lets just hope this doesnt start a spiral into a 45 win season...

-Mighty fight, but loss at the hands of angry Kidd and hateful Carter and officials who love Da Stars
-contract situations, Kobe situations...every shot Deng and Gordon shoot has the potential to be overshot
-Joe Smith is the only new player. Oh.

ugg...the Celtics seem alot harder to overcome after tonight...

 Before he fouled out was he effective?  Did he ever get a chance to play for an extended stretch? Were TT or Wallace playing like they were hurt?  I was in my car for the whole game :(

...of the 3 Guard Lineup: New Jersey was also running it with Kidd, Wright and Carter, and I think Jefferson may have even been playing PF for a spell.

That said, yes, let's hope Skiles doesn't get too fond of it again.

then what team from the east is? the cavs team last year.. ugh i dont see james carrying them again. even when the pistons won it a few years ago they didn't have a bona-fide superstar. billups, big ben, or rich hamilton? Yes all good players, but not of the kobe / duncan / kidd skill level.
Yeah Gordon for Kobe = No brainer.  But if you have to give up a few pieces to get Kobe, then it becomes complicated. Sort of like Boston giving up so many players for KG. Except Chicago's players are actually good lol.

Agree with joejoe, but I just don't want to actually type it.

Matt, the Nets are better than #9 in the east. They'd be even better IF Carter never shot another jumpshot all year.

• Yes, Deng was consistent...but quiet!
  
• Gordon brought us back in the game in the 3rd, but while Wright was freezing Gordon with sick defense for the rest of the game, Wright HIT OPEN SHOTS. Shots he shouldn't even have.  Why was he so open? I'd like to review that tape. hmm.
  
• (Gordon, 6 TOs, huh?) huh?
  
• Noc and Hinrich = stupid, stupid fouls.
  
•  TT doesn't look any older. Please, let me be wrong.
• Duhon kept this team together while everyone else was mis-stepping. duhon was consistent, with only 1 poorly chosen shot.

I think we all need to remember that the trade rumors have to be affecting the team. The rumors aren't even focused on 1 bulls player, any player can be traded. These facts have to affect the vibe, the communication, and the concentration of the bulls.

15 assist for kidd -_-;;;

&

The refs were mental.

the Nets tonight than they were last year. They never panicked and actually could easily have won. I think well be fine this season.

Home Sweet home for the home opener!

Andre Igloodalla (w/e) and his team can't match our lineup.

... a quick +/- for Tyrus and Nocioni. Ty was +6; Nocioni was -18.

in post-game interviews, the entire team seemed oddly lethargic and detached. Even Skiles appeared to be aloof and apathetic.

Looked really good tonight. He was getting into the passing lanes, and seemed to make solid decisions with the ball. The difference between the fouls for Chicago and New Jersey was ridicoulos!

Nocioni on the other hand was the same old Noc. I don't hate the guy, but wish Skiles would use him less.

I see Skiles like the old Polaks in my family. They are completely stubborn, and will not change there minds for anything, no matter how compelling the agruement. It takes a sledge hammer over the head to make them just think about changing course.

Ok Ok I'm just some of you out there might pissed or sad or.....after what has just happen.

Just let me know your honest after click this link

http://mundoalbiceleste.blogspot.com/2007/10/thirty-times-greatest.html

is completely and utterly unwarranted.  Talk about +- stats all you want, but whoever was on the floor when Ben Gordon went off is gonna have their +- stats helped when they didnt really have anything to do with it on the offensive end.

Nocioni not only hit the big shot to tie the game, but he was hitting in overtime unlike anyone else.  You say you want Thomas in there, fine, but how about you keep Nocioni in and let Deng sit when he was taking the kind of ill advised jumpers you'd hate from Nocioni, including one from the corner drifting out of bounds that led to a fast break basket on the other end.  If Deng is just gonna take jumpers and he's not gonna make them, I have no problem having Nocioni in there, who actually played good D in OT except for the Jefferson play when he left him open, but that was a pick your poison situation anyway.

I see too much on this board about how this team is only going to be great if they have Thomas and Deng in there but if Thomas and Deng can't actually do the things you want them to do, its not that simple.  Thomas did not have a great game, anyone who watched it would know that and we needed Nocioni's offense down the stretch and in OT and Thomas simply could not have provided that.

+/- stats aside, am I the only one who thought Thomas played not so good???? Its not just the missed open shots, but the fact that he couldnt finish near the basket and that he was trying to rely on his athleticism on defense a couple of times and let up easy baskets. Im not saying nocioni was a better option, but I don't understand this Tyrus admiration.  I guess he is better because the bulls do better when he is on the court, but he doesnt look much better than last season and that extra weight hasnt helped him much. I still cringe when  he gets the ball and get excited when i see him leaping for blocks, but he isn't looking too good. Aldridge on the other hand....sorry i wont do that one again.

and reading some of the crap I posted...WOW. I didnt know i got so carlos-zambrano-in-the-heat-of-the-momment-esque. If i do that again, please, somebody give me a virtual kick to the junk.

Considering the poor play from everyone but Deng, it should have been a blow-out for the Nets.  But Carter (6 for 21 shooting) kept firing blanks.  Jason Collins also did his best for the Bulls, doing almost nothing for the Nets in 26 minutes of playing time.

What really concerned me was the poor play of Ben Wallace.  The Bulls are in trouble if Wallace keeps getting only five rebounds in 38 minutes.  And he didn't contribute much else, either.  I hope it's just that his ankle was bothering him, but if that's the case why was he out there for 38 minutes?  Wallace can't just be okay, he has to be a star for the Bulls to succeed.

I'm amused but not surprised that in articles about the game Gordon gets credit for keeping the Bulls in it, despite 8 for 25 shooting and six turnovers.  Yes, he had a nice run in the third quarter, but the game is played for four quarters, and in this case in overtime as well.

If the big men keep playing like this, we may see Aaron Gray after all, but I agree that would be bad news for the Bulls, not because Aaron Gray is that bad, but because we shouldn't have to play our rookies.

Again Luol relatively disappeared in the second half.  It's so frustrating.  He looked dominant in the first half (though why he didn't match up defensively against Jefferson remains a mystery--if Deng is our much hyped franchise guy shouldn't he be matching up against his SF counterpart?).

I really liked what I saw from Luol in the first half, he seemed to be the only one ready to play.

Then he was so quiet in the second half and did little of anything (he hit a nice dunk in the mid of the 4th, but that was about it).

If he's our franchise guy I want to see him actually do some franchise guy things when the game is on the line....something he's never really done besides that Heat series last year.

Gordon again proved why he is our best player last night putting together a thrilling 3rd quarter.....I wish he could have kept it up in the 4th, but I'd still say his game was solid (and I agree with Matt about the foul discrepencies---Vince has a finger hit him and it's a foul, Tyrus and Ben get thrown all aroudn the court and its nothing).

While I hate focusing on the officials, I think they should try to call the game the same for both sides.  Jersey played pretty physical yesterday, which rather surprised me....

I actually was glad Nocioni was ont he court for us in the OT, he was the only guy willing to play clutch for us and he had a nice 4th and decent OT (but a rough Q1-Q3).

Finally, Kirk has to avoid foul trouble, I'm tired of him opening the season with foul issues (he'll have a rough stint for the first month of the season like he always does--if yesterday was any indication).

Overall, I like the way we bounced back after half time, made me think that the Bulls thought Kobe was coming in the first half, and the coaching staff/Paxson informed them otherwise at halftime.  Hopefully we can play better for all 48 on Friday (which I'm pumped about cuz I'll be there).

Everything mentioned up top is true.
And although Kobe might be a bandaid, he may NOT be the answer, which may also be why the deal hasn't been done.

Even someone who is BLIND and cannot watch the game can HEAR the bad combinations, the 3g smalls, the over and under using, etc....

And in the end - MY pet peave: NO ONE willing to man up and take it to the hoop and get the 2+1...
Watching BG lolly-gag with the ball, then Wallace throwing up in the air instead of SLAMMING IT DOWN...(deep breath)

If Kobe were here, things would definately be different, that's for sure.
But what if what HE wanted to do didn't match what SKILES wanted to do?

Then what?

I completely disagree with the way the Bulls handled that last possession of the game.  We constantly hear about how the Bulls are a team first, without stars.  Their offense relies on a lot of movement and passing to get open shots.

Why in Skiles' name did they abandon that offense in favor of a one-man play?  They had 19 seconds - that's plenty of time to actually "run" something within the offense.  Instead, Gordon stood still holding the ball for far too long and ended up firing an airball over 2 defenders.

I don't mean to pick on Gordon; if he ran what was called then that was a serious brain-cramp by the coaching staff.

Oh, and Mariotti's a blow-hole.  I don't read him, and I don't want to.  Most people disrespect him and know he's a complete moron.  Is there a reason to link to his drivel other than to make people more angry?  As Matt said "how predictable".

predictable stuff

hey guys and girls- this is my first ever post on here so here it goes:
first, i despise the nets.  i can't stand teams that absolutely bring it one night, and then the next game they obviously don't care.  this happens every time against the bulls, and each time, i get more infuriated.  the nets just flat out know how to beat the bulls on their home court.  Maybe when they move to Brooklyn things will change, but i doubt it.  These nets games remind me of going to market square arena to play the pacers during the 90s(thinking of that place with Reggie still makes my blood boil)
Second, i am so sick of the refs not giving the bulls any calls.  EVER!!!!  they never, ever seem to get anything from the refs.  how often are we T'd up, hardly ever.  are we a dirty team??? hell no.  i swear, it just seems like NBA refs don't like us, as if it were payback from our championship run.  Anyone who watches the bulls knows what i am talking about, and it pisses me off.
third, i am getting sick of tryus not playing quality bball.  two quick fouls, missing easy shots, turnovers, etc.  i love his intensity and all that but man is he a limited player.  i know he is a work in progress, but the bulls do not have time for it.  that goes for thabo too, we do not have time to develop these two, they need to get it together quick, or else we will be watching our season end in May again instead of June.  Lamarcus alridge looked damn good on Tuesday, against tim duncan!  ummm.... tryus better pick it up quick or pax better trade him before the rest of the league figures it out: that he is always going to be a project
sorry for being negative, i know its a drag(believe me, i have faith in all our players, coaches and front office dudes)i just want to see these guys play to their true ability on a consistent basis, so its frustrating when they don't. sorry if i repeated a lot of things that were already said... GO BULLS!!!  see you Friday night

ben wallace wasn't bad...just wasn't as good as we need. When wallace isn't having a spectacular night, we need someone like deng, noch, or free money to step up on the boards. Wallace did have some nice post moves, but i dont want him taking those.

I have a serious problem with the final play call. I understand it may have been a broken play, but i like the idea of driving down with 3 or 5 seconds to go and goign for a layup or a foul with kirk or ben. the refs were claling it insanely tight early; force them to make a call, or go for the game winner. Holding the ball ont he permiter means someone can get doubled team.

Can't hate the loss. Bulls came back, and antoine wright is going to have maybe 5 games like that over his career....did we deserve to win...no...but considering this is a hump team, we're on the road, everything surrouding the team, and anotine wright went off, i'll understand the loss. we woulda lost 99/100 times. Mark of a good team is never giving up; which we didnt. I also agree that we looked mentally tougher, and more mature, than last year.

Kirk was having a good game, the fouls were crap. I don't often bitch about the refs, but the discrepency was unbelieveable. Carter is not a superstar...this isn't 2003 (see Richard Jefferson's Skills). While I'm no NBA coach, when the refs are calling discrepencies like that, I beleive you ahve to switch it up, and play run and gun and lose the defensive tenacity. Need a lineup with tyrus and ben and then swithcing out guards.

I loved Duh's style tonight. Granted it's the opening night.

Noch I was satisfied. He played terribly in the first half, but figured it out in the 2nd. Remember, this is his first legit (i'm not counting those godawful playoff games) since the injury.

I was disapointed with Tyrus and Thabo. Thabo looked to have matured and have the teancity; just not the skill. Tyrus looked calmer than last year, but not in a good way.

It is impossible to tell smith and freemoney apart on the telly.

Love Joe Smith. Well worth the $5M if he can play like that all year. I felt calmer with him on the court. I didn't want him to start, but I'm starting the bandwagon.

Gordon...what can you say. This is a microcosm of what you get with gordon. He's worth 10, maybe 11M in todays saturded NBA...but he is not more valuable to the team than kirk. You can just see it on the court. Also, Jizzle's defense looks alot better. Still maybe medicore at best, but you can see he's trying.

Still horrified by the reffing.

Deng I thought had a pretty bad game. His defense wasn't amazing, even though he had some nice plays, and i thought he looked stagnant on offense.

BUT PERHAPS we can attribute this to all the kobe non-sense. Given the prior conditions mentioend, and the kobe circus, it's understandable why you may ahve an off game.

In conclusion, if we play that way all 82 games, I  think we push 50 wins. Which i'm more than satisfied with given it was an 'off night'.

Pray to god we don't meet the nets in the playoffs.