Chicago Bulls Playoff Thread

[bukie]

The Bulls are on an absurd 40-7 regular season run dating back to last year. Projected out to a full season, that would be 70-12.

[Guest]

The Bulls are on an absurd 40-7 regular season run dating back to last year. Projected out to a full season, that would be 70-12.

 

They also presently are #1 in offensive rating and #2 in defensive rating.

 

Clowning.

 

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CHI/2012.html

[SpongeWorthy]

The Bulls are so deep this year. How many other teams could win by double digits when their bench was playing so many minutes?

 

The Bulls got 71 minutes from their bench last night and won by 15

 

Just last night...

 

Thunder got 111 minutes from their bench and won by 20

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=320123025

 

76ers got 99 minutes from their bench and won by 20

http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=320123020

 

Celtics got 96 minutes from their bench and won by 31

http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=320123002

 

Portland got 102 minutes from its bench and won by 12

http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=320123022

 

So the answer is "lots of teams"

 

It's amazing how the Bulls are racking up Ws what with being not deep and having a fraudulent, overrated MVP.

[Guest]

Well, he is a fraudulent MVP, but I'm cool with it.

[RynoRules]

This Deng thing scares me a bit. That would be a big loss. I think Butler could be very effective playing 10-15 minutes a night, but the idea of supplementing that with Korver, Brewer and Scalibrine makes me uneasy.

 

 

Not sure. Based on my own experience with a nasty hand/wrist injury, I think it would it take around 4 weeks before he could start rehab, then another 4-6 weeks of rehab and strengthening. Of course, he also has to get his shooting touch and legs back after such a long layoff (cardio work off the court isn't really the same as staying game shape). So maybe between 2 and 3 months?

[SouthSideRyan]

Who said the Bulls weren't deep?

[scarey]

This Deng thing scares me a bit. That would be a big loss. I think Butler could be very effective playing 10-15 minutes a night, but the idea of supplementing that with Korver, Brewer and Scalibrine makes me uneasy.

 

 

Not sure. Based on my own experience with a nasty hand/wrist injury, I think it would it take around 4 weeks before he could start rehab, then another 4-6 weeks of rehab and strengthening. Of course, he also has to get his shooting touch and legs back after such a long layoff (cardio work off the court isn't really the same as staying game shape). So maybe between 2 and 3 months?

 

Is that how long it took you? Or is that how long you feel it would take a world class athlete with access to top of the line medical teams, trainers, and rehab personell? No offense of course, I'm just surprised by your estimations.

 

It's his non-shooting hand. I can't imagine it taking more than a month to recover from if that. I almost expect him to be on the court next week. He may not come back playing as well as he was, but he still should be able to drive the lane and finish with his right hand and play great defense.

 

Think about it this way. Jay Cutler broke a bone in his throwing hand and surgery to have pins placed in it. They were estimating 4-6 weeks for him.

[SpongeWorthy]

I'm just going to pretend it's Kobe situation where he won't get back to 100% unless he gets a season ending surgery but he can play through the pain without necessarily risking further damage and then get the surgery in the offseason.

[bcl412]

If Deng is out through the playoffs somehow the Bulls aren't beating Miami so that would suck.

[Soul]

Apparently he's getting multiple opinions on it. That tells me surgery is a possibility. Hopefully it doesn't come to that :(

[chuckywang]

When including injuries, the Celtics got 160 of their 240 minutes from non-starting 5.

 

Bulls had 99.

 

Well the Magic just flat out sucked last night. Any team in the NBA could have beaten that effort they put up.

[The R-Train]

Apparently he's getting multiple opinions on it. That tells me surgery is a possibility. Hopefully it doesn't come to that :(

Yeah, I hear he's going to talk to some doctor he knows from his days at Duke.

[SouthSideRyan]

When including injuries, the Celtics got 160 of their 240 minutes from non-starting 5.

 

Bulls had 99.

 

Well the Magic just flat out sucked last night. Any team in the NBA could have beaten that effort they put up.

 

Was just answering a question.

[Banedon]

Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng has a torn ligament in his left wrist and will be "out for a while," according to coach Tom Thibodeau.

 

"I know it's a bad injury, and it sounds terrible, but I'll be fine," Deng said.

 

Thibodeau said no surgery is planned, but it's still an option. The coach described him as "week to week."

 

"He feels good about what the prognosis is," Thibodeau said.

 

It's the same injury -- except in the opposite wrist -- Deng suffered as a rookie in 2004-05, when he played 61 games and underwent surgery.

[SouthSideRyan]

The good news is, once he's back Thibs can play him 48 mins/game to make up for lost time.

[chuckywang]

The good news is, once he's back Thibs can play him 48 mins/game to make up for lost time.

 

LOL, how is it that Deng gets more PT than Rose?

[bukie]

Pretty simple: Deng is the best defensive player on the team, and the fallback options aren't really good (Jimmy Butler, Ronnie Brewer playing out of position).

[bcl412]

Thibs loves himself some defense and Deng can defend really well. We're pretty much a top defensive team because of him.

[Soul]

The thing is though, Deng shouldn't be considered "week to week" with this injury.

 

A decision about surgery should be made quickly. We can't afford to have him struggle along for weeks, and then realize surgery is necessary. That would put him out for the playoffs.

[Banedon]

The thing is though, Deng shouldn't be considered "week to week" with this injury.

 

A decision about surgery should be made quickly. We can't afford to have him struggle along for weeks, and then realize surgery is necessary. That would put him out for the playoffs.

 

The thing is though, they're not gonna have the surgery. Deng wants to play through it, and given that it's not his shooting hand, it's reasonable. From everything I'm able to find, they're just looking to manage the pain with it.

 

Do you know for sure whether he'd be back for the playoffs if he had the surgery today? Because they might already know for sure that he wouldn't.

[Flames24Rulz]

I don't think it's too big of an issue, considering it's his off hand. Kobe's playing through a ligament issue on his shooting wrist, so I don't see why Deng can't play through it after a few weeks of rest.

[UMFan83]

The thing is though, Deng shouldn't be considered "week to week" with this injury.

 

A decision about surgery should be made quickly. We can't afford to have him struggle along for weeks, and then realize surgery is necessary. That would put him out for the playoffs.

 

Do we even know how long Deng would be out with surgery? I feel like the main reason they are trying to avoid surgery is to prevent him from having to miss the season. I might have missed something about how long he would be out though.

[illiniguy]

The Bulls are on an absurd 40-7 regular season run dating back to last year. Projected out to a full season, that would be 70-12.

Good god that two year run after MJ came back really was amazing, two years at a better pace than this.

[ConstableRabbit]

I don't think it's too big of an issue, considering it's his off hand. Kobe's playing through a ligament issue on his shooting wrist, so I don't see why Deng can't play through it after a few weeks of rest.

One potential reason why is that they're likely different injuries...

[Banedon]

Hardened by past questions about his toughness and buoyed by the Bulls' championship potential, an upbeat Luol Deng will try to play through a torn ligament in his left wrist that sources say doctors suggested he have surgery to repair.

 

"I know it sounds terrible, but I really think I'll be fine," Deng said.

 

Deng even is telling teammates he hasn't ruled out playing in Sunday's game against the Heat, though that seems unlikely after coach Tom Thibodeau conceded Deng is "going to be out awhile."

 

"It's going to be painful at times, but I will have to deal with it," Deng said. "The soreness has gone down a lot in two days. Every day I will keep treating it and see if I can get rid of the soreness.

 

"We have a very good chance of doing something special. I feel that without the surgery I will be fine. I just know what I can and can't do with it. I think I will be very effective out there. We're going to try to control how sore it gets. Everybody's body responds differently. I'm very confident I'll be able to handle it."

 

Sources said Deng has been told he can't do further damage by playing because the ligament already is torn.