I think Boylan made a big mistake, the same mistake we've seen Skiles make time and time again. You don't go for two points when down by three. You lower your probablity of winning the game so much when you do that. You have to make two clutch shots compared to one. I think we should ahve went with Gray. I don't get the fear of him being taken advantage by "athletic" guys like Aldridge. I see a mismatch where Gray could make Aldridge his little bitch in the low post. Definitely didn't like Tyrus getting the call over Gray (or Noah either, but given his last game, I don't blame him). Gray is the only guy that sets a good pick on this team, and we need to continue to utilize it. I like what Boylan does with Gordon. He let Gordon play both sides of the ball, none of those little subs, up until Gordon was gassed, and he just used Duhon to have a guy full of energy on defense. This team just doesn't have enough firepower. Nocioni is hot garbage. Kirk Hinrich same. Deng, Gordon, Smith, Wallace, Gray, and Noah are the only pieces that are standing out to me. I would be looking to make two trades using Hinrich, Nocioni, Tyrus, Thabo as the main bait. Make one pair with Hinrich, and the other with Nocioni. That McGrady trade gets more tantalizing by the second when you watch the uselessness of wo of our guards.
FWIW I think the Bulls' success last season was deceptive. Game after game, they were healthy and facing teams who were missing at least one key player, if not three key players. Bulls did take advantage and win, but you had to think to yourself "what if the Bulls played these guys healthy?" This season, they are playing teams healthy. I think the Bulls are actually a better team this year than last with Smith a huge upgrade over PJ Brown, Noah adding depth and length, and even Gray giving us a big body to use in the right situations. It's just that every other team we're playing now is better since they have their guys back who were hurt.
Oh yeah, our starting guards combined to go 6-24 FG. Downright brutal. Sometimes you have ONE star who goes 6-24, but at least his backcourt mate might give you some points to help make up for it.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Jan 3 2008, 11:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>FWIW I think the Bulls' success last season was deceptive. Game after game, they were healthy and facing teams who were missing at least one key player, if not three key players. Bulls did take advantage and win, but you had to think to yourself "what if the Bulls played these guys healthy?" This season, they are playing teams healthy. I think the Bulls are actually a better team this year than last with Smith a huge upgrade over PJ Brown, Noah adding depth and length, and even Gray giving us a big body to use in the right situations. It's just that every other team we're playing now is better since they have their guys back who were hurt.</div> I don't agree. The scenario you mention above happened around 10 times. I don't feel it's possible to have as strong an effect as you say. Last season's Bulls had a point differential of +~5. They suggests they were a good team. This season's Bulls has a point differential of -~5. This suggests they are a drastically worse team -- by 10 points! Wallace, Gordon and Hinrich all regressed drastically for the first 25 games of this season. I don't think that balances out the upgrade of Smith/Noah over PJ.
I'm torn. I want to tank the rest of this season and pick up Rose or Mayo. But I also want Ben Wallace traded. But if we trade Wallace and we're much better off. ...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rwj @ Jan 3 2008, 08:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Jan 3 2008, 11:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>FWIW I think the Bulls' success last season was deceptive. Game after game, they were healthy and facing teams who were missing at least one key player, if not three key players. Bulls did take advantage and win, but you had to think to yourself "what if the Bulls played these guys healthy?" This season, they are playing teams healthy. I think the Bulls are actually a better team this year than last with Smith a huge upgrade over PJ Brown, Noah adding depth and length, and even Gray giving us a big body to use in the right situations. It's just that every other team we're playing now is better since they have their guys back who were hurt.</div> I don't agree. The scenario you mention above happened around 10 times. I don't feel it's possible to have as strong an effect as you say. Last season's Bulls had a point differential of +~5. They suggests they were a good team. This season's Bulls has a point differential of -~5. This suggests they are a drastically worse team -- by 10 points! Wallace, Gordon and Hinrich all regressed drastically for the first 25 games of this season. I don't think that balances out the upgrade of Smith/Noah over PJ. </div> I remember Gordon had a horrible start last year, and Hinrich had terrible months of December and January, so that can't be it. We even managed to win quite a few games after Noc's foot injury (plantar fasciitis). The differentials? We simply got blown out a few times, which in ~25 games of season, each 25 point loss means you lose a point of overall differential. I think the team gained confidence and swagger from beating teams that were all beat up, too. When we got to play teams like the 76ers with Iverson pouting and demanding a trade, sitting out, it sure makes Hinrich's job on defense easier. We're not getting that benefit, though Hinrich hasn't looked quite right since the season began. His decline is downright remarkable.
Great game! That was fun to watch! I'm glad the Blazers pulled it out, the Bulls are a good team. I was just thinking about something. Jarrett Jack started the season at the Blazers starting PG but was made a combo guard off the bench after three games. He does that fairly well but is definitely not a good PG, he looks especially bad trying to run the fast break. The new Bulls coach is trying the same thing with Ben Gordon, and it appears that it is also working for him. I'm not sure that Jack likes being demoted from the starting lineup, but he's saying the right things and not making a big fuss. Gordon is saying the right things as well so far, but will he still say the right things after 20 games on the bench, especially if the Bulls don't start winning like the Blazers have? On a slightly different subject, are there any more combo guards starting at PG that might benefit from a similar move?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gambitnut @ Jan 4 2008, 01:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Great game! That was fun to watch! I'm glad the Blazers pulled it out, the Bulls are a good team. I was just thinking about something. Jarrett Jack started the season at the Blazers starting PG but was made a combo guard off the bench after three games. He does that fairly well but is definitely not a good PG, he looks especially bad trying to run the fast break. The new Bulls coach is trying the same thing with Ben Gordon, and it appears that it is also working for him. I'm not sure that Jack likes being demoted from the starting lineup, but he's saying the right things and not making a big fuss. Gordon is saying the right things as well so far, but will he still say the right things after 20 games on the bench, especially if the Bulls don't start winning like the Blazers have? On a slightly different subject, are there any more combo guards starting at PG that might benefit from a similar move?</div> I don't think Jack is a "bad point guard," but I just don't think he's the guy you "hand the keys to the car" to unless you're predominantly running a slower-paced system. He's a successful point guard in the halfcourt. Regardless, he's going to make it as an excellent role player for a long time. As for you're question about other combo guards that may benefit coming off the bench - I think that's a good question and something a lot of coaches could try but are either afraid to or know the player wouldn't stand for it. I think Mo Williams is the perfect example of this. Put a real point guard in the starting lineup and bring Mo off the bench - he'd be much more effective and wouldn't cripple his team's offense all game long. Another guy I think that might benefit from this is a healthy Randy Foye. I do not think he is a point guard. He is a scorer, and he'll thrive if he is put in the scorer's role rather than worrying about running sets as well. I think Foye should be on the floor a lot with Telfair to close out this season.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gambitnut @ Jan 4 2008, 01:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Great game! That was fun to watch! I'm glad the Blazers pulled it out, the Bulls are a good team. I was just thinking about something. Jarrett Jack started the season at the Blazers starting PG but was made a combo guard off the bench after three games. He does that fairly well but is definitely not a good PG, he looks especially bad trying to run the fast break. The new Bulls coach is trying the same thing with Ben Gordon, and it appears that it is also working for him. I'm not sure that Jack likes being demoted from the starting lineup, but he's saying the right things and not making a big fuss. Gordon is saying the right things as well so far, but will he still say the right things after 20 games on the bench, especially if the Bulls don't start winning like the Blazers have? On a slightly different subject, are there any more combo guards starting at PG that might benefit from a similar move?</div> I don't think Gordon will complain as long as he remains the focal point of the offense when he's in. He is in a sweet role right now, getting stints of like 18 consecutive minutes on the floor. As long as his bench games outnumber his starts, he is a near lock for his second sixth man of the year. He is going to garner up a lot of stuff to bang up his contract this next season. He will likely finish around 22 PPG. Sixth man of the year award. The thought of being an unselfish team player for accepting the role the way he is. Maybe the NBA January player of the month award if he keeps it up. His percentages are rising back up if people haven't noticed. He is the second best free throw shooter in the NBA right now. Has hit tons of clutch shots. I think he's happy. He just doesn't want his value being driven in the ground like Paxson is apt at doing.
