Chicago Bulls Playoff Thread

[Banedon]

Hollinger in his ESPN chat today recommends the Bulls starting Taj in place of Boozer. Make Boozer a 6th man, and basically don't put him and Noah in the game at the same time.

 

Using Boozer this way might have the secondary effect of preventing him from killing him Luol Deng by playing him with the both the starters and the second unit and resting him for 20 seconds each half.

 

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/42058

 

Not really sure how switching Taj and Boozer in the rotation helps Deng. Unless he's just saying that Boozer can take the scoring load for the minutes that Rose and Deng are sitting?

[SpongeWorthy]

I'd be all for experimenting with that. Noah played the best ball of his career when Boozer was out to start last season and Taj was starting.

 

It's amazing that we're 10-2 with next to nothing coming from our starting front line.

[illiniguy]

He's wrong then. He's not a superstar.

 

Oh...great. It's been so long since we've had a Rajon Rondo debate in the middle of the Bulls thread. I'm surprised it took us 12 games to get there.

Sorry, didn't mean to derail. Still think Walls gonna have a hard time becoming a superstar though.

[bukie]

Deng had better get the day off tomorrow.

 

EDIT: True story, Deng has played 468 minutes this year, 68 more than the #2 in the league, Derrick Rose.

 

I completely agree with your point on Deng, however your stats are misleadding The Bulls have played the most games in the league (LAL, OKC also have 12) so of course they are both going to be in the top of minutes play (Rose is actually #6 in overall minutes played). Monta Ellis and Kevin Love have both played more MPG than Deng, who is 3rd, and Rose is 20th in the league.

 

I think Rose's minutes have actually been pretty good. Deng's are obviously obsessive and need to be corrected immediately. Rose's minutes could get better as well as there are multiple times the Bulls are up double digits with 2 or 3 minutes left and they keep him in there. My hope is that Thibs can start to give Butler 7-10 minutes per game and cut down Deng's minutes some. Probably won't happen, though. Especially with Derrick out.

Total minutes at this point isn't misleading (and at the time I posted, Rose was #2 overall in minutes), because every team has been active now for the same 18 days. Minutes per game is one thing, but total minutes played over the same calendar time says a bunch, too. The Bulls have played more games than anyone, and Deng has played more minutes per game than almost anyone. The combination of both is reflected in total minutes played.

[UMFan83]

Hollinger in his ESPN chat today recommends the Bulls starting Taj in place of Boozer. Make Boozer a 6th man, and basically don't put him and Noah in the game at the same time.

 

Using Boozer this way might have the secondary effect of preventing him from killing him Luol Deng by playing him with the both the starters and the second unit and resting him for 20 seconds each half.

 

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/42058

 

Not really sure how switching Taj and Boozer in the rotation helps Deng. Unless he's just saying that Boozer can take the scoring load for the minutes that Rose and Deng are sitting?

 

That's exactly why IMO. The usual bench mob when everyone is healthy is Watson, Brewer, Deng, Gibson, Asik. Deng is the only real "slasher" in that group. I could see a bench mob of Lucas, Watson, Brewer, Boozer, Asik being effective. The only problem with all of this is that the reason why the bench mob has been so effective is because of their lockdown defense, which is considerably better than the starting 5. Adding one of the worst defenders in the NBA to that group instead of Taj Gibson really hurts that.

 

I personally think the better move would be to move Asik to the starting lineup and Noah off the bench. Noah has some offensive value but he seems lost out there with Rose, Deng and Boozer all getting theirs, not to mention Rip when healthy. Noah can give you great defense next to Gibson, as he did at the beginning of last year, and the hope would be that getting him going on defense again might give him some confidence and the overall boost that he needs to play like the guy they gave a $60 million to last year.

[cubbyvirus00]

Deng needs more rest. Going to have to throw in the rookie more often Thibs.....

[ChiCubsFan]

Hollinger in his ESPN chat today recommends the Bulls starting Taj in place of Boozer. Make Boozer a 6th man, and basically don't put him and Noah in the game at the same time.

 

Using Boozer this way might have the secondary effect of preventing him from killing him Luol Deng by playing him with the both the starters and the second unit and resting him for 20 seconds each half.

 

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/42058

 

Not really sure how switching Taj and Boozer in the rotation helps Deng. Unless he's just saying that Boozer can take the scoring load for the minutes that Rose and Deng are sitting?

 

That's exactly why IMO. The usual bench mob when everyone is healthy is Watson, Brewer, Deng, Gibson, Asik. Deng is the only real "slasher" in that group. I could see a bench mob of Lucas, Watson, Brewer, Boozer, Asik being effective. The only problem with all of this is that the reason why the bench mob has been so effective is because of their lockdown defense, which is considerably better than the starting 5. Adding one of the worst defenders in the NBA to that group instead of Taj Gibson really hurts that.

 

I personally think the better move would be to move Asik to the starting lineup and Noah off the bench. Noah has some offensive value but he seems lost out there with Rose, Deng and Boozer all getting theirs, not to mention Rip when healthy. Noah can give you great defense next to Gibson, as he did at the beginning of last year, and the hope would be that getting him going on defense again might give him some confidence and the overall boost that he needs to play like the guy they gave a $60 million to last year.

 

It's depressing that it's come to this. Let's just trade Noah before he loses all his value. Is it too late to get Ellis?

[Banedon]

It's depressing that it's come to this. Let's just trade Noah before he loses all his value. Is it too late to get Ellis?

 

12 games and you're ready to trade Noah? I think him and Boozer may just not be a great fit on the floor together.

[KingCubsFan]

I'd be all for experimenting with that. Noah played the best ball of his career when Boozer was out to start last season and Taj was starting.

 

It's amazing that we're 10-2 with next to nothing coming from our starting front line.

That's not entirely true. Boozer's averages per 36 minutes are pretty good. But Thibs likes lockdown defense in the fourth to protect the lead, and there's nothing wrong with that. Noah is more concerning to me. Defense is supposed to be one of his strengths, and yet Asik has outplayed him in almost every game in that regard.

[ChiCubsFan]

It's depressing that it's come to this. Let's just trade Noah before he loses all his value. Is it too late to get Ellis?

 

12 games and you're ready to trade Noah? I think him and Boozer may just not be a great fit on the floor together.

 

It's not just these 12 games, but yeah. I'm panicking. I'd be a terrible GM.

 

I just don't know what the next move is. Boozer and Noah have shown no progress in the past year. They just continue to look worse and worse together. Boozer throws in a good game every so often, but he's not playing well consistently. We'll be fine in the regular season as long as Rose is healthy, but we need another scorer to beat Miami.

[bukie]

I'm not opposed to trading Noah for Howard, but the last thing the Bulls need is another ball dominating guard like Ellis.

[ChiCubsFan]

I'm not opposed to trading Noah for Howard, but the last thing the Bulls need is another ball dominating guard like Ellis.

 

You're probably right. So would you just continue forward as is? Make a lineup change? Any other trades you'd look to make?

[bukie]

I'm not opposed to trading Noah for Howard, but the last thing the Bulls need is another ball dominating guard like Ellis.

 

You're probably right. So would you just continue forward as is? Make a lineup change? Any other trades you'd look to make?

I'd love to try to land someone like Ray Allen, but Boston probably wouldn't deal him unless they collapsed, and even then I'm not sure the Bulls would have pieces the Celtics even wanted (that would make the trade worth it for both sides).

 

Beyond that, playing Noah and Boozer off each other may be the best short-term solution, as the second team needs a scorer and Deng needs to not die.

[SouthSideRyan]

Assuming Boston isn't run by morons, they won't be trading Allen unless they fall out of the playoffs...so they won't be trading Allen. And other than that pick that's fairly worthless until 2016, I don't see what we'd want from you.

[bukie]

Isn't that what I said?

 

And yeah, for Boston to not make the playoffs, one of the following teams would have to make the playoffs: Cleveland, Toronto, Milwaukee, Detroit, New Jersey, Charlotte, Washington.

 

I'm not sure there's ever been a more clear-cut 1-8 in the East.

[Derwood]

Boozer is averaging 13.3/7.9 while shooting .507

 

Noah is averaging 7.1/7.5 while shooting .397

[Soul]

I'm hoping it's all just early season stuff. They'll settle in.

[The R-Train]

I don't see what we'd want from you.

Stop that!

[Flames24Rulz]

Boozer is averaging 13.3/7.9 while shooting .507

 

Noah is averaging 7.1/7.5 while shooting .397

 

Holy [expletive]. That's bad for a guard, let alone a big man.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't see what we'd want from you.

Stop that!

 

Why?

[The R-Train]

I don't see what we'd want from you.

Stop that!

 

Why?

Because you don't play for the Boston Celtics and we don't play for the Chicago Bulls.

[Banedon]

Boozer is averaging 13.3/7.9 while shooting .507

 

Noah is averaging 7.1/7.5 while shooting .397

 

Holy [expletive]. That's bad for a guard, let alone a big man.

 

He's quite fumbly this season. Every time he gets the ball under the basket and tries to go up, he loses the ball. Or he's losing rebounds. I know he walked off with the sprained thumb the other night, but I am wondering if he's had some kind of issue longer than that. Boozer is the guy that's supposted to have bad hands. Noah's never been that guy.

[SouthSideRyan]

I don't see what we'd want from you.

Stop that!

 

Why?

Because you don't play for the Boston Celtics and we don't play for the Chicago Bulls.

 

You don't know that.

[UMFan83]

All of our bigs have terrible hands. Asik is by far the worst, Noah has gotten worse over the offseason. Tajs are not as bad as Omers but they are definitely below average. And you touched on Boozer who has significant problems as well. I have no idea why they all have so much trouble but I watch other teams and their bigs for the most part can catch sharp passes into the paint.

[Banedon]

All of our bigs have terrible hands. Asik is by far the worst, Noah has gotten worse over the offseason. Tajs are not as bad as Omers but they are definitely below average. And you touched on Boozer who has significant problems as well. I have no idea why they all have so much trouble but I watch other teams and their bigs for the most part can catch sharp passes into the paint.

 

Of the names you mentioned though, I'd say Asik is the only one that's improving. He still bumbles and bobbles, but he's been our surest handed rebounder, and has handled a few hot passes lately.