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Fire Pete Myers

Blogabull_tiny by your friendly BullsBlogger on in News

Wow, it was like Myers broke out the worst laid plans of Skiles before this game, just to torment us.

Not including the 2 minutes of garbage time (should've been more than 2, but Myers kept the starters out even while the team was down twenty) here is the minutes distribution from Wednesday night's game:

Deng - 40
Gordon - 35
Wallace - 34
Hinrich - 33
Smith - 30
Nocioni - 18
Duhon - 14
Griffin - 8
Gray - 7
Thomas - 4
Noah - 4
Sefolosha - 2

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.

Although Smith played well (although with his age/health it's never a good idea to play him 30 minutes anyway) it wasn't like Wallace (who defended Duncan well but wasn't rebounding), Nocioni (maybe his worst night of the season: 1-11 shooting and a -25 raw +/-), or Aaron bleepin Gray were playing so good that it gave good reason to not play Thomas and Noah. Griffin received minutes due to early foul trouble from Gordon and Hinrich, but I'd have waited for 3 more players to be out with foul trouble before Grif saw the court.

One of the indications from Pax in his radio interview was that a problem he had this season with Skiles was that he wasn't giving Thomas, Sefolosha, and Noah regular minutes. Hopefully Pax's interview with Myers' colleague (and leading candidate) Jim Boylan included sitting down and watching this awful substitution work by Myers, while saying "hey Jim, don't do this if you want the job."

Because tonight should certainly eliminate Myers from any candidate list. Maybe he knew that going in, and figured as his role of assistant it served him better through the rest of the season to throw the vets a bone and play them a ton in spite of the individual or team results. I can't think of any reason based on the ability to win this game.

It was a road game against the Spurs with an interim-interim coach, and I suppose it was almost by design that this game was a throwaway in the first game post-Skiles. I'll try and forget it happened, though management going forward can look to it (and most of this season thus far) to see what not playing the young bigs can bring, whether playing them more winds up helping or not.

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Definitely ugh
But what I take from these minutes and from the small amount of Paxson's interview is that there will be some heavy evaluation from Paxson's point of view to see what works and what doesn't.  The four highest minutes getters here are what was supposed to be our "core."  Maybe Pax wants to see what the baseline is with these four guys (and the annual vet PF) so that he can compare other line-ups.

by arjoseph on Dec 26, 2007 11:49 PM CST   0 recs

I meant to say
the "small amount of Paxson's interview that I heard".  Sorry.

by arjoseph on Dec 26, 2007 11:50 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Interesting comment from Duhon . . .
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/bulls/cs-071226bullschicago,1,7546175.stor y?coll=cs-bulls-headlines
Duhon said in informal discussions among players there was this consensus: "If your excuse why you were not playing well was Scott, there's no more excuses. If you want to be the team we expected to be and know we can be, nobody has an excuse. You have to go out and play. Don't have any more excuses. If you're supposed to be a $60 million man, go out and prove it."

Hmmm . . .

by Big D on Dec 26, 2007 11:53 PM CST   0 recs

Wow
Du laid some serious wood on Big Ben.  Say what you want about Duhon, but he's always played (not insofar as he's great, but he typically busts his balls) and acted like a leader of this team.

by Sports2 on Dec 27, 2007 12:21 AM CST   0 recs

yes but...
I think it was more than just big ben. Considering that luol deng and ben gordon both wanted something close to a 60 million dollar contract, maybe its not just about big ben, but those two as well...
im trying hard to become the next kirk hinrich, therefore im doing nothing more than being the next chris duhon.

by piccolomair on Dec 27, 2007 3:57 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Doh...
I meant to add that article had other worrisome news... Pax and Boylan apparently didn't reach an agreement in talking.  

"Paxson met with Jim Boylan, Skiles' top assistant, in Deerfield on Wednesday about taking over the team and no decision was reached."

by Sports2 on Dec 27, 2007 12:23 AM CST   0 recs

Tank
the rest of the season and draft someone young and big or my man Oj mayo.

by eross226 on Dec 27, 2007 12:25 AM CST   0 recs

OJ Mayo blows
seriously overhyped.

by MarketMaker on Dec 27, 2007 1:18 AM CST   0 recs

Maybe...
Noah deserved minutes last night, but Thomas looked retarded out there.

by Kemp on Dec 27, 2007 2:10 AM CST   0 recs

Thomas
Elison blocked him, and tyrus was out...i didnt stomach the rest of the 3rd and entire 4th...did he ever make it back on to the court?
im trying hard to become the next kirk hinrich, therefore im doing nothing more than being the next chris duhon.

by piccolomair on Dec 27, 2007 3:58 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I can't believe
Nocioni had only a -18 for the game. He was horrid last night. The last couple of games he has lost his shot.

It doesn't bother me that Pax and Boylan didn't reach an agreement. Maybe they need someone not associated with this team, someone fresh and new. I certainly didn't see anything new last night.

Please get this season turned around and play some great basketball.

by sue369 on Dec 27, 2007 6:50 AM CST   0 recs

I don't disagree
I think someone from the outside makes pretty good sense, but what I think doesn't make sense is the GM meddling in coaching decisions.

by Sports2 on Dec 27, 2007 7:56 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Chucker
I thought Matt was wrong about Nocioni's early season chucking, but whatever I wasn't seeing then I am obviously seeing it now.  Noc is throwing up prayer after prayer.  The shots are too quick, out of rhythm with no Bulls near the rim to corral any misses.

Noc is on a 4 game chuckwagon.

by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2007 9:22 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I agree, "someone fresh and new"
is needed for starting PG, starting C, starting SG.
"Duhon, don't make that garbage-time jumper... Save it for the next game!"

by bullhockey on Dec 27, 2007 11:20 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I think that
if Paxon can get a new center and new shooting guard, Hinrich will be perfectly fine.

by Kemp on Dec 27, 2007 1:10 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I agree
with that.
Please get this season turned around and play some great basketball.

by sue369 on Dec 27, 2007 2:12 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Last night was Skiles worse
I think Paxson is not satisfied with Meyers or Boylan.  Whoever they bring in needs to play our young guys.  TT gets blocked inside and he is out for the game.  At least he went inside.

by chgobr on Dec 27, 2007 7:48 AM CST   0 recs

Pax sux
Firing Skiles was bad enough, scapegoating the coach when it was clearly the players. But to make a move in season, and not have a plan?  Really?  In any management role, if you are going to take a bold step like that, shouldn't you have an idea of where you want to go with it?  Pax is the one who needs to be sent packing.  

by dcarioca on Dec 27, 2007 8:24 AM CST   0 recs

yeah
I really miss reading how Skiles didn't think the team had energy last night, and that he just needs to find the right mix (without playing Thomas and Noah). What a horrible, horrible mistake.
Officially a hater on Ballhype!

by hscs on Dec 27, 2007 8:56 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Tyrus & Noah
So you're saying that they are the answers to the current last-place predicament we find ourselves in?  Just play them consistent minutes and we will start winning games?

by nateroth on Dec 27, 2007 10:36 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

If the big three
Gordon, Deng , Hinrich are playing like shit, it really doesn't matter if Noah or TT plays or not.

by RogersPark Kris on Dec 27, 2007 10:37 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Well, yeah
And they've been playing 1/3 of a season that way.  I don't think Tyrus and Noah getting more "burn" is the answer, unless it means that Wallace is out of the game.  We're in a lot of trouble right now.

by nateroth on Dec 27, 2007 10:43 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

nope
They've both played very well in very limited minutes and deserve some burn. Joe Smith and Ben Wallace haven't been outplaying them, and the Bulls aren't going to go anywhere relying on an over the hill big rotation with Nocioni mixed in to not rebound and not defend.

Gordon, Deng, and Hinrich all have to play better, but the team shouldn't be taking a step back and not play the guys who were drafted to improve the team.

Officially a hater on Ballhype!

by hscs on Dec 27, 2007 10:44 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I agree with your concept
...and I am in favor of more playing time for Tyrus especially.  But my fear is that I don't know if it will make any difference for this team.

I'm afraid that G/D/H are just not good enough.  We've been seeing their flaws all year (as pointed out again on the Daily Dime today).  In particular, we all know that those three aren't very good at creating for themselves, and that Skiles (for all of his bad substitution patterns) was great at getting them good shots.  If he's gone, how will they score?

Add in Wallace's uselessness on offense (his missed layup on the first possession was laughable) and I think we just have to make some type of move at the deadline, even if we end up tanking into the lottery.  The Bulls are going nowhere right now and need a lot of help.

by nateroth on Dec 27, 2007 10:56 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

You're right, G/D/H are not good enough.
That's why Paxson drafted the raw but super athletic Thomas.  He's the only player on the roster who has any chance of making this team work.  Matt's said it a million times, and he's absolutely correct (at least about this).

by alec on Dec 27, 2007 11:08 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I like Tyrus but he is not the answer
As you said, he is athletic but raw.  He can't get his own shot, he is not a very good man-to-man defender, and he still makes too many mistakes.  Do you really think Tyrus playing 35 minutes every night turns this team into a top-four seed in the East?  

And if so, then why on earth do we have $15 million in Wallace, $11 million in Hinrich, $8 million to Nocioni, soon-to-be $12-14 million to Deng, possibly another $10-12 million for Gordon, etc. etc.  Those players are the ones who need to make the team work, and I don't know if they can, especially without Skiles.  If you're counting on Tyrus, then I think you're kidding yourself.  This team is just not very good.

by nateroth on Dec 27, 2007 11:22 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Tyrus is the only possibility of an answer
currently on the team.  But Paxson has also made it clear that part of his plan has been to develop assets, players with high enough trade value that another team would be willing to swap an equally valued, high talent player for one on the Bulls that might simply be a better fit for either their roster or scheme.

One of my problems with Pete Myers is that I just don't have any faith in his ability to hone Tyrus' talent.  I made a call for Scottie Pippin to be added to the coaching staff, partly for this reason.  I think he does have the player vision to help Tyrus fulfill his athletic promise.  

by alec on Dec 27, 2007 11:40 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Yes, that's the problem.
Tyrus and Noah getting more time (obviously with G/D/H playing better) is the only real possibility for this team to get back into contention.  That's what concerns me.

by nateroth on Dec 27, 2007 11:50 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I think you are being a bit too hard on TT
While he wasn't going to drop 30 points or will this team to victory, he has shown plenty of skill in both his offensive and defensive games.

Perhaps you are rushing to judge him based on the forced shots in his limited minutes against SA. Truthfully those were bad shot attempts, and didn't show that he could get to the rim against Matt Bonner, but yesterday's game pointed to a team wide issue as the Bulls had serious problems creating any kind of slashing game to the basket and top it off were generally shooting terribly from the field.

Playing TT will help develop him as a player. That, and the fact he can help win games with increased pt. Tyrus has skill, seeing him use his athleticism to get to the rim is a sight to behold, but by limiting him, he may never realize his potential and end up another Stromile Swift.

by RogersPark Kris on Dec 27, 2007 11:40 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

No, I like Tyrus
I love his finishing ability.  Especially the patented two-handed dunks. I want him on the team.

But he does not turn a last-place team into a second-round playoff contender, at least not until he has a lot more skill and experience.  Same with Noah, who has a lot less talent than Tyrus.

I'd say it's time to start looking at trades.  Maybe Hinrich to Golden St. for Al Harrington?  They need a ballhandler and insurance for Baron.

by nateroth on Dec 27, 2007 11:56 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Sam Smith Award
Maybe I'm just upset after winning the alec Award last night, but I think there should be a Blog-a-Bull Sam Smith award for terrible trade ideas such as this.  Why would Golden State give up Harrington whose size and versatility are important to the team?  Why would they want an $8 mil back up PG?

by snley on Dec 27, 2007 1:09 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Listen, don't be sore about it.
It's a great honor.  It means your imagination has jumped the track, that it is no longer chained to the narrowly defined conversational path preferred by Matt and his cohort.  

by alec on Dec 27, 2007 1:32 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I like to have fun
but I don't want to go down that slippery slope of throwing out unsupported, speculative nonsense for the sake of having my voice heard already traversed by many sportswriters.  Rigid constraints of reason, or straight jackets in some cases, could do a lot of good.  At the same time, it'd kill my self esteem as there would be a lot of professional writers who I'd no longer feel smarter than.  That's assuming that they'd know what to do within the constraints of reason.

by snley on Dec 27, 2007 9:09 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Well,
Sam has been looking pretty good lately....

OK Harrington is a stretch, but Golden St. is looking for another ballhandler because Baron is so fragile.  The key guys on that team are Baron, Jackson, Biedrins and Ellis, in that order.  Harrington completes that puzzle I guess.

by nateroth on Dec 27, 2007 2:14 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I don't understand Pete Meyers
You have an opportunity to be the man and you "broke out the worst laid plans of Skiles".  Perfect explanation of the night.  Even with the development of the core, why go to Griffin that early?  Did Pete feel loyalty to Adrain because they are about the same age?  I'm not crazy about Deng at the 2, but at that point, sub in Tyrus and slide Deng to the two.  Play Wallace, Tyrus, Noce, Deng, and Duhon.  If not, give Sefelosha a chance, but not Griffin.  Hopefully Griffins evaluation period is over.  

by Jesse07 on Dec 27, 2007 8:39 AM CST   0 recs

Myers is delusional
'Actually, San Antonio is my scout,'' Myers said. ''I've been responsible for this team the last couple of years.

''If I can remember, I think we caught them one time the day after Thanksgiving when they didn't have a practice [the day before], and we came ready and had young legs and were energetic.''

Great, Pete... you still lost that game by 17 points.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/basketball/bulls/714750,CST-SPT-bullgame27.article

by JeffD on Dec 27, 2007 9:19 AM CST   0 recs

ha
He did seem pretty confident in his pregame talk.

by Jesse07 on Dec 27, 2007 9:49 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Given these comments, it's
hilarious that (as pointed out by Matt) he mimicked Skiles' game plan right down to limited minutes for TT, Noah and Sefolosha.

To make those comments, and then to distribute the minutes the way that he did, one would think that Pete Myers has been the problem all this time.

Someone get Skiles on the phone! "I'm sorry, Scott, it wasn't you... it was that meddlesome Pete Myers all along!"

"Duhon, don't make that garbage-time jumper... Save it for the next game!"

by bullhockey on Dec 27, 2007 2:51 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Was this a game to scapegoat Paxson?
I'm sure Paxson and Myers must have talked about a rotation, but last night was like the Skiles rotation only worse.  It sure seemed like an attempt to say "these players are terrible".  Watch the Bulls collapse in the 2nd quarter when the starters come back in after their early foul trouble.

by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2007 9:25 AM CST   0 recs

I doubt he's that devious
yes, it wasn't like the starters played so well that there was a guaranteed win if not for bench bungling. But my complaint about the coach all season was give the team a chance to win. Having a lineup of Griffin/Wallace/Duhon in the 2nd quarter is no chance.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 27, 2007 9:36 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

By "he" I assume you mean Pete Meyers.
He's about the least devious person on the planet.  There are no detours or scenic routes in his brain.  As a player he was strictly pit bull.  Not an ounce of finesse.  His instructions on the court were to go after an opposing team's hot shooter and hound him out of the game.  Get in his face, push him, foul him...like a more athletic but even less cerebral (if you can even imagine that) version of Nocioni.  He was an embarrassment as a player, someone you wished wasn't on your team, the type of player you wished the league wouldn't even have in it.  

by alec on Dec 27, 2007 9:51 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

by "you" I assume you mean you
There's plenty of room for the Pete Myers and Nocionis out there. You (Paxson) shouldn't sign them to 5 year deals, that's all.
Officially a hater on Ballhype!

by hscs on Dec 27, 2007 10:02 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Sure there's room for them.
He was Brue Bowen without a shot.  If that's your cup of NBA tea, then "you" are welcome to it.

by alec on Dec 27, 2007 10:04 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

it's not
I only have a problem with look-like-you-try-hard-but-play-bad guys when they get overvalued. I wouldn't call Pete Myers an embarrassment. It's not his fault Phil Jackson played him a lot, and it's not like that hurt the Bulls.
Officially a hater on Ballhype!

by hscs on Dec 27, 2007 10:08 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I know.
I realize you're only defending him to restore a little balance.  Is there a place for players like him?  Yes.  His ilk is part of the game...much like a rodeo clown is part of bull riding.  He was a distraction from the main attraction.  

Phil played him that year (actually, those two years) because Jordan had jumped ship.  Pete was available on the scrap heap, so they brought him in as a place holder until Jordan returned.  

Myers had virtually no NBA skills, and only earned a place because he had an effort game.  That's the last thing I want to be the focus of this Bulls team going forward.  I'd rather have them looking at what they have in terms of talent, and I think Pete Myers is just plain blind to that part of the game.

by alec on Dec 27, 2007 10:50 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

now I get it
You think he coaches the way he played. Keep slicing, but last night was probably due to Myers and Paxson not wanting to change everything for the first post-Skiles game.
Officially a hater on Ballhype!

by hscs on Dec 27, 2007 11:21 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

I think he's thick-headed
and can't, as in he is unable, to perceive anything outside his own experience mode.

by alec on Dec 27, 2007 11:30 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

i disagree
you're being a little hard on Pete dude....all I saw was an assistant coach thrown into the fire and try to handle it the best way he could.

Did you see his face sometimes?  He had that "I think I should be doing or saying something but I'm not really sure what it is" look on his face more than once.

It has to be hard on him though.  On the one hand you almost have to kinda just stick with what you know (which unfortunately is Skiles' system/rotations) but on the other hand, you don't want to stick with it for too long because that's what got him fired in the first place.

Whomever replaces Skiles, in the interim, is in a tough spot.

by ScottieCartwright on Dec 27, 2007 11:47 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Speaking of which, I think it's interesting
that the interim interviews are not yet concluded.  I saw some speculation that Paxson might be entertaining thoughts of going outside the organization...even for the interim coach.  My take on that is that he really wants player development, and he's not convinced that the current roster of assistants might not already have their impressions too colored by recent experience.

by alec on Dec 27, 2007 11:56 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

by firing Skiles
Paxson put himself in an even worse position.  It's obvious that he doesn't have 100% trust in ANY of the assistants, or one would've been named the "interim" already. (i.e. there's nobody good)

But it's also obvious (and has been said) that there is nobody on his short list of replacement candidates. (i.e. there's nobody good)

In short - he screwed himself.  Not that keeping Skiles was the long-term answer...but I think the coaching problems won't be solved until the offseason.

by ScottieCartwright on Dec 27, 2007 12:43 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Wrong
Matt: The subpattern shows the wheels fall off WHEN the starters returned to the lineup in the 2nd quarter.

8:26    Aaron Gray enters the game for Adrian Griffin    25-30     
8:26    Kirk Hinrich enters the game for Chris Duhon    25-30     
8:26    Ben Gordon enters the game for Joakim Noah    25-30   
7:54    Luol Deng enters the game for Tyrus Thomas

For the next two minutes of the game the Spurs run a clinic without Tim Duncan and no Chicago shot blockers on the floor.  But then when Ben Wallace returns at the 5.5 minute mark, the lack of effective shot blocking actually gets worse.  The Spurs start getting more and more shots at the rim.

Chicago finally scores some points with the starters out there, but it takes them 5 minutes of floor time before they're effective.

What I wanted to see last night was ample floor time for the players that were in the Skiles doghouse.  Players Pax drafted.  Thabo, Joakim and Tyrus collectively saw 16 minutes of burn.

by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2007 10:08 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

"the starters"
Sure it had Kirk/Luol/Gordon, but that lineup included Gray and Nocioni as the frontcourt.

You're absolutely right that it killed them even more than the A-Drain extravaganza.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 27, 2007 11:04 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

speaking of
two straight crap games from Aaron Gray. So his 'coming out party' seems to have ended. (come up with your best party metaphor)

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 27, 2007 11:06 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

for the most part
i'm with you...but I gotta give him the benefit of the doubt in the Houston game...matching up against Yao isn't exactly a walk in the park for ANYONE, let alone a slow, white, 2nd round rookie  :-)

plus, it's been two (actually 3) straight crap games from everyone

by ScottieCartwright on Dec 27, 2007 11:35 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Noted
Didn't we note the coming out party with the correct "against Andrey Blatche and Brendan Haywood"?

Thus far, Noah was really good against the Bobcats and Gray was really good against the Wizards.  Both of these teams have abysmal front courts.  Naturally, Boston, Houston, and San Antonio are much deeper in the front court and dominated the kids.

I'll give Noah a break.  He hasn't seen the floor for very long in any of the previous three games.

by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2007 11:53 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

The second team started the slide
go look at the game flow.
Nocioni-Khryapa in '08

by bullshooter on Dec 27, 2007 11:22 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

Intrigue
First, the Bulls quit on Skiles, getting him fired.

Now, the Bulls continue their crappy play, and you ask if this is a way to get Pax fired?

Just who are the players (or Pete Myers) appealing to, Reinsdorf? Does Reinsdorf not know how badly his GM screwed this whole thing up?

Maybe it's just that these players are average players having a historically bad season. And their big splash free agent has a horrible and cancerous attitude. (Oh, and they were playing a championship team.)

"Duhon, don't make that garbage-time jumper... Save it for the next game!"

by bullhockey on Dec 27, 2007 3:00 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Kind of off topic...
...but did anyone else see that when the Spurs called that last timeout and the Bulls went to the bench that Hinrich took out his gum and put it in his shorts? I seriously hope he didn't go back to chewing it.
Deng 4 MVP, 2008! My new blog: Road Games

by corey williams corey benjamin on Dec 27, 2007 11:14 AM CST   0 recs

re:
A lot of guys put their mouth guard in their sock when they aren't using it. Now thats gross. As a ref I often put my whistle in my waistband so that I can use both hands to signal the foul to the scorers table.  

by haze on Dec 27, 2007 1:16 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Dont the shorts
Have pockets on the inside, at least...i always thought they did....
im trying hard to become the next kirk hinrich, therefore im doing nothing more than being the next chris duhon.

by piccolomair on Dec 27, 2007 1:31 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

I keep seeing
comments that Nocioni lost his shot...that's not the problem.  The problem came before that.  The problem is that he originally FOUND his shot.  Now he's in love with the jumper.

If I see him take one more quick, ill-advised, off-balance, nobody under the board, SHOT, I'm going to lose it.

I keep saying it...but he's under the impression now that he must shoot EVERY time he touches the ball, whether it's a good shot or not.  THAT, my friends, is the reason he has SEEMED to go cold these last few games.

He was still taking bad shots back when he was making them.  Now that he's missing them, people are starting to notice.

When the Bulls had success last season with him in the game, it wasn't because he stayed on the perimeter and shot all jump shots and threes.  It was because he would slash, drive, post up, and OCCASSIONALLY shot the long ball.  Skiles early season love fest with him has now gone to his head and has ruined his game in my opinion.

Don't the assistant coaches do any real coaching?  Why not break out some tapes of last season and make him watch them for about 4 days straight?

I'm honestly starting to question the entire coaching staff.  They don't seem to do anything that says "adjustments".  Not in the game or in the season.  If I'm Pax, I let these guys finish out the season (the coaches) and then flush them all at season's end.  We HAVE to have the slowest coaching staff in the league.

by ScottieCartwright on Dec 27, 2007 11:27 AM CST   0 recs

The coaching hasn't helped
I've been looking for strategy all season.  It seems like we are expecting teams to react to us when we should be taking it to them, exploiting their weaknesses, starting fast, and using our legs to protect or extend leads.  Instead we start cold, get lost on defense, and exploit the opponents weakness one in every ten tries.

I agree that the coaches seems like ghosts on the sideline.  Does not one of them have a voice that carries?  What about a two finger whistle?  The communication from the sideline must be conducted in morse code.

by NBA Observer on Dec 27, 2007 11:57 AM CST to parent up   0 recs

no doubt
you're right...and it's not like I'm saying they need to be screaming out on the court all game long...but there doesn't even seem to be any communication anywhere, not even inside of the sideline huddle (besides drawing up a play).

Who's scouts the opposing players?  Who calls for the in-game adjustments?

Who's job is it to tell Kirk - "Kirk, go UNDER the screen, not OVER!"

Who does these things??  Or are they being done and the players just aren't listening??

There is a serious disconnect somewhere.  I don't think the Bulls have the worst players or coaches in the league...but it seems like almost every game (even the wins) they are out-played and out-coached.

by ScottieCartwright on Dec 27, 2007 12:37 PM CST to parent up   0 recs

Nocioni grew up in a small village
with only one basketball court. That is where he learned from his father who taught him that even if you shoot 1-10 in the first half, if you keep shooting your luck will most likely even out in the second half where you may be able to even shoot 4-10.

by philosoball on Dec 27, 2007 12:00 PM CST   0 recs

New thoughts
Hey guys, long time reader, first time poster.  First off, I agree with the Nocioni bashing...The man has never seen a shot he didn't like.  The best part about his game (after his 1st season) was his ability to slash and finish at the hole.  He CAN hit the outside shots, but until this season it has never been the main part of his game.  

Secondly, what happened to Ben Gordon's summer being "the best summer I've ever seen" (Scott Skiles).  He still has no idea what to do when he's trapped with the ball.  Sure it would help him if a big would cut to the hoop, but lets be honest Gordon wouldn't be able to hit him anyways.  

Third, I LOVE Deng's new post game.  I'm not being sarcastic.  He gets great looks, its a damn shame he can't hit anything.

Hinrich looks lost and I agree with a lot of the bloggers that Duhon should start ahead of them. I'm sick of watching Hinrich dribble around the top of the key and then either throw a bad pass for a turnover or pass it to Ben Wallace who then turns it over.  

However, given that Tyrus Thomas and Noah need an actual point guard to get them the ball, I think we should keep Duhon on the bench.  By the way does anyone else notice that Thomas is a pretty slick playmaker when he gets the ball just past the free throw line?

I just really don't see us ever playing Deng at the 2.  To me, that's been our biggest mistake all season.  When neither hinrich can't make a shot, why not Gordon play point and create offense off his dribble.  I remember some effective lineups last year where Gordon was point and Thabo played 2, and I saw a part of Gordon's game that i never saw before with his playmaking ability.

Its getting awful watching this team consistently shoot 38% from the field and lose by 20 points.  Thanks for reading.

by davebino on Dec 27, 2007 1:17 PM CST   0 recs

thoughts on these new thoughts
I think Gordon will turn out 'fine'. He usually starts slow. The problem is that it doesn't reflect well on the 'best. summer. ever.', like you mentioned, and he needs to improve not just be 'fine'.

I agree on Deng. He looks a lot better this season in terms of getting close shots. The fact that he can't make them worries me a lot.

I think playing Deng at the 2 is only a necessity because Thabo's completely disappeared.

And Duhon still sucks, he just looks less suck by comparison to the Mopey Iowan.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Dec 27, 2007 1:22 PM CST