Sounds like that kind of thought process might be Noah's biggest problem. Regular season games aren't the place to be getting into game shape and trying to improve your game...
Which explains why some guys look like studs in summer league but fail in the NBA. In other words, the only way to get good at the NBA game is against the best NBA competition. Scottie Pippen wasn't that great a player when he joined the NBA. He became a perimeter player by taking lots of outside shots in game situations. He improved his game that way, and in regular season games. It was infuriating for many, as he was big enough and already skilled enough to play like a F but played like a G (poorly at first) come hell or high water. Oh yeah, they used him and Grant in game situations to get them in better shape. Doberman unit, they were called.
You're kidding right? You don't think the fact that Pippen put in countless hours weightlifting and in the gym first had anything to do with it? Pippen had a tremendous reputation for preparing himself, something Noah is noticeably lacking.
The articles I read consistently talk about Noah staying after practice to run. He ran sprints 2 hours before the Nuggets game to get used to the altitude. The Bulls have been playing 2 on 5 or 3 on 5 for most of the season. It's not surprising that Thomas and Noah and Thabo aren't getting much burn. Here's what McGraw says about Noah today. I don't see anything about conditioning or dedication, just lack of contribution. Judging by his game log stats, he's been decent enough at some things like rebounding and blocking shots, but (like Thomas) near nothing on offense. http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=256368&src=150 Unproductive Noah grabs some bench In shuffling the starting lineup Saturday, Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro seemed to finally acknowledge that second-year center Joakim Noah hasn't been contributing enough. Aaron Gray started the 117-110 victory over Washington, while Noah spent the entire 48 minutes on the bench. Noah has started 10 games, but hasn't been able to reach the level he was playing at the end of last season. In the past four games, he averaged 2.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and never logged as many as 20 minutes. Asked before the game what Noah could do better, Del Negro suggested, "Being in the right spot a little bit more defensively and getting a better feel for the offensive execution and timing. There's a lot that goes into it - it's not just one thing." Without a doubt, Gray has been the most consistent of the Bulls' young, big men this season. He grabbed 9 rebounds in 21 minutes against the Wizards but did not score. Tyrus Thomas played just 6 minutes Saturday as the Bulls went with smaller lineups most of the night.
Noah looks the best out of the big men defensively, rebounding, and even offensively, albeit he can't put the ball in the basket effectively, but his moves are the best. Noah, like Thomas and Gooden...and Gray are horrible to watch because none of them ever pass to the wide open Ben Gordon or Derrick Rose on the perimeter. They only can pass it inside in front of themselves.
That's not exactly true. Thomas looks clueless out there and Noah simply isn't a threat to score more than 3 feet from the basket, though he does handle the ball and pass well enough. When he sets screens, he isn't much of a threat to take or make the resulting 15' to 17' shots that are typically available. Neither are useful in the post, like Gray.
