Chicago Bulls Playoff Thread

[RynoRules]

New Jersey and Boston should be way higher.

 

 

I see your argument re Boston, but not Jersey. The team is awful and it's best player is rumored to want out, having been there less than one full season. Plus they will always be second fiddle to the Knicks in a way that is harder to make-up than the Lakers-Clippers dynamic.

 

I don't see why the Nets have a harder time making up ground than the Clippers. The Clippers were synonymous with losing, and the Lakers are one of two legendary franchises in the NBA. The Knicks haven't won in a million years, and the Nets are going to at least be new to the area. The Nets without DWill still aren't in as pathetic a shape as the Knicks were before D'antoni went there.

 

No offense intended here, but I think you really don't know the difference between a NY fan and an LA fan. It's a scene in LA; it's an allegiance and loyalty issue in NY.

[ConstableRabbit]

An indoor sport and weather matters? Really? That whole weather argument against Chicago is a load of [expletive].

 

Do you live in Chicago in the winter? It sucks. This year is basically as good as it has ever been and its still in the 30s every day. Living in that climate isn't appealing to a lot of people, professional athletes included. There are plenty of people who could be more successful or make more money in Chicago or Minnesota or Canada, but they choose to live in the South due to the weather. It's not that hard to follow.

Chicago is not Minnesota or a different country; it's a world-class city with world-class restaurants and cultural attractions. If you want to move to warmer weather, you don't really have any other choices to live in a traditional "metropolis" in the US.

 

If cold weather is your biggest concern, then all else equal, Chicago is toward the bottom of NBA cities. But there are trade-offs associated with weather.

 

Besides, we're talking about wealthy NBA players here. For the 9 month (inc playoffs) season, 7-8 are not warm, and you'd be on the road almost half the time regardless of what city you'd play in. Many players live in different cities during the offseason as it is. Any player who would trade those extra few months of warm weather over millions of additional dollars and the potential to win an NBA championship is a moron.

[Careless]

For S's and G's, let's rank the top ten NBA free agency destinations:

 

1) Miami (hard to argue with this given what went down two offseasons ago)

I don't really think you can take LeBron wanting to play with Wade and Bosh wanting to play with them while Wade wanted to play in the place he had his championship as exactly representative, not that I'd suggest down-ranking them that much.

[Banedon]

Rose expects to play tonight.

 

Rose, who is also battling turf toe, said he has no desire to rest or pace himself against the Hornets, who enter the game just 4-21.

 

"No, when I'm on the court, I don't pace myself," he said. "When I'm out there, I'm always trying to create or do something to lead us in the right direction to get that win. Pacing yourself, Thibs (coach Tom Thibodeau) won't allow you to do that anyway."

 

Thibodeau scoffed at the notion that Rose, if healthy, should rest. The Bulls are off Thursday before facing Charlotte on the road Friday.

 

"If a guy is injured, he shouldn't play. But if he can play, he should play," Thibodeau said. "Somehow there's this notion of guys sitting out games. Pretty soon we'll be at the point where a guy sits out the whole season and just plays in the playoffs -- if he can get there. I don't get that."

[Banedon]

Also, for some reason, Will Ferrell will be doing the player introductions for the Bulls-Hornets game tonight.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Also, for some reason, Will Ferrell will be doing the player introductions for the Bulls-Hornets game tonight.

[bukie]

"Look, guys, the NBA is totally viable here in New Orleans! See? Will Ferrell!" - David Stern

[SouthSideRyan]

I love Thibodeau as an instructor, and understand what he's getting at, but there's a whole lot of Dusty in that excerpt.

[bcl412]

I love Thibodeau as an instructor, and understand what he's getting at, but there's a whole lot of Dusty in that excerpt.

 

He doesn't seem to recognize that there is a balance that need to be met. Guys need to play to keep in rhythm, shape and so they can win games for seeding among other things but guys also need to rest so they can remain strong for the playoffs. I feel like some people think that just because a guy is a professional athlete he has unlimited energy and rejuvenation ability. It takes longer for athletes to wear down than a normal person most of the time but it will still happen eventually.

[Ryne Ween]

Other than Deng, nobody on the bulls is playing egregious minutes, and I would imagine most coaches would play deng 37-38 a night. I dont think the extra minute a game makes any difference. Rose plays star minutes, same as any other young or prime star.

[SouthSideRyan]

They're 3rd and 18th respectively while battling injuries on a team with the 2nd highest point differential in the NBA and one of the best benches in the NBA.

[Ryne Ween]

They're 3rd and 18th respectively while battling injuries on a team with the 2nd highest point differential in the NBA and one of the best benches in the NBA.

 

18th is about where rose should be and everybody in the NBA is batting injuries to some degree this year. We are not a deep team when it comes to guard play, and one of our bench guys (korver) cant matchup against 95% of 3s on ball. With Rip missing as many games as he has, Ronniue dropping down to the 2, and CJ/Taj missing some games, etc... Thibs had had to use a lot of Luol Deng.

 

Hugely flawed using the team +/- as a reason why our guys shouldnt be in the usage top 20.

[SouthSideRyan]

Well, I really didn't feel like figuring a standard deviation right now, how else would you suggest a quick and dirty way of figuring out when a game is a blowout or not? It's not like you have to go too far back to find a blowout where Thibs ran a fresh off injury Deng or Rose out there for more than was necessary.

[Ryne Ween]

I agree that luol shoulda been used less in the second milwaukee blowout. But on a whole, I think thibs rotation isnt abusive to lu or d rose. And his bigs rotation is fine. Luol's minutes are basically the ONLY possible gripe you can have on Thibs and I think its not that big of a deal. Luol being top ten minutes played isnt a big deal in my opinion.

 

Also Luol and Derrick are what 26 and 23? They can handle minutes.

[Brian]

Wilbon has an article defending Thibs use of Rose and Deng, citing they play similar if not slightly less than Jordan and Pippen were doing.

[Theo]

With Sixers and Heat losing, Its setting up for Thibs to be the Eastern Conference Head coach for the ASG. Cant wait to see him brow beat all those Divas

[Theo]

Absurd that Rose even suited up tonight.

[bcl412]

The Hornets are garbage.

[SpongeWorthy]

"The Bulls are the first team in NBA history to win 3 straight games on the road (with no home games in between) by 20+ points."

[UMFan83]

"The Bulls are the first team in NBA history to win 3 straight games on the road (with no home games in between) by 20+ points."

 

Neat. That will go nicely with that road accomplishment a couple of years ago. I think that one was 'first team to ever win 5 consecutive road games (with no home games in between) against teams above .500'.

[Banedon]

The Hornets fans always remain standing until New Orleans scores its first points. After a timeout four minutes in, fans sat down even though the Hornets had yet to score.

[Clem Fandango]

Also, for some reason, Will Ferrell will be doing the player introductions for the Bulls-Hornets game tonight.

 

Here it is

 

[Ryne Ween]

Tribune has something up echoing the discussion here about thibs playing guys when they are coming off injuries or have nagging but not quite injuries.

 

Aparently wailing about starting Keith Bogans has morphed into this. In this city, people will never be happy with anything. If the medical staff says a guy is good to go, then he is good to go and thibs should use him. We are a young team trying to win a championship, we will NEVER beat the Heat in a 7 gamer without HCA. They have to win every game. Without Rose any team in the NBA can beat us on their home floor. Remember when Memphis waxed us on MLK day?

 

I dont think ive ever seen a team cautiously rest a young superstar when he was cleared to play. One other thing, based on the fact he choked out VDN in front of all of Chicagos media people, we know Paxson is sensitive about overusing injured players, and he does not seem to be putting a stop to this; thus im satisfied.

[jersey cubs fan]

I dont think ive ever seen a team cautiously rest a young superstar when he was cleared to play.

 

Have you ever seen a team play the schedule the NBA is playing this year?

[bcl412]

Tribune has something up echoing the discussion here about thibs playing guys when they are coming off injuries or have nagging but not quite injuries.

 

Aparently wailing about starting Keith Bogans has morphed into this. In this city, people will never be happy with anything. If the medical staff says a guy is good to go, then he is good to go and thibs should use him. We are a young team trying to win a championship, we will NEVER beat the Heat in a 7 gamer without HCA. They have to win every game. Without Rose any team in the NBA can beat us on their home floor. Remember when Memphis waxed us on MLK day?

 

I dont think ive ever seen a team cautiously rest a young superstar when he was cleared to play. One other thing, based on the fact he choked out VDN in front of all of Chicagos media people, we know Paxson is sensitive about overusing injured players, and he does not seem to be putting a stop to this; thus im satisfied.

 

I don't agree with this.