<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DaBullz.com)</div><div class='quotemain'>The NBA has announced their rosters for the Rookie and Sophomore in the Allstar weekend Rookie Challenge game, and no Bulls player made the cut. While Joakim Noah may not have made the team, Bulls fans still have plenty of reason for optimism. Joakim Noah is averaging 5.0 points and 4.6 rebounds on the season. Noah was edged out by Luis Scola, of the Houston Rockets; Jeff Green, of the Seattle SuperSonics; and Jamario Moon, of the Toronto Raptors, whose season averages are all slightly better than Noah’s. Noah was just held down by his lack of minutes received in the early part of the season. Noah is averaging 6.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 20 minutes in the month of January, and 10.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in 30 minutes since becoming a starter. If any rookie gets injured, Joakim Noah is the most likely to replace them in the game. With Noah on the rise, the NBA has to be wise, and start taking advantages of opportunities to market Joakim Noah. Fellow rookie Aaron Gray also failed to make the team. Gray is averaging 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds on the seasons. Aaron Gray is still raw, but can produce when given minutes. Gray is averaging 9.0 points and 5.8 rebounds when he plays 15 or more minutes. Gray leads the Bulls in field goal percentage at 50.5%. Sophomore guard, Thabo Sefolosha failed to make the sophomore team. He was utilized very little under Scott Skiles, and Skiles’ brash attitude wore down on Thabo, breaking his confidence. However, the rest of the league is soon to become acquainted with Thabo. With his recent exposure, opposing announcers may begin to learn how to pronounce his name, and stop calling him “Table” like the Minnesota announcers did in last nights’ game. Sefolosha is averaging 11.4 points and 6.1 rebounds, while playing tremendous defense, since becoming a starter. Tyrus Thomas, unlike his other three compatriots did not fail to make the team because he was not rewarded minutes like his other three players. Yes, the end result was Thomas not getting any minutes, therefore not getting any time on the floor to produce, which resulted in him failing to make the game, but Thomas had his opportunity. Former coach Scott Skiles gave Tyrus Thomas entitlement minutes at the beginning of the year, giving Thomas a starting spot that he did not earn. Rookie center Aaron Gray consistently outplayed Thomas in the preseason, and proved to form a potent starting front court with Ben Wallace. Yet, Thomas was given the opportunity to start, and like everything Thomas does, he lost focus, and lost the job. Thomas put up a 21 point and 12 rebound game and a 19 point and14 rebound game, but that was the apex of Thomas’ season. Thomas went on to have 2 1/2 months of shoddy play, often lacking effort on the court. Thomas would have no net effect on the games he played in, and Thomas would often have his shots blocks. The high flying dunks and blocks of last season seemed to have been lost. However, Thomas is again showing signs of vivaciousness, scoring 6.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks in the last six games. Thomas has started to receive playing time due to the injuries of Luol Deng and Joe Smith, and the executive order issued by John Paxson calling for entitlement minutes for the youngsters. Thomas may be banished to a bench role when Smith returns from his injury, as Smith, Gray, and Noah are all more deserving of minutes than Thomas. Thomas is more deserving of minutes than team cancers Ben Wallace and Andres Nocioni, but those two being benched is only a pipe dream for fans. LaMarcus Aldridge, who the Bulls traded for Thomas in the 2006 draft, was named to the Sophomore team over Thomas. The rookie team consists of Michael Conley, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Al Horford, Jamario Moon, Juan Carlos Navarro, Luis Scola, Sean Williams, and Yi Jianlian. The sophomore team consists of LaMarcus Aldridge, Andrea Bargnani, Ronnie Brewer, Rudy Gay, Jordan Farmar, Daniel Gibson, Paul Millsap, Rajon Rondo, and Brandon Roy. Joakim Noah might belong with the rest of the rookies on the rookie squad, as only Jamario Moon and Luis Scola are on winning teams. The members of the rookie team have amassed a combined record of 151-229 (.397). Tyrus Thomas definitely doesn’t belong on the sophomore team, whose Rudy Gay of Memphis is the only member of the team on a losing team. The sophomore team has a total record of 234-169 (.581). While it is initially disappointing to see none of the Bulls’ picked to play in this game, perhaps it is a good thing that none of them are being rewarded for what they have done, or failed to do so far this season.</div> http://www.dabullz.com/2008/01/31/noah-snu...dissapointment/
I agree with Wallace being a cancer, but Noc? Never thought I'd see that. He's having a solid season and I think he's a great player. Hell, they got him at a bargain price too, with only having to use the MLE. As for the article, I can't say that Noah was snubbed. He didn't do much early on, mainly due to lack of PT. However, I would say that the others in front of him, especially Green, are more deserving of a spot than him.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Moo2K4 @ Jan 31 2008, 08:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I agree with Wallace being a cancer, but Noc? Never thought I'd see that. He's having a solid season and I think he's a great player. Hell, they got him at a bargain price too, with only having to use the MLE. As for the article, I can't say that Noah was snubbed. He didn't do much early on, mainly due to lack of PT. However, I would say that the others in front of him, especially Green, are more deserving of a spot than him.</div> Nocioni doesn't pass the ball, shoots like the balls on fire, and doesn't play defense.
Hmm, last I knew, wasn't Noc considered one of their better defenders? I guess I haven't had the opportunity to watch a whole lot of games this year, but from what I've seen, he's still been playing some solid defense. Plus, it's not like he's been bad offensively. He's averaging over 14ppg in under 27mpg while shooting a pretty solid 42% from the floor and 35% from the trey.
This whole season has really been one big disappointment for me as far as the Bulls go. Tyrus Thomas' ineffectiveness has only been compounded with LaMarcus Aldrige's incredible sophomore campaign. Its a shame, really is.
Good to see you around Blur, hopefully a frequent poster from now on! We need Bulls fans, even if it's just to talk about how bad the team has been playing and how bad the past moves seem to be turning out.
Moo, I think your perception is pretty accurate on Noc. It's not like Michael Jordan is playing for us on offense any more. Noc takes a lot of shots, some of them are bad. But for the most part, this team needs needs needs someone to shoot, and he is a better option than others. Also, Noc's defense has been fine -- not exceptional -- but fine. I also have to take issue with Sloth's take on Sefolosha. I feel like a broken record here, but when did 12 and 6 become acceptable for a starter playing thirty plus minutes a game? That's really not going to cut it. I mean, he is going to have to consistently put up another five to seven points a game before we can feel comfortable with him being an average starter. It's still a long road. . .
FWIW Dennis Johnson averaged 32.7 MPG, 14.1 PPG, and 5 APG for his career. Roughly 12 and 6. He was a 5-time all-star. He had his number retired by the Celtics. It's hotly debated why he's not in the HOF. He averaged 12.7/2.8 his second season in 27.3 MPG. FWIW
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jizzy @ Feb 1 2008, 09:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>noah wasnt snubbed, he sux</div> Great insight As far as rookies go Noah has the highest PER among rookies, to leave him out of the game is a snub, but not really a big deal considering its really just a slam fest anyway.
Agreed on Noah. He really has no offensive capability outside of layups and dunks. He's got the ugliest jumper I've ever seen, it's a wonder how it even goes in. But, he's not on the Bulls to score. I definitely look at him as a Dennis Rodman type player. A guy out there to hustle for boards and play defense. If you get offense from him, cool, if not, oh well.
Rodman was a strange fellow, indeed. Unlike Noah, he came into the league as a scorer - he led the nation in scoring in college
I suspect, but cannot prove, that the NBA has more than contributions on a basketball court in mind when it picks these guys. Jeff Green has gotten progressively worse over the course of the year. He's been awful. Noah has gotten better and better, but he got some majorly negative off-court attention called to himself. Oh, and so did Tyrus Thomas, though I don't think his or Thabo's contributions made them deserving.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (such sweet thunder @ Feb 1 2008, 01:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Moo, I think your perception is pretty accurate on Noc. It's not like Michael Jordan is playing for us on offense any more. Noc takes a lot of shots, some of them are bad. But for the most part, this team needs needs needs someone to shoot, and he is a better option than others. Also, Noc's defense has been fine -- not exceptional -- but fine. I also have to take issue with Sloth's take on Sefolosha. I feel like a broken record here, but when did 12 and 6 become acceptable for a starter playing thirty plus minutes a game? That's really not going to cut it. I mean, he is going to have to consistently put up another five to seven points a game before we can feel comfortable with him being an average starter. It's still a long road. . .</div> 12 and 6 with extraordinary defense is fine with me. Especially with 13 and 6, with inconsistent, but sometimes good defense, 10 points 5 rebounds and the occasional charge, and 4 and 9, with no effort all starting.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jizzy @ Feb 1 2008, 09:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>noah wasnt snubbed, he sux</div> > _>, claims and no facts; we love geniuses. Noah does not "sux;" he isn't a matured player though. Noah was a hell of a player in College to prove that he does not "sux," as you like to put it. He is still in the transfer process of bringing more of that energy and style into his NBA game and guess what? he is getting better . Joakim Noah Career Season Averages: FG: %44.7 FGM: 67-150 PTs: 186 (With broken minutes) Rebounds: 4.6 (in 15 minutes of play) MPG: 15.5 Mins: 572 PPG: 5.0 (on the rise now that is playing more) FT: 65% http://www.nba.com/playerfile/joakim_noah/career_stats.html Season: <u>ROOKIE</u> Hmmm, what's that? He doesn't "sux" after all. Showing your genius in that unsupported one line opinion is a ticket to be owned by geniuses with some factual basis. Thank You, have a great day .
Double his minutes and he's a double-double guy. That's in only 30 minutes/game, too. Not bad for a non-scorer. Of course he has to prove he can double his scoring and rebounding if given double the minutes.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jizzy @ Feb 1 2008, 09:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>noah wasnt snubbed, he sux</div> noah doesn't sux. pax's sux.
