Think it will be close, but we will win.

If he can just camp out, shoot short hooks, and defend the rim, it’ll be a long night for the Bulls. We need to try to post him up early, use some pump fakes, etc. On defense, we need to “draw some charges” (i.e., flop) and bring help from the weakside. And there better be someone boxing him out on every possession.

If we minimize Oden, I think the Bulls do really well. If we’re losing the battle in the paint, I think we lose.

Last night Gooden’s +/- was -16, Noah’s -10, Deng -13. Tyrus was +2, and although Noce looked bad he was +13.

If there was ever a motivating factor for Thomas to bring his A game, tonight’s matchup with Aldridge would have to be the catalyst. If he can play with high energy while staying within himself, I believe he can dominate LA, maybe not scoring wise but in all other facets of the game. If for no other reason than to get some cred back and quiet down the Tyrus is a total bust echo chamber.

Rose seems to be able to perform at a high level usually reserved for veterans with ice in their veins when it comes to pressure. Hopefully, Gordon can get back on track, and VDN will have enough sense to keep Larry the Loser off the court for long stretches.

Gray will finally be matched with a center that is almost as slow as he is, and Noah eventually has to be able to defend somebody without getting pushed around like a rag doll. I hope Oden’s inexperience will offset his physical domination.

Coaches did the best they could to try to get two wins out out this trip by spreading the minutes around real well. Rose is still playing way too much and in another 3 months will have played more game in a year than the last 5 years combined (four years high school and one at Memphis). Say what you will, but 40 minutes a night is not mandatory your first two month in the Not For Boys league. Adrenalin will get this fantasy to 40 games, but not at this age much past there, older slower players are going to start outsmarting him in the next 20 and when that confidence gets knocked it’s a long road back in a season.
Need some defense and picks and rolls, everyone is points and minutes. Good game out of Gray, who is pushing Noah further back in the doghouse. GO BULLS

Give Hughes props when he plays his position, nor a point guard way out on the perimeter, let him run and slash. Chicago fan, but played against him in St. Louis in the 90’s and know his game. Cleveland played him at the point, after promising to play him at the position he wanted to get him in (and he played the point and they have got to the finals that year), but rip a jumper like its a game winner, after having his shoulder torn out of socket and you cry like a bunch of babies on the playground. Del Negro and his staff is the best coaching the bulls have had for years, he has enough experience behind him that you learn what works over about 6 weeks, this ain’t March. If they pull two games out of this road trip it is due to the coaching staff, for I haven’t seen one comment that would work but PLAY ROSE the new Jordan after 10 GAMES.
Hughes will score 10,000 points by age 30, early next year, when you do that in the NBA you make 15 million. Average length of a career, a bit over 4 years. Get over the money, It doesn’t make or break the team in this case and was a great move. You can read stats all night long, but I can tell you two things, Hughes loves defense and plays it well, it doesn’t get press, it doesn’t get blogs, second, after a life of his a comment was made that basketball is not the most important thing in life. If you don’t agree, fine, but let a man voice his opinion and quite honestly you will see he will be the most gracious player to the fans and media that Chicago will probably see.

Signed with the Cavs on August 5th of 2005, played only 3 games in the 05-06 season (they had Lebron, no finals then, why not?)

Now, 2006-2007, Hughes in Cleveland , not Washington (I am not wrong) played 70 games, with 68 starts, averaging a career high in points (14.9), rebounds (3.8) and assist (3.7) in 37.1 minutes per game. This is after contract, so admit that your wrong, cause this is after contract, so the money talk is pure bullshit. It was his career best at 2, 597 minutes..one of 1 players in the NBA (there are 300 active if you do not know) to finish with at least 1,000 points, 250 rebounds, 250 assist and 85 steals…ranked 26th in steals per game (1.27),..near the end of the season in January he shot 43% from the 3 pts line and averaged 16.7 points. So your post is all screwed up. Remember, this is Cleveland, against everything you say above, oh, I got more for you, he lead or tied the team in steals 21 times, scored in double figures on 55 occasions and topped the 20 point mark 15 times. Also outscored Lebron on numerous occasions (so it was all LB now?)
Now if the reason they were in the finals that year was Lebron, and Lebron only, why is this the only year the Lebron went to the finals, with Hughes in his 5 years. Also, Coach Brown moved Hughes to the point Guard the first week of March. Now you say he sucks at shooting, so how did he drop 10,000 points in 11 years (no fall off either) and has a 41% FT career average, no drop off here either? Now back playing about 6 games for you he is 100% from the 3 pt line, leads our Bulls to a much needed win and you still rip on him? You know, i think the money makes you one jealous cat, for the summer and preseason in his 11th year, he worked his ass off. Had 20 plus points in the game his should was pulled out of the socket, yet he is to scared to drive? Look, when you play point or a #2 position and get a ball on a blown play, sometimes you have to shoot it, sometimes you don’t, but if you can hit over 40% from 16-20 feet, your not doing bad.
Now finally, looks at the steals on our bulls, with the minutes, he is still near the top, beats most the centers in rebounds (but he is scared to be in there?). You don’t dive for a ball like Dennis Rodman and are playing with fear, believe me. Your not watching many games, because you have little knowledge how well he has defended these short six games. In this league, if your not playing well, or pushing hard (this includes practice, which you never see, your are right, you don’t play. But he is, which with this coaching staff and support staff should tell you something? Give me one Thabo stat that beats Hughes? Matter of fact, give me one Thabo stat in any year he ever played that beats Hughes. Next case (if your a youngster in your teens, I apologize for being a little hard, but sometimes wrong is wrong.)

Sorry.
Also, have you ever watched Lebron play in person?
See how many big name players want to play in Cleveland with MR. BASKETBALL?
Sometimes a player needs to touch the ball during a game, it’s not St. Vincent’s St. Mary’s anymore and 1 on 5. You can do it, you can lead the league, but you won’t win championships. And if you do get the ball, there is 3-4 seconds left on the shot clock, so what do you do? You shot or turn it over. Sure he’s great, not a team player though and if you see assist, you have to learn when they come in a game, is it a play, or are you trapped and somebody like Gibson sinks one.