So I o off to Florida for a week to take the kids on their first pilgrimage to the mouse, the Bulls just knocked off five straight opponents above .500 while playing all road games, and I am basically cut off from the internet due to a crappy room. I didn't check the scoreboard until the Bulls had played three games.
So what happens? I notice the Bulls drop three straight. I went through and looked for a trend without really seeing one in the box score. The first loss Derrick Rose basically crapped the bed from the online box score I saw. The third loss seemed to be a complete disappearance of shooting, and the second loss looked like horrible defense.
They came back and beat Miami at home stopping me from completely jumping off the cliff, but it's strange watching this team's ups and downs. In the end it comes down to this.
The Bulls simply aren't that good most of the time. In their five game win streak they played tough defense and had outstanding shooting from Hinrich/Salmons combined with all-star caliber performances from Derrick Rose.
Can you really count on all those things any given night? Not really. Whatever streaks the team goes on, they still don't have the types of offensive players who can take over tight games and pull out victories. Derrick Rose is becoming such a player, but good teams have multiple guys like that.
Maybe Kobe takes over a game, maybe Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom or Andrew Bynum could do it on occasion as well if left all alone. The Bulls have a guy like Rose who can do it sometimes, but that's really it. Without getting another guy or two like that, they're going to really struggle to ever win consistently at a high level.
Teams need defense and effort, but the Bulls aren't so athletic or skilled defensively that they can hang their hat on that and win with it every night.
Still, I come back to see the Bulls a game under .500 tied for 6th/7th in the playoff seedings and find it hard to complain too much.
Hopefully, I'll get you something more useful and analytical as soon as I catch up on everything, but it's good to be back!
Filed under: Uncategorized
Tags: chicago bulls, florida, losing streak
Doug,
Welcome home. I hope you and your family had a nice trip.
So you asked, "What happened?"
vs. LAC...the Bulls didn't SHOW UP. That was a bit disappointing. Joakim Noah said, "It happens." Nice losers mentality, right there.
vs. Sixers...the Bulls didn't put the NAIL IN THE COFFIN. King and Funk kept saying, "The Bulls have this one under control"...oops.
vs. ATL...VDN sat DROSE to start the 4th quarter and the Hawks went on a 16-2 run. Noah got SHUT-DOWN until after the break.
vs. MIA...Tyrus SWORE at VDN and got suspended. Chris Richard was signed for 10 days and played well. Rose, Deng and Salmons dominated. Hinrich contained Wade.
There's your brief recap of a poor week of basketball by the Bulls.
What happened while your were gone Doug is Noah out until after the All Star break. Ray Allen to Bulls for Hinrich, Tyrus+Jerome James. Salmons to Magic for Redick, Anthony Johnson and Adonal Foyle. Also being discussed is Tyrus+ Mr. Happy's boy James Johnson for Haywood. Plus Tryus going apeshit on Vinny. Boy did you miss alot
It looks a lot like a mentality thing. Tough road games and the Bulls are psyched up for it. Then play a team that should be beaten without too much of a struggle and they think to themselves this will be easy and don't put the effort in that is needed. The Heat may not be the best team ever but when you're playing against Wade I'm sure it puts something in the players heads that they need to perform or he'll rip you apart.
glad u're back dougie. this blog wasn't the same in your absence.
The Bulls are who we thought they were lol There not a very good team but when everyone is playing well were pretty good...and that only happens on rare occasions. Bulls need to make a trade this deadline. The Amare deal most likely wont happen but I would deffinetly approach in the summer, especailly if he lands in Philly. Right now i like the Ray Allen trade. Hinrich+Salmons for Ray Ray. Bulls will still be able to make a good playoff push with Ray on the team plus we will have his 18 mil expiring contract. If the Bulls do this trade we can still land 2 superstars this summer.
As nice as it would be to land 2 superstars this summer, I think landing even one will be difficult. There will be tons of teams offering max contracts and there are only 4 players that deserve them.
Confidence is great but i guess it just turned into cockyness. Lack of experience maybe.
Realistically speaking, ATL was pencilled as a loss. WHat was disappointing were the losses to LAC and Philly. But boy, you should've seen Rose's one handed alley-oop catch vs. Atlanta live.
Doug thank God your back. Morten and Sham ran this blog into the ground lmao. No they did a great job, good to have sham back. I hope you and your family had a good vacation, i bet your wallet is a little lighter lol.
It is really quite simple, stop thinking that either Deng or Hinrich is a piece of a championship team and dump them on the first taker.
Then, assuming we renounce/trade Tyrus and Salmons, we have less than $12 million committed for next season. While we are at it dump that beached whale Johnson too, even with cap holds for 8-9 guys we have more than enough to sign 2 max guys.
Like I have been saying all year, Deng is nothing but a mediocre run of the mill journeyman player, get rid of him and his idiotic contract and really go all in this summer.
Lebron and anyone he wants, it is that simple, and if we still end up with no one, at least we tried to make it happen. It is better to buy and lottery ticket and not win than not to even buy one.
To sum it all up....the Bulls are barely a .500 team, period. Most of us always have known that. That's the way its going to go til we make some moves. Mr. Happy and others can over analyze every game and use cap locks on words like heart and leadership but the team just aint that good with this roster. Meanwhile Derek is becoming a beast and fun to watch which makes this season more and more watchable. For now I just cant wait to see what happens at the deadline....then the off season. Go Bulls!