense, and brings almost nothing to the table on offense. Don't get me wrong, Thomas has some big flaws: Stupid turnovers, can play waaaay out of control, and if he's missing he is still shooting. But the good far outweighs the bad, and more importantly, his average game is
better than a very good game from Taj. Gibson's stats often look nice, but when you watch him play he looks like a 15 minute per night guy, not a 35 minute starter on a playoff team.
I give Vinny credit in one department, the guys play hard. Is that because of Vinny or because the players are professionals? I have no idea, but if other coaches get credit for that so should he. Aside from that, he has to be one of the bottom five coaches in the League. Seriously, go through the list. Other than Detroit, the Clippers, the Nets, and maybe New Orleans wouldn't you rather have the head coach of every other team in the League? I would!
As for the Bulls winning five games in a row on the road vs. Western Playoff teams, then losing three in a row, then winning tonight? Well that pretty much sums up everything I just wrote above. The players compete every night, but have no offensive or defensive game plans!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
I'm Happy!
No matter what happens the rest of this road trip, I'm happy. Before the trip started I wanted a minimum of three wins and last night after a great win against the Spurs the Bulls accomplished this feat! More impressive, the Bulls beat three Western playoff teams: the Suns, Rockets and Spurs. In fact, they swept the Spurs this year. This is one of the only teams that is supposed to challenge the Lakers out West and the BULS SWEPT THEM?! Amazing! Looking forward, the Bulls go to Oklahoma City tomorrow night and then head to New Orleans on Friday to wrap up their longest trip of the season. It's an awful lot to ask for the Bulls to beat either of those teams, but then I didn't think they had any chance against the Spurs with Rose sick and Noah hobbled. So anything is possible. Regardless of the outcome, I am happy with three wins...BUT I'D BE REALLY HAPPY WITH FOUR!
So this doesn't mean the Bulls are going to contend for a title, but it does mean they should easily make the playoffs and even fight for that fifth seed (they are currently 1.5 games back) which means they COULD, not should, but could win a playoff series. This also doesn't mean VDN is the coach of the future. It does mean he will no doubt hold onto his job for the season, but who knows what the off season will hold. This also doesn't mean the Bulls won't make any major moves at the trade deadline. I think anyone not named Rose or Noah is on the block and the goal more than anything else is to get cap space for this off season. One interesting name that would give cap space and be a stud is Amar'e Stoudamire. It sounds like the Suns will take the best offer at the deadline because they know they aren't going to be bringing him back after he opts out of his contract. So if the Bulls make a move for him, it gives the organization an opportunity to resign Amar'e for the Maximum six years (which scares me because of his injury history, but sometimes you just have to go for it) or let him go and go after a bigger fish. No matter what happens at the deadline, I hope they hold onto Deng. He is the perfect compliment to Rose, Noah, and any other scorer they bring in. Deng doesn't need the ball to be effective, he is a great mid range shooter, one of the best defenders at his position, and is a very unselfish player! Championships are won when he is your third or fourth best player, like hopefully next season.
Bulls Notes:
Both Noah and Rose continue to impress every night playing at all-star levels despite being nowhere near 100%. The all-star reserves are announced Thursday and both players deserve it, but if only one makes the team I'll understand, but I will be downright pissed if neither makes it!
I know the Bulls are looking to trade Kirk Hinrich, but I hope they can figure out a way to keep him and still get the necessary money to make a run at a big FA. With Hinrich finally starting to shoot close to his career norms, the Bulls are becoming a very difficult team to match up against. Plus Hinrich just bothers people on defense. No one wants him to guard them and he is capable of guarding three positions. Last night he guarded Tony Parker, George Hill, and Roger Mason. In last years playoffs he guarded Rondo, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. How many players in the League can do that?
If the Bulls make a major move it will definitely involve Tyrus Thomas. Which is fine, the organization has already given up on him. But I hope the Bulls include Taj, James Johnson, or John Salmons before they include Deng or Hinrich. Potential is nothing compared to guys that actually produce (unless the Bulls can get Anthony Randolphy, that type of potential is worth a lot)!
So this doesn't mean the Bulls are going to contend for a title, but it does mean they should easily make the playoffs and even fight for that fifth seed (they are currently 1.5 games back) which means they COULD, not should, but could win a playoff series. This also doesn't mean VDN is the coach of the future. It does mean he will no doubt hold onto his job for the season, but who knows what the off season will hold. This also doesn't mean the Bulls won't make any major moves at the trade deadline. I think anyone not named Rose or Noah is on the block and the goal more than anything else is to get cap space for this off season. One interesting name that would give cap space and be a stud is Amar'e Stoudamire. It sounds like the Suns will take the best offer at the deadline because they know they aren't going to be bringing him back after he opts out of his contract. So if the Bulls make a move for him, it gives the organization an opportunity to resign Amar'e for the Maximum six years (which scares me because of his injury history, but sometimes you just have to go for it) or let him go and go after a bigger fish. No matter what happens at the deadline, I hope they hold onto Deng. He is the perfect compliment to Rose, Noah, and any other scorer they bring in. Deng doesn't need the ball to be effective, he is a great mid range shooter, one of the best defenders at his position, and is a very unselfish player! Championships are won when he is your third or fourth best player, like hopefully next season.
Bulls Notes:
Both Noah and Rose continue to impress every night playing at all-star levels despite being nowhere near 100%. The all-star reserves are announced Thursday and both players deserve it, but if only one makes the team I'll understand, but I will be downright pissed if neither makes it!
I know the Bulls are looking to trade Kirk Hinrich, but I hope they can figure out a way to keep him and still get the necessary money to make a run at a big FA. With Hinrich finally starting to shoot close to his career norms, the Bulls are becoming a very difficult team to match up against. Plus Hinrich just bothers people on defense. No one wants him to guard them and he is capable of guarding three positions. Last night he guarded Tony Parker, George Hill, and Roger Mason. In last years playoffs he guarded Rondo, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. How many players in the League can do that?
If the Bulls make a major move it will definitely involve Tyrus Thomas. Which is fine, the organization has already given up on him. But I hope the Bulls include Taj, James Johnson, or John Salmons before they include Deng or Hinrich. Potential is nothing compared to guys that actually produce (unless the Bulls can get Anthony Randolphy, that type of potential is worth a lot)!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Another Big Win!
The Bulls are now 2-2 on this seven game west coast trip after beating Houston WITHOUT Joakim Noah. Just an extraordinary effort from everyone last night. John Salmons and Kirk Hinrich were stellar combining for 24 points and excellent defense. Taj grabbed 14 boards (although he was out of position a lot on defense). Tyrus had 6 blocks in only 23 minutes. And Derrick Rose was his normal all-star self notching 20 points on 14 shots. But the player of the game was Brad Miller who started in the place of Noah. Miller had a season high 25 points and hit shots from everywhere including going 2-2 on threes. He only grabbed 5 boards, but his last one was the biggest of the game. It came off of a missed Taj Gibson free throw with less than a minute to play and allowed Rose to hit the clinching floater. This game proved to me, that maybe Miller isn't done just yet. Maybe he will get his shooting percentage up and show the swagger that he showed in last years playoffs. No matter how you look at it, this was a huge win.
Bulls Notes:
I can't believe the Bulls lose when Salmons or Hinrich is out (LAC and GS) but wins when Noah is out against a far superior opponent (HOU). That just doesn't make sense, I guess this team really is only as good as it's Two Guard!
The Bulls offense in the first half was the best it's been all year. They ran when they could, ran plays for Deng in the half court, ran the occasional screen and roll, and moved the ball exceptionally well. Hence the 64 point first half. The second half was a whole other story. It seemed to me, the entire second half was in the half court and every play was a high screen and roll with either Hinrich at the point and Gibson setting the screen, or Rose at the point and either Gibson or MIller setting the screen. EVERY TIME! I mean for GODSAKE, WHAT IS GIBSON GOING TO DO WITH THE BALL 20 FEET FROM THE HOOP!? After about the third time, the Rockets just doubled our Point Guard, forced him to pass it and then he would eventually get it back at the top of the key with 8 seconds left on the shot clock. So basically the Bulls would waste 16 seconds just to get the ball right back where it started. Completely pointless! AND VDN NEVER CHANGED THE PLAY. Thank God Rose is a stud otherwise this would have been another loss we could 'choke' up to a crappy coach!
Other NBA Notes:
The NJ Nets have still only won 3 games and they are on pace to tie the 76ers record of only 9 wins on the season. It looks like the tanking for College Stud John Wall has started early this year!
I have one hope for the Western Conference Playoffs, that the Spurs finish with the four or five seed. Why you ask? Because I want them to have to play the Lakers in the second round. I don't think I can take a Conference Finals where either the Lakers or the Spurs will win. It will just be too sad to watch.
Amar'e Stoudemire said today that his decision to stay or leave Phoenix will be based on whether or not he thinks that team can win in the playoffs. First off, he's lying. Second off, if that's true, he's definitely leaving. The Suns will be lucky to make the playoffs this year and will have no shot at getting out of the first round!
As much as I am not a fan of the style the Blazers usually play, Nate McMillan has to be the favorite for coach of the year right now. The team is the fourth seed in the West and has lost almost every single impact player for at least a couple of games. The latest is All-Star Brandon Roy and yet the team keeps winning. I mean the Bulls can't win when Salmons sits out, imagine if Rose actually missed a game or two! Although, it has been reported that the change of style is due more to Andre Miller begging the Coach to turn him loose than anything else, but still.
There are going to be three teams in the West who end up with a record above .500 and yet still miss the playoffs. The funniest part about this, there are going to be 2 or 3 teams in the East that make into the playoffs with a record below .500.
Bulls Notes:
I can't believe the Bulls lose when Salmons or Hinrich is out (LAC and GS) but wins when Noah is out against a far superior opponent (HOU). That just doesn't make sense, I guess this team really is only as good as it's Two Guard!
The Bulls offense in the first half was the best it's been all year. They ran when they could, ran plays for Deng in the half court, ran the occasional screen and roll, and moved the ball exceptionally well. Hence the 64 point first half. The second half was a whole other story. It seemed to me, the entire second half was in the half court and every play was a high screen and roll with either Hinrich at the point and Gibson setting the screen, or Rose at the point and either Gibson or MIller setting the screen. EVERY TIME! I mean for GODSAKE, WHAT IS GIBSON GOING TO DO WITH THE BALL 20 FEET FROM THE HOOP!? After about the third time, the Rockets just doubled our Point Guard, forced him to pass it and then he would eventually get it back at the top of the key with 8 seconds left on the shot clock. So basically the Bulls would waste 16 seconds just to get the ball right back where it started. Completely pointless! AND VDN NEVER CHANGED THE PLAY. Thank God Rose is a stud otherwise this would have been another loss we could 'choke' up to a crappy coach!
Other NBA Notes:
The NJ Nets have still only won 3 games and they are on pace to tie the 76ers record of only 9 wins on the season. It looks like the tanking for College Stud John Wall has started early this year!
I have one hope for the Western Conference Playoffs, that the Spurs finish with the four or five seed. Why you ask? Because I want them to have to play the Lakers in the second round. I don't think I can take a Conference Finals where either the Lakers or the Spurs will win. It will just be too sad to watch.
Amar'e Stoudemire said today that his decision to stay or leave Phoenix will be based on whether or not he thinks that team can win in the playoffs. First off, he's lying. Second off, if that's true, he's definitely leaving. The Suns will be lucky to make the playoffs this year and will have no shot at getting out of the first round!
As much as I am not a fan of the style the Blazers usually play, Nate McMillan has to be the favorite for coach of the year right now. The team is the fourth seed in the West and has lost almost every single impact player for at least a couple of games. The latest is All-Star Brandon Roy and yet the team keeps winning. I mean the Bulls can't win when Salmons sits out, imagine if Rose actually missed a game or two! Although, it has been reported that the change of style is due more to Andre Miller begging the Coach to turn him loose than anything else, but still.
There are going to be three teams in the West who end up with a record above .500 and yet still miss the playoffs. The funniest part about this, there are going to be 2 or 3 teams in the East that make into the playoffs with a record below .500.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
A Shocking Victory!
Last night my beloved Bulls went into Phoenix and beat the Suns 115 to 104. And even more amazing, everyone was healthy for the Bulls. Apparently that is the key, if anyone is out for the Bulls they suck, if everyone is playing they don't suck. When your team only goes 8 deep and you lose a guy it obviously hurts, I just didn't think losing Hinrich or Salmons for one game would make that huge of difference, but it does. So for the Bulls to make any noise in the East everyone has to play and at least one player not named Rose, Deng, and Noah has to play well. That isn't asking to much most nights, like last night, but when someone is injured it's apparently asking a ton!
So the Bulls play the tough Rockets tonight and a win will put them at 2-2 on this agonizing 7 game road trip, which is right where I want them to be, I just thought they would beat the crappy teams and lose to the good ones!
Some Bulls notes:
Taj Gibson is flat out terrible and should be playing 15 minutes a game max. He may have ended up with 8 boards, but none of them came in traffic and he was constantly out rebounded on both ends of the floor by whoever he was guarding, whether it was Frye, Stoudemire, or Dudley! And that is just inexcusable.
Derrick Rose is pretty much a stud, we all know it, and I really hope he makes his first all-star game. Few players have been better since November and the tear that he is on since December is just crazy good! Moving forward, the Bulls need a consistent two guard because last night Hinrich and Salmons must have blown about 8 assists by missing WIDE open jumpers. And I mean WIDE open!
I am pretty confident I don't want Amar'e Stoudemire. I think if you gave Tyrus Thomas 35 minutes a game, the difference between the two would be negligible. YES, Amar'e will always be a better offensive player, but he is completely lost defensively and is an average rebounder at best. Tyrus could easily average 15ppg and 9 boards with 35+ minutes night, plus he would block 3-4 shots and average 2+steals. Those are huge numbers, too bad he's going to get them for someone else next season!
The only true flaw to Noah's game, he commits at least one stupid foul every night. And that sometimes (like last night) is the difference between him being in foul trouble and him playing 35+ minutes. If he cuts out that truly dumb foul he will hardly ever be in foul trouble and have to sit on the bench.
As I said earlier, as Hinrich and Salmons go, so to go the Bulls. Sad but true, if they play well the Bulls win, if they suck they lost to the likes of NJ, GS, and LAC!
So the Bulls play the tough Rockets tonight and a win will put them at 2-2 on this agonizing 7 game road trip, which is right where I want them to be, I just thought they would beat the crappy teams and lose to the good ones!
Some Bulls notes:
Taj Gibson is flat out terrible and should be playing 15 minutes a game max. He may have ended up with 8 boards, but none of them came in traffic and he was constantly out rebounded on both ends of the floor by whoever he was guarding, whether it was Frye, Stoudemire, or Dudley! And that is just inexcusable.
Derrick Rose is pretty much a stud, we all know it, and I really hope he makes his first all-star game. Few players have been better since November and the tear that he is on since December is just crazy good! Moving forward, the Bulls need a consistent two guard because last night Hinrich and Salmons must have blown about 8 assists by missing WIDE open jumpers. And I mean WIDE open!
I am pretty confident I don't want Amar'e Stoudemire. I think if you gave Tyrus Thomas 35 minutes a game, the difference between the two would be negligible. YES, Amar'e will always be a better offensive player, but he is completely lost defensively and is an average rebounder at best. Tyrus could easily average 15ppg and 9 boards with 35+ minutes night, plus he would block 3-4 shots and average 2+steals. Those are huge numbers, too bad he's going to get them for someone else next season!
The only true flaw to Noah's game, he commits at least one stupid foul every night. And that sometimes (like last night) is the difference between him being in foul trouble and him playing 35+ minutes. If he cuts out that truly dumb foul he will hardly ever be in foul trouble and have to sit on the bench.
As I said earlier, as Hinrich and Salmons go, so to go the Bulls. Sad but true, if they play well the Bulls win, if they suck they lost to the likes of NJ, GS, and LAC!
Friday, January 22, 2010
A Terrible Team!
There isn't much else to say. So I'm not going to say much until the Bulls at the very least play a decent game! Because that loss against the Clippers was downright PATHETIC!
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