Hard work easily Bulls' top priority

Денг Гордон · Oct 4, 2008

With each player, the grimace became more genuine, more pronounced.

Kirk Hinrich's first response — "You had to bring up last season, didn't you?" — said even more than his second, which still was pretty strong.

Hinrich was one of many Bulls players and management figures asked to express the most critical area that needs to change to avoid a repeat of the nightmare that was the 2007-08 season. As painful as it is to revisit that past, it's also instructive to note that, one year ago, many league observers picked the Bulls to win the Eastern Conference.

And while this season's expectations are nowhere near as lofty, the challenge to respond may be even greater. Teams that move from 49 victories one season to 33 the next don't just lose games. They lose their identity.

It's why general manager John Paxson's message at the first team meeting of training camp last week touched on the obvious.

"My message to them was we need to play hard and play competitively every night like we did in the past," Paxson said. "Last season, for the first time in a long time, I heard from fans that we didn't play hard and we played selfishly.

How does that happen? How does a Bulls team that few are picking to make the playoffs start to guard relentlessly and responsibly again, share the ball offensively again, connect with coaches again?

Hinrich stifled his grimace and his initial smart-aleck response to theorize.

"The chemistry has to be a lot better than it was last year," he said. "We used to hang our hat on our defense, but we seemed to lose our identity there last season, and our defense wasn't very good. A lot of that is just effort and trusting each other."

So the trust factor is in play. Anyone who watched last season's debacle saw players trusting each other about as much as they would a politician on the stump. Help defense often appeared optional. So did making the extra pass.

Even in his second language, Andres Nocioni cut to the need for another critical change.

"We need to play harder and with more passion," the Argentine forward said. "And we need more leadership. Last season we had a problem with leadership."

It's why general manager John Paxson's message at the first team meeting of training camp last week touched on the obvious.

"My message to them was we need to play hard and play competitively every night like we did in the past," Paxson said. "Last season, for the first time in a long time, I heard from fans that we didn't play hard and we played selfishly.

New coach Vinny Del Negro "and the staff's job is to get our guys back to playing competitively," Paxson added. "One thing I do know, going back to when I was a player, is that if our fans know you give everything you have, they can live with that. We all want to win. I want to win too. But we're coming off the heels of a 33-win season. Something obviously went wrong. We need to change that."

How does that happen? How does a Bulls team that few are picking to make the playoffs start to guard relentlessly and responsibly again, share the ball offensively again, connect with coaches again?

Hinrich stifled his grimace and his initial smart-aleck response to theorize.

"The chemistry has to be a lot better than it was last year," he said. "We used to hang our hat on our defense, but we seemed to lose our identity there last season, and our defense wasn't very good. A lot of that is just effort and trusting each other."

So the trust factor is in play. Anyone who watched last season's debacle saw players trusting each other about as much as they would a politician on the stump. Help defense often appeared optional. So did making the extra pass.

Luol Deng was "the Man" for his Britain national team last summer. Hinrich is entering his sixth season and likely will serve as captain again. Larry Hughes' playing experience now reaches 10 years.

Somebody has to step up. Or do they?

"The most important thing is we need consistent energy from everybody," guard Thabo Sefolosha said. "Right from the start last season, something didn't feel right. We still have a young team, so we have to focus to make sure it doesn't happen again. But I really think energy is the key word."

Of course, there is no simple or singular answer to such a broad question. Ben Gordon said the Bulls must "avoid distractions," with his professionalism serving as Exhibit A as he plays through a lame-duck contract season. Deng pointed to the need for "playing hard and with character." Perhaps the Bulls' biggest character, Joakim Noah, trotted out the "affect winning" quote he uses often.

Plenty will have to go right for the Bulls to regain their identity. Del Negro pondered whether his bringing a different attitude as coach might help.

"I don't know about a different attitude," he said. "I'm going to bring my attitude and what I expect and my personality and how I work and communicate and the things I believe in.

"I don't worry about what happened in the past with other coaches or players. Everybody has a clean slate. It's up to the guys now to impress me, figure out what they do well and [for me to] incorporate them into the team and put that puzzle together as fast as we can."

If that happens, more grimaces might be avoided.
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/chi-05-bulls-chicagooct05,0,1209897.story

Денг Гордон · Oct 5, 2008

K.C. Johnson recycling articles?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-05-subbullsoct05,0,380608.story

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Hard work easily Bulls' top priority

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