Game Thread Playoffs - First Round Game 05 - Bucks @ Bulls

There's only so much the guy can do.

If Gasol can't win a 40 yard dash against Zaza, you can't blame Thibs for Gasol not being able to win the 40 yard dash.

Pardon the analogy.

I don't know if anyone could get this team more motivated than Thibs has. They don't look unprepared, either. They look overwhelmed by the trapping zone the Bucks employ, and even MVP Rose led Bulls had real trouble when he was double teamed or blitzed in the playoffs back when.

 

This is pretty much true. The reason Thibs is the story on local media's lips though is because that's how the Bulls Org wants it.

If Derrick Rose continues to be a negative on the court, as he was during the Bulls 2 losses in this series, the Bulls will struggle and perhaps lose. If he plays decent or well, they will likely win.

Its sad that our franchise player is a maybe to not be a negative. This is the real story. Unreported locally. Other reasons the Bulls are struggling: Mirotic playing terrible after he was injured and Noah's decline. Now, some of this might be coaching, but I don't think that's what is going on for any of these really.

 

It's not all about Thibodeau either. I feel like this series and in particular Game 4 has been a coming out party of sorts for Jason Kidd -- the first moment he's shown that he's going to be one of those guys that deserves to be on the coaching carousel for the next ten or fifteen years. His game management has been superb and that out of bounds play at the end of regulation was the gutsiest call I can remember. Kidd has coached his team brilliantly, and believing that he has had the upper hand isn't necessarily an indictment of Thibodeau's coaching.

 

Ballsy call by Kidd at the end of game 4, no doubt.

2 total screwups by Derrick Rose to close out that game though, on top of a poor overall game. Great players don't tend to do that very often.

In the end, its the talent that wins these games. Or loses them.

This isn't college sports. Its not about the coaches. The talent needs to perform.

Jimmy has shown up for this series big time. Its that coaching? Not really, just a big time player making big time plays (as stacey would say).

Mirotic is played poorly, a lot due to his injury and perhaps his first playoff series. Noah has played poorly. Gibson has shown up. Gasol is putting together nice stat lines and I know he has to be impacting the game but its hard to feel it in-game, other than frustration at him getting attacked on screen-roll.

The Derrick - Gasol screen - roll D combo is a losing situation for the Bulls.

Make shots. Don't turn the ball over. Take it to the hole and get to the line, Derrick. You showed in the first couple games you can do it when you want to.