Really? Yeah, really. After Rose went down and they traded Deng for nothing, I sure didn't see this coming and neither did the media's league "experts." I bow in the general direction of the Berto Center. As Denny's fond of saying, "Thibodeau could win with girls," which is both sexist and hyperbole, but directionally, there's little doubt that Denny's right about Thibodeau being a big part of this. The importance of defense is also a part of it. The Bulls are the 2nd-best defense in the NBA and the 3rd-worst offensive team. Great offense can win...the Bulls are showing that great defense can win too. Again, kudos to Thibodeau. In the end though, the NBA is a players league. To me this means that many of us and the experts underestimated the Bulls players. Augustin has cooled off lately, but he's been a godsend. Noah has ascended to the point where many are seriously wondering whether he may not be the best all-around center in the league. Taj Gibson has clearly raised his level of play to the point where he would start on most of the teams in the league. Dunleavy has stepped up in Deng's absence. Butler and Hinrich have both had terrific Februarys. All this and Jimmer too? We are truly blessed.
You have to give a ton of credit to the coaching staff for taking this group and working wonders with it. The players have bought in and its great to see that as well. There are plenty of ugly NBA teams out there that would be hard to get behind, but you can be content to be a Bulls fan. Its nice to watch a regular season game and feel that the players are giving their all and playing unselfishly / smart. The front office needs to step it up from the talent acquisition standpoint though to take advantage of this situation. The Bulls have an all-NBA coach and a top center. Thibs can win with girls and Thibs can take basically anyone somewhat competent it seems and get the most out of them given a little time. That is one hell of a skill. Let's keep him happy and a Bulls coach as long as possible. But, this group isn't going to be knocking off the Thunder or Heat in the playoffs. Let's hope Rose gets back close to 100% and the front office can build around Rose and Noah to take advantage of our perhaps all-NBA guard, our close to all-NBA center and our all-NBA coach and get another title here.
What Thibs does works in the regular season, but not so well in the playoffs. When the opposing coach gets to watch game film and prepare exclusively to beat us and gets to try again at least 4 times, it's hard to beat them if they have more talent. It's not sexist to say Thibs can win with girls. I mean actual girls, not grown women.
Can't say I get this. As a head coach in the playoffs, Thibodeau's teams have done at least as well as expected. The only time they lost a series they were expected to win was against Philly in 2012, and after losing their two best players, that wasn't really an upset.
Atlanta played rookie Jeff Teague against us and showed everyone that if you pressure Rose, you stop the Bulls. The Bulls actually had the better players and won . The next series against Indy was way closer than it was supposed to be, too. We hadn't lost to the Heat, and won game 1. Then they shut us down and swept the next four. This time around, we won't have the better players against at least Indy and Miami. We may have real trouble with the Cavs if they make playoffs.
Well, being as the top two seeds are currently 32 and 28 games above .500 and the #3 seed is 6 games above .500, I'd say you're right.
That's not the whole story. Bulls are what, 9-1 in their last 10? That makes them a .900 club. The Cavs were 7-3 going into last night's game (but lost, now 6-4).
So the Cavs should scare me? OK. By the time they traded Deng for nothin', I was prepared to be scared by everyone.
Their record may be a tad deceptive. They picked up both Deng and Hawes and now are playing above .500 ball since. Washington may be a handful, too. They've got scoring and size.
I didn't think the Bulls were going to make the playoffs. I'm prepared to be beaten by just about anyone.
I thought they would unless they traded guys beyond Lu. 30+something wins makes playoffs in the east with teams ranking hard.
Sheriff John Brown always hated me For what I don't know Evertime I plant the seed He say kill it before it grow So I kill it before it grow But I say...
