<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Coach Jim Boylan said he will bring Hughes, a 10-year guard, and Gooden off the bench tonight. That means the Bulls will sport the same starters -- including rookie Joakim Noah at center and second-year forward Tyrus Thomas -- as they did in the wild win Friday. Noah and Thomas notched two of the team's three double-doubles, combining for 32 points and 21 rebounds.</div> http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/...-bull24.article
I'm glad Boylan put the "who starts" question to rest in the right way. I think the "earn your time" bit is occasionally inane (when it comes to guys coming back from couple game injuries and not when it came to Ben Wallace or Chris Duhon sucking it up), but now that we're past the deadline and we've got our young guys in the lineup and they played well, it'd be a crime to take em out without a really good reason.
It ultimately isn't who starts (from our standpoint), but who finishes and who gets the big minutes. I expect Hughes and Gooden will get their PT in a hurry, and they'll play the minutes that makes sense. Starters' minutes, frankly. They do have to learn the schemes Boylan is using, which could take a few practices and games. In the meantime, we had such a great victory last game, with a nice blend of potent offense and solid defense, that Boylan owes it to the players to give that same lineup another shot (and another and another, assuming we keep winning like this).
Tonight is going the first game I am interested in watching in over two months. Times have changed, huh?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (such sweet thunder @ Feb 24 2008, 02:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Tonight is going the first game I am interested in watching in over two months. Times have changed, huh?</div> You might say, "Everything Can Change in the Blink of an Eye!"
Bulls are looking very decent so far. Thabo made a number of great defensive plays early. Tyrus also looked great before he picked up his 2nd foul :/ . I think I'm biased towards Gooden - I've heard he's a bonehead so many times that I'm already cringing whenever he messes up. I should probably give him a chance. This Old Spice commercial with Will Ferrell is great... hopefully they don't overplay it.
Couple of consecutive TOs by the Bulls. Gordon tried to be too unselfish on one play, Gray with an offensive foul on another...
Gordon draws an offensive foul against Bobby Jackson - pushing off - but you can never tell with Gordon. Sometimes he just gets faked out really badly.
I am really liking what I see of Hughes. He clearly is better than he showed in Cleveland and the change of scenery should do him good. The pairing with Gordon is outstanding. Something else I notice... Both Gooden and Hughes wore headbands in Cleveland. Not on the Bulls. Pax has to go.
Gooden looks sorta lost. Bulls don't run plays that get him the ball in his comfort zone (yet) and he's not a very good passer...
Yeah, the Bulls offense is hectic right now - there's too much movement I think. Bulls have a scoring drought. Timeout.
To Gooden's and Hughes' credit, they haven't even practiced with the Bulls yet. This is their first action with them, so I'm not surprised that Gooden looks a little lost out there. I do like what I'm seeing though. I think once this team gets a few practices under their belts, they're going to mesh very well. I think Hughes is going to be miles better than he was in Cleveland, and I also like what Gooden can bring to the table. As for the game at the moment, the Bulls offense isn't looking all that great. Some careless TOs are not helping. The defense though, aside from the last couple possessions, has looked stellar. Damn Luther Head making an open trey and a short floater.
Noah had 2 bad TOs early but just made up with it with two deflections leading to fast break points. Can't believe McGrady gave up on the last one. Why not foul and make him shoot FTs?
For someone that's getting the rep amongst Bulls fans as our best defender, Thabo's not been consistently good at it. However he's just hit two long jumpers in a row. Kirk with a fast break to a streaking (!) Tyrus Thomas. Who says he doesn't run the floor (besides Scott Skiles?). Halftime
Ben Wallace update. 33.5 minutes 5-6 FG 10 rebounds 2 steals 1 block 12 points He made 2-4 FTs, too! LOL
heh His replacement: at halftime, 17:45 minutes, 2 points, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 2 points He likes "2"
