The Bulls have been winning games because they are the best
rebounding team in the league, one of the top defenses, have about the best
coach and maybe its best closer in Derrick Rose.
That really can’t be disputed, maybe for the Rose part
(maybe Kevin Durant or Kobe Bryant). What is still being determined is whether
they can score against high-caliber opponents like the Indiana Pacers, the
Philadelphia 76ers and, of course, the Miami Heat.
Monday night had the pulse of a playoff game. Paul George
was shading Rose into Roy Hibbert and David West, forcing him to dump the ball
off. It’s the right strategy against this team.
But I saw a bright spot last night: Rose was being trapped
again near the top of the key (slightly left) and was able to squeeze a bounce
pass to Boozer who was squared up from about 10 feet out, he then took a
dribble and then fired a ball inside to Joakim Noah, who was fouled as he tried
to dunk the ball.
In too many situations it’s been the reverse: Noah fielding
the ball and then trying to make a decision with it.
But since he can’t shoot,
there is only one decision to be made—pass. Boozer, as flawed as he is, can
still shoot and pass at a high level. Even if a player closes on Boozer he can
distribute to the wings.
It’s not a magic play; rather, it’s a variation on the Tom
Thibodeau philosophy. The Bulls don’t have the playmakers to beat the Miami
Heat. They won’t this year because they won’t have the ability to swing a deal
either, but the games against the San Antonio Spurs, 76ers and Pacers have been
reassuring since most of their work has come against Bismack Biyombo and Kris
Humphries.
We’ll be able to make more of their ability to beat these
traps when they face the Miami Heat in a week, and that’s being optimistic, I
suppose. Rip Hamilton has another injury and it’s on the right side of his
body. No one knows what it means, but
it’s probably indicative that you can’t count on Hamilton this season.
Working him in has been this month’s to-do list and it looks
like they’ll have postpone any more plans.
The Good
Joakim Noah: He’s
really been the second best player since the all-star break, and that’s how
this team was supposed to be constructed. He is still a clunker on offense and
doesn’t finish the way you hope, but he’s at least giving you what he is
supposed to do—and at a neat $11 million discount.
Ronnie Brewer’s legs:
At least he’s been in shape, something you can’t say for everyone else in the
NBA.
Luol Deng’s fragile
psyche: He hasn’t been the same player since he hurt his wrist, but he
continues to hit big shots. His commitment to rebounding the ball is one of the
Bulls’ greatest strengths.
John Lucas III:
Nice run for the little man, but I think he can cost you in a game like this if
he gets shot-happy.
Brian Scalabrine:
Nice dig into the Pacers by actually shooting the ball. I think fans understate
his play sometimes. Apparently the Pacers are sensitive and don’t like it when
the Big Pasty scores.
The Bad
Rip Hamilton’s
34-year-old frame. He ran into a tree, but there is no real reason to be
inspired about his play this season. He just hasn’t been healthy and when you
were hoping for a breakthrough with the Bulls, it’s nonsensical to write this
off as a small matter. He was supposed to be 1+1=3.
The Bulls in the
first quarter. They ran into this in the playoffs last season, and it’s
mostly a manifestation of a one-dimensional offense.
The Ugly
Omer Asik: He’s
just not the player he was last season. He’s a step slow, more than awkward on
offense and doesn’t really redirect shots like he once had. I wonder how severe
his injury was in the offseason. He matters. He is a silly looking dude, and
usually super tall white guys with hair like that are fun little novelties in
the NBA that often materialize as journey men. However, Omer is a starting
caliber center in this NBA and his regression doesn’t help the Bulls on the
court or off since he is one of their primary trade assets.
Contact Mike Mitchell
at michaelkennethmitchell@gmail.com.
2 comments:
Hey they finally took your suggestion to replace Noah with Boozer when Rose is trapped, and for some time we were spared suffering through Noah's meltdowns when he has the ball more than 5 feet from the basket.
I think last night was one of those games in which you clearly see how much of a difference Rose makes. If you put Rose on this Pacers team, would they have the same success as the Bulls do now? I think's it's an interesting proposition. I do not think these teams are separated by all that much, save for Rose. It seems everything about these teams is evenly matched except for the Rose factor. Now I know he "only" had 13 points, but in a very un-Hollinger like fashion, we can see how Rose's presence dictates the Pacers defensive schemes, allowing Rose's effectiveness to reveal itself irrespective of whether he actually scores. The Pacers do not have such a player. But again and again, we're led back to the same realization: this team is too dependent on Rose and that the absence of a second playmaker does not portend well for the future.
So is it safe to say we've already seen the Bulls' ceiling? Perhaps I am overlooking the "Hamilton factor," assuming of course he gets healthy.
Maybe look at it like a Memphis Grizzlies or Utah Jazz fan: Do you think that Rip Hamilton’s addition is enough to catapult the Bulls past the Heat?
The reflex is no. As fans, we look for rationale and some sort of portal that allows us to overlook the Bulls’ glaring deficiency.
I still think we can see the Bulls putting up a healthy fight against the vaunted heat, but as did the Pacers with the Bulls last year and we really don’t view that series as being close.
I think this might be as good as the Bulls are as comprised. Fittingly, I though that same thing last night: what if you flipped around the rosters? West is probably a better player than Boozer, Hibbert might be better than Noah, Deng is better than Granger (but he is a former all-star), Paul George is the best young talent on the team and Darren Collison is no slouch. I also like their bench.
I actually would prefer the Pacers roster with Rose than the Bulls—younger, more athletic and more playmakers.
Which brings us back to Scott Skiles’ earlier comment this season: “no offense to anyone other there, but Derrick Rose is the damn difference, he’s everything.”
Maybe Skiles realizes he’s never had the opportunity to work with a talent like that. DelNegro has already been gifted three.
Life works out that way. Being the best team in the regular season is great. Life is good, but it’s hard to reach ecstasy knowing you’re so deeply flawed.
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