KC asks if he's on the right track: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>No longer lost in translation? Latest performance a reminder to Bulls of Sefolosha's potential By K.C. Johnson Tribune staff reporter January 6, 2008, 9:15 PM CST Two English-speaking reporters waited by Thabo Sefolosha's locker late Saturday as a foreign journalist interviewed the Swiss native in French. The scene seemed fitting metaphorically. After all, Sefolosha has been waiting for an opportunity mostly because he had been playing a game foreign to what Bulls management expected from the second-year guard. Click here to find out more! Gone were the reliable defensive versatility and improved offensive decision-making. You didn't need a translator to say Sefolosha struggled earlier this season — in any language. During one brutal stretch, Sefolosha's shooting percentage dipped to the low 20s. His fouls and turnovers cost him his rotation spot to Chris Duhon. A seven-point, three-rebound, two-steal performance might not be cause for parades. But at least in Saturday night's victory over the Kings, Sefolosha resembled the long-armed defender who successfully slowed Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant for stretches of his rookie season. In one particularly hope-providing sequence, Sefolosha stripped Kings guard Beno Udrih at one end, dribbled coast to coast and scored while being fouled by Brad Miller. The image recalled a certain long-armed, havoc-wreaking defensive player of past Bulls glory. You know the one — Scottie Pippen, who recently derisively referred to the Bulls' backcourt as midgets. Drafting the 6-foot-7-inch Sefolosha was supposed to change all that. But his regression after an excellent stint with the Bulls summer-league and Swiss national teams forced former coach Scott Skiles to stick with Duhon, Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon as his guard rotation. Jim Boylan's ascension to interim coach didn't change Sefolosha's fortunes much. He had played just over a combined 11 minutes in three of the five games Boylan coached before Saturday, sitting one by coach's decision and another with a sprained ankle. That's why, beyond Sefolosha's return to form, his 13 minutes against the Kings surprised. "I'd like to continue to use Thabo," Boylan said. "His defense is always great to have on the floor because he has length and versatility, and you can use him on different players — point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, even some power forwards. "Offensively, when he slows down and plays a controlled game, he's fine. He can make plays. When he gets out of control, he has problems. We talk to him about it all the time. He seems to be trying to play that way now." Perhaps something again is getting lost in translation because Sefolosha actually credited Saturday's success to something else. "I just played loosely and freely, not thinking that much about missing a shot or turning it over," he said. Whatever the case, a return to form by Sefolosha would be welcome news to the coaching staff. Duhon's assist-to-turnover ratio has sparkled since Boylan's first move as coach was to make him a starter. But Duhon has somehow missed 23 of his last 24 shots and is shooting 14.3 percent in that six-game span. An active and energetic Sefolosha could allow Boylan to use more size in the backcourt. Sefolosha has tried to remain confident. "That's the NBA," he said. "Some players get minutes; some don't. You don't always understand why. But you have to stay positive and keep working. "I talked with [Boylan] a little bit, and he told me to stay ready because he's going to try to put me in. He told me to stay focused, so that's what I do."</div> This article has lots of language puns in it, but where it sums up with Boylan saying Thabo needs to play under control and Thabo saying he needs to be loose and free, and not understanding why he's been riding the pine, stands out more than the average coach/player quotes. It gives me the impression Thabo hears "play under control" and understands "fuck up and ride the pine" and then he clinches up and starts thinking too much.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikeDC @ Jan 7 2008, 07:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Thabo made two impressive baskets at the rim against Sacto, but I don't believe he made any jumpers. He still looks like he's thinking too hard every time he shoots a jumper. Until he discovers/rediscovers that jumper, he's going to remain a disappointment. I'm having flashbacks of Larivee excusing Thabo for hitting the side of the backboard on a baseline jumper: "Tough angle..." Ugh. KC asks if he's on the right track: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>No longer lost in translation? Latest performance a reminder to Bulls of Sefolosha's potential By K.C. Johnson Tribune staff reporter January 6, 2008, 9:15 PM CST Two English-speaking reporters waited by Thabo Sefolosha's locker late Saturday as a foreign journalist interviewed the Swiss native in French. The scene seemed fitting metaphorically. After all, Sefolosha has been waiting for an opportunity mostly because he had been playing a game foreign to what Bulls management expected from the second-year guard. Click here to find out more! Gone were the reliable defensive versatility and improved offensive decision-making. You didn't need a translator to say Sefolosha struggled earlier this season — in any language. During one brutal stretch, Sefolosha's shooting percentage dipped to the low 20s. His fouls and turnovers cost him his rotation spot to Chris Duhon. A seven-point, three-rebound, two-steal performance might not be cause for parades. But at least in Saturday night's victory over the Kings, Sefolosha resembled the long-armed defender who successfully slowed Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant for stretches of his rookie season. In one particularly hope-providing sequence, Sefolosha stripped Kings guard Beno Udrih at one end, dribbled coast to coast and scored while being fouled by Brad Miller. The image recalled a certain long-armed, havoc-wreaking defensive player of past Bulls glory. You know the one — Scottie Pippen, who recently derisively referred to the Bulls' backcourt as midgets. Drafting the 6-foot-7-inch Sefolosha was supposed to change all that. But his regression after an excellent stint with the Bulls summer-league and Swiss national teams forced former coach Scott Skiles to stick with Duhon, Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon as his guard rotation. Jim Boylan's ascension to interim coach didn't change Sefolosha's fortunes much. He had played just over a combined 11 minutes in three of the five games Boylan coached before Saturday, sitting one by coach's decision and another with a sprained ankle. That's why, beyond Sefolosha's return to form, his 13 minutes against the Kings surprised. "I'd like to continue to use Thabo," Boylan said. "His defense is always great to have on the floor because he has length and versatility, and you can use him on different players — point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, even some power forwards. "Offensively, when he slows down and plays a controlled game, he's fine. He can make plays. When he gets out of control, he has problems. We talk to him about it all the time. He seems to be trying to play that way now." Perhaps something again is getting lost in translation because Sefolosha actually credited Saturday's success to something else. "I just played loosely and freely, not thinking that much about missing a shot or turning it over," he said. Whatever the case, a return to form by Sefolosha would be welcome news to the coaching staff. Duhon's assist-to-turnover ratio has sparkled since Boylan's first move as coach was to make him a starter. But Duhon has somehow missed 23 of his last 24 shots and is shooting 14.3 percent in that six-game span. An active and energetic Sefolosha could allow Boylan to use more size in the backcourt. Sefolosha has tried to remain confident. "That's the NBA," he said. "Some players get minutes; some don't. You don't always understand why. But you have to stay positive and keep working. "I talked with [Boylan] a little bit, and he told me to stay ready because he's going to try to put me in. He told me to stay focused, so that's what I do."</div> This article has lots of language puns in it, but where it sums up with Boylan saying Thabo needs to play under control and Thabo saying he needs to be loose and free, and not understanding why he's been riding the pine, stands out more than the average coach/player quotes. It gives me the impression Thabo hears "play under control" and understands "**** up and ride the pine" and then he clinches up and starts thinking too much. </div>
I haven't seen Thabo play 1 second at guard this season. I think he's getting PT recently at SF because of Deng's injury. Upon reflection, I think he did play some SG during one of the first games with Boylan at the helm. First Gordon drew 2 quick fouls in Q1, then Hinrich. First Duhon came in and then Griffin. At some point before the end of Q2, Thabo got some PT...
OK, I'd be happy if the Bulls had anyone that would consistently and effectively attack the rim. I don't understand in the least how they didn't have him on the court last night. 3 minutes? What the hell.
Duhon had a good offensive game, so the Bulls were more likely to play Gordon/Hinrich/Duhon in the 3 guard sets. I was stunned by Thomas' low basketball IQ late in the game last night. Other than "defense" and rebounding, I don't know why he was in there.
