So yeah, I'm having one. I feel like we've seen our franchise overperform in the regular season too often, only to fall prey to early playoff defeats. This was true under Skiles, and now this is a second season in a row under Thibodeau when things haven't gone as well as hoped. I'm not beating up Thibodeau for the fact that the Bulls lost to the Heat last year. But the team struggled against Indiana, then struggled against Atlanta, before losing badly (4-1). I'm not sure where to turn my frustrations: Noah, pre-injury, played better in this postseason than he did in the regular season; Rip's been better, as has Gibson and Asik; Deng's shown himself to be a consistent playoff performer. I've seen enough from Korver, Brewer and Boozer to come to the conclusion that they struggle when defenses tighten up. But I don't have any idea for how to remedy that. Is this team a legitimate contender? And if they're not, do they have a chance to become one? Thoughts???
Typically a team that is a real contender has two starts. We only have one. I think its pretty clear that Luol Deng isn't a NBA star. Boozer either. Good starter level role players. The Bulls play great defense and had one great superstar in Derrick Rose. Who knows how he'll come back, but it will be a while until we have a superstar again. I think the under performance in the playoffs isn't really under performance at all. Under Skiles and Thibs the Bulls were one of the, if not the, hardest working teams in the NBA regular season. While many other teams coast, the Bulls would bring close to maximum effort most nights and win games. That advantage goes away once the playoffs start and every team tries hard. That being said, I do think that this years team was a true contender at full health since they did have one true superstar and several above average players (Boozer, Deng, Rip) and a deep bench. I think that teams like the Thunder and the Heat were still ahead of them though. The team still needed another player that can create the tough shot under playoff pressure defense while having a strong all around game in the other areas as well.
K4E nailed it. We need another player that can create the tough shot under pressure. But I think there is a flaw in the way the team has been coached under both Skiles and Thibs. Unless your name is Derrick Rose, the schemes were never designed to take advantage of the players' strengths. In fact, it seems like those strengths are beaten out of the players with reduced playing time, stints on the bench, and no headband rules. The offense is designed for bigs to set picks (often two at a time) for the PG Rose to get some daylight. This is perhaps why CJ and Lucas do so well - the offense is designed for their position. When we got Boozer, I pictured another Stockton/Malone combo. Those two ran the same play over and over, teams knew what play they were running over and over, and it still couldn't be defended. Instead we got Boozer setting screens near half court (that's where teams start pressuring Rose) and just taking up space near the lane so guys like Korver or Rip can use him as a screen to get their catch and shoot play. Realistically, I see 4 plays the Bulls run. First is let Rose create. Second is the set 4 picks for Korver to get a quick look at a shot. Third is the busted play. Fourth is chuck it up and let Noah get the offensive board. How about a little imagination?
"We need some guys that can make plays for themselves," Nowitzki said. "That's pretty obvious. If you look at all the top teams now, they have at least two-three guys they can throw the ball to and they do their thing." Nowitzki then specifically mentioned how Kevin Durant , Russell Westbrook and James Harden each carried a Thunder team on different nights in the four-game sweep of the Mavericks. "If you want to be an elite team in the league right now, you have to have 2-3 guys that can go off at any time," Nowitzki added."
I'd love to have another star especially at 2 (and we've said that for years) but I also think we wouldn't be having this conversation at all right now if Rose hadn't torn his ACL, Deng wasn't playing through an injury (albeit ANOTHER injury) and Noah hadn't suffered the ankle sprain. Healthy, I still maintain at worst we'd be in another ECF shootout against Miami with another nail biting close series and at best in the Finals with a fighting chance and probably a nail biting series (but OKC looks awfully good and I think they have as good a chance as any right now of taking it all).
^^They need to decide: What's the point? They've lost their pilot, copilot, and the stewardess is one armed. Will the 80 year old grandma be able to land the plane, or no? (recent news reference) Will the inflatable pilot or the scared passenger be able to land the plane, or no? Regardless, my confidence would be shot, as well. They could be doing better, but this is not some inexplicable phenomenon going on here.
And to answer your question SST, yeah, dey were a contenda. Not sure they will be again as presently constituted. Some hard choices need to be made.
And now the starting lineup for YOUR Chicago Bulls...a 4'2" guard from Akron, Ohio, Inflaaaatable Piiilot!
Yes, the Bulls were a legitimate contender coming in to these playoffs. Easily legitimate, though clearly not the favorite. Personally, the usefulness of using the Bulls' performance in these playoffs as evidence of any sort of trend ended with 1:10 left in game 1. I also have a crisis of confidence, but it's different from SST's. As much of a "glass half full" guy as I am, I've written off the Bulls this season. I'm not feeling great about next season either and this won't change unless and until I see Rose look like Rose again. There's nothing that Bulls' management could realistically do that can change the basic truth that the team's hopes for a championship are completely tied to Rose's complete recovery.
We won, behind the strong games of Boozer and Deng. And Rip hardly played. It may be that we just need a solid SG who can handle and create his own shot off the dribble to be a REALLY good team, with or without Rose. How's that for glass half-full?
Role reversal. I like it. Just point me to that tree where I can pluck off the SG about whom you speak and we're all set.
TB, I read your comment first and had that Blazing Saddles image in my mind before my eyes got to your pic.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mayooj01.html http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4564 http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3407
Thanks, that made it easier. Mayo - undersized, and since everyone wants to know if you're a playoff stud, he's shooting 29.2% vs the Clips. Don't think he's a Hamilton upgrade. Tyreke Evans - Just the name of a talented (but dumb) young player. Turnover-prone and a 20% 3-point shooter. Not a free agent and if he's all that a slice of cheese (I don't think he is), SAC shouldn't want to trade him. Evans hasn't demonstrated that he's a player worthy of having the Bulls make Sacramento an offer they can't refuse. Jamal Crawford - I'd rather have Hamilton, but if Portland wants to swap Korver for Crawford, I'd bite. Sorry to be so negative.
Crawford is opting out of his contract with Portland. Evans played 3 positions for Sacto, averaging 16.5 / 4.5 / 4.5. He didn't shoot that many 3's. Mayo is listed at 6'4". Some guys do much better as starters than as reserves. As a reserve, he's been impressive enough, and Memphis fans will tell you he's been a key player for the team, 29% or not. If we got him, I sure hope he wouldn't be a reserve.
Transplant, I think you have the right mindset here. I interpret it a little more negatively than you do: what difference does it make if I'm having a crisis of confidence? I'm a Bulls fan and the CBA says you can't go out and get any player you want, even if management was willing to pay for them. I'm having trouble with Denny's list as well. When Javale McGee was traded to the Nuggets my first thought was that this was going to perfect for him -- that despite his reputation as a knucklehead he would become an invaluable member of a good team that had the possibility of making a legit playoff run. I think that's proven correct, even if the Nugz don't advance past the Lakers. I don't feel the same way about Evans. He strikes me as a little too unathletic, and I think the playoffs have shown that we could use some wing athleticism. But more than that, he seems to have a report with Demarcus Cousins and that's the future of the Kings, whatever city they end up in. Crawford is fine but I think you have to aim higher. CJ Watson played fine for a backup point guard in the playoffs, regardless of the pile of crap I'm sure he's taking today on sports radio. He has a reasonably priced option and I'm sure the Bulls will elect to bring him back. If I had my druthers, the Bulls would target European young veterans and let Korver go (and probably Brewer). I put together a list of players from Europe who have recently been signed to non-minimum, non-rookie scale contracts and its reasonably impressive: David Andersen (bad); Omer Asik (good); Gustavo Ayon (good); Timofey Mozgov (good); Jeremy Pargo (bad, but not signed to much more than the min); Nikola Pekovic (good); and Tiago Splitter (very good). I think there's a market distortion at play that is ripe for being exploited. It's a pain in the ass for franchises to negotiate the release of many of young Europeans vets from their contracts, and most franchises don't want to pay a buyout for a player that has no NBA experience. The players on my list: Alexy Shved: He's a 6'5'' late-blooming shooting guard who is playing a central role on Europe's best team, CKSA Moskow. Shved is entering the last season of his deal so there is probably room for a buyout. I especially like Shved because his offensive game is like MarShon Brooks in that he has a natural one-on-one ability which he fits nicely into a team offense. Shved is also a distributing shooting guard, can handle well, and could play spot minutes at point guard. I'm a fan, and he seems exactly like the type of player the Bulls could use. Kyle Singler: There's a sizable gap between Shved and Singler. Singler could become a decent starter in the NBA with experience but he is more of a glue guy, the type of players we already have on our roster. I like Singler because he's a good defender, especially at guarding the rim, and I think he would have an easier time than both Brewer and Korver at getting his shot off in the playoffs. You would have to acquire his rights from Detroit I don't think that will be that hard since they already have Tayshaun Prince [3 years, 21.5M] and Austin Daye at the 3. Bo McCalebb: McCaleebb reminds me more of Derrick Rose than any other player in professional basketball. He's blisteringly fast with the ball in his hands, probably quicker than all but Rose and Westbrook, and he has real knack for finishing at the hoop in transition. He thrives in transition and is a decent shooter. McCalebb's defense would probably be an issue, due to his size, but I would put him in the Shved category of players that could immediately be a noticeable upgrade in talent on any roster. I have him listed after Singler because he recently signed a long-term deal with Siena.
