Fratello Funnies

by Gene Banks on Feb 14, 2008 11:21 PM CST

Gotta love national broadcasters. Although Fratello usually does a great job (and should always be paired with Marv), here were a couple winners from tonight:

Commenting that Thabo, in order to be a good point guard, needs to work on his handle. Thabo, at best, will give this team spot minutes at the point. He is a 2/3 with length who can get to the rim and crash the boards. Not a primary ballhandler, not at all.
When Kirk came down to take a quick jumper on the break, Fratello mentions that Kirk wouldn't ordinarly take that shot. Umm...he takes those shots every game.

Don't these guys meet with the beat reporters before the game to take the pulse of the team? If I had to hear them rehash the contracts, Skiles firing again, I'll be sick. I know its a national broadcast, but the five non-Chicago residents that tuned into this game probably also tuned into last week's game in Golden State and heard the same thing...Sorry performance, Czar.

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what's wrong with the Thabo assessment?

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Feb 14, 2008 11:26 PM CST reply actions

Thabo...

Fratello was painting Thabo as if he was a point guard first. A better analysis might have been to describe how his length allows him to take the big guards on D, leaving Kirk an easier matchup on both ends. I think that, while we all have hopes that Thabo could serve as a PG in certain larger lineups, that's not where his future on this team his. Fratello neglected to highlight Thabo's flexibility, choosing to label him as a 6'7" Marcus Banks.

by Gene Banks on Feb 15, 2008 1:03 AM CST reply actions

hmmmm

Your right in your analysis but on offense, a 6 7 shooting guard who can't shoot isn't very useful and we have plenty of ddepth at the sf position so I dno't think that is where the bulls would like him to go. Good news is his flexibility on defense and his ridiculous rebounding skills. Oh and Thabo's job shouldn't be making hinrich stats look better. Turnovers are turnovers. I dont care if its hinrich or thabo making them. Hinrich is supposed to be one of the top defensive guards in the league and thats where ost of his value lies so he shouldn't be bitchin about having to guard the dwayne wades, CP3, and ray allens of the league.

I think the bulls drafted Thabo thinking he could be duhon's replacement not Gordon's aka he was going to play significant minutes at PG but that hasn't worked out. Instead he plays Sf style on offense while playing good defense against guards. I rather him learn how to handle the ball better than learn how to shoot three pointers. He has a little bit of that lamar odom point forward instinct, but he turns the ball over too much and seems uncomfortable in that role.

by Sambossanova on Feb 15, 2008 4:25 AM CST up reply actions

I don't think so

did you read that somewhere?

Goodbye Viktor, and Godspeed.

by bullshooter on Feb 15, 2008 9:55 AM CST up reply actions

I've never heard

Kirk bitch about anyone he has to guard. I have heard the coaches and several media people comment about who Kirk has to guard.

Never went to church camp but I did go to Girl Scout camp. If you ever need help making a campfire I'm your girl. :P

by sue369 on Feb 15, 2008 10:12 AM CST up reply actions

I agree with Matt

What Fratello said on Thabo was right on point. If he could really develop a good handle, then he is a big bailout for the rest of our guards. Du, BG and Kirk are undersized. If Thabo can play a passable PG, then our team is way, way better. He can take advantage of easy driving buckets, hit an occasional open j, play great d, and hit the boards better than most guards. Du sucks, so he is largely irrelevant, but Kirk and BG are more scoring guards than distributors, so the fact that they are undersized is alleviated by a big ballhandler. If the Bulls plan on moving forward with both BG and Kirk, then a big PG would make them both much more effective.

Why don't you crack an egg of knowledge all over me, buddy.

by MarketMaker on Feb 15, 2008 2:19 AM CST reply actions

Fratello mentioned

that what gets Thabo in trouble is trying to run the point with your back to the basket 45 feet from the rim. You can't see the action and it creates blind spots that make the defensive trap effective for the opponent.

Fratello probably saw the same thing last week in the GSW game. Thabo turned it over there as well.

I wonder how many teams are calling Paxson asking about Thabo's availability.

by NBA Observer on Feb 15, 2008 8:23 AM CST reply actions