Game Preview #72 - Detroit Pistons @ Chicago Bulls
by torch on Mar 24, 2009 1:03 PM CDT
74 comments
[Note by your friendly BullsBlogger, 03/24/09 2:00 PM CDT : Thanks to torch for today's game preview -ed.]
After last night's near loss to the Least of the East, it is hard to rustle up any optomism for our game tonight against the Pistons. However we can take solace in tow things: 1) A win is a win, and 2) the Pistons might be more beat up than Boston was a week ago.
Tonight begins Operation Toyota, our quest to pass Detroit and acquire the 7th seed in the playoffs. Hollinger currently has us in the 8th seed in the East, with the same record as Detroit (40-42). We currently sit two games behind them in the standings, having played two more games than they have. More importantly, we play them tonight and again in three weeks. The only tough game we have remaining on our schedule is against Miami this Thursday at home and we only have two road games left. Detroit has a home game against the Lakers on Thursday, while also traveling to both Cleveland and Miami later this season and they have seven games away from Auburn Hills remaining. If we take care of business tonight and on April 13th, we will be percentage points ahead of Detroit in the standings while holding the head-to-head tie breaker. From there, we only need to win one more game than they do over our remaining schedule. As far fetched as it may seem, this is reasonably within our reach
On to tonight's game: According to the Detroit Free Press, Rasheed Wallace and Allen Iverson are out for tonight, with Rip Hamilton being very doubtful. Besides the depth issues this poses Detroit, it also benefits us on the defensive end, as our guards won't have to chase Rip around and our bigs can stay closer to the paint, not having to guard Sheed at the time line. This makes tonight's extremely winnable, especially at home. Accuscore has us as a 3:1 favorite tonight. Let's prove the computers right!
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Gonna be in Class
watching the game on the comp and missing most of the lesson. Make it worth it BULLS!
ROSE DRIVES TO THE HOOP...
its like a comb through Vinny's hair.
by Rudey on Mar 24, 2009 1:43 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
You forgot to add
That the Pistons even while healthy have lost all their former swagger and are ripe for a defeat.
GO BULLS. I do think we’re a better team…..and while yesterday was a near defeat to the LEAST, Jamison (2 time all star that he is) was playing like the All Star he was yesterday and willed his team back into that one after we started to take it easy…..Plus Vinny inexplicably sat Ben from the start of the fourth till less than 4 minutes left after Gordon was the reason for us taking and blowing up that lead yesterday….
by majoyenrac on Mar 24, 2009 1:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
it just doenst make sense.
Im still bewildered as to why VDN sat him for so long. Has anyone seen his comments on the matter? Even if he was trying to save him for tonight (which I really doubt as foresight doesn’t seem to be his hallmark) , why wait until we were only up by two to bring him back in. Why not just let him start the 4th and build a big enough lead that you can sit him, and drose for that matter, down the stretch. It just boggles my mind… seriously.. my mind isn’t usually this easily boggled!
Ps. Sorry for the rant
Don't Taz me bro'!
by robingoodfellow on Mar 24, 2009 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I like Kirk too
But that was baffling. It’s not just playing the hot hand theory, it’s also playing your best player who also incidentally had the hot hand…..just odd.
I could see giving him a 2-3 minute burn, but why was it 8+?
Oh well we won in the end.
by majoyenrac on Mar 24, 2009 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
yea it makes no sense
and if u think about it..he did the same thing by giving BG like 40mins aganist LA while he sucked and kirk was better. and yesterday when kirk sucked he kept gordon out… i dont get it. u would think that if his job was tied to making the playoffs, he do what is needed to win and get there.
The only monster here is the gambling monster that has enslaved your mother! I call him Gamblor, and it's time to snatch your mother from his neon claws!!
by Yibs on Mar 24, 2009 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
In that sense,
Vinny sitting him the whole second made sense – Ben was coming off a pretty bad game and was 0 for 4 in the first quarter, while Kirk was hitting shots in the first half, and the Bulls were starting to play better as the second went on.
Second half was a totally different story, with Ben hitting everything and Kirk missing everything. And it makes no sense that Vinny would be trying to conserve Ben for the second night of a back-to-back when Ben hasn’t looked worn down – if anyone needs minutes adjusted for fatigue concerns it’s Derrick, but Vinny is still playing him a ton, including big minutes in games where the Bulls have big leads.
It’s almost like the only thing that makes sense as an explanation is that Vinny forgets he has guys sitting on the bench.
Man-slave, bring me my PB&J!
by wjb1492 on Mar 24, 2009 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is why I don't believe Vinny uses the "Hot Hand Theory" we've discussed before.
And, even if he is using it, why he’s such a poor judge of it. And, even if he is a good judge, why it’s so bad to use.
Viva la nuance! Reading comprehension rules!!!
by tyger1147 on Mar 24, 2009 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
exactly
…at this point, why are we even still attempting to justify and/or explain ANYTHING that VDN does?
http://awsomepeoplesearch.com/
by NormVanBeer on Mar 24, 2009 5:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've given up trying
and my brain has thanked me. I suggest you do the same before you go crosseyed or worse, start slicking your hair back.
"The Zen philosopher Basho once wrote: 'A flute with no holes is not a flute, And a doughnut with no hole is a Danish.' He was a funny guy."
by Ugh It Live! on Mar 24, 2009 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Because
He’ll likely be our coach through at least NEXT SEASON….
by majoyenrac on Mar 25, 2009 7:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think he genuinely does forget who he has on the bench.
He also tends to pull guys right after they make a couple of shots in a row.
by Scotter on Mar 24, 2009 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
goin to the game tonight.
very psyched. my thoughts upon my return.
Asked what kind of player he expects to be in the next five years, he said: "Not a star, but like, a superstar. Something around, like, Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, something like that."
by BigBenign on Mar 24, 2009 2:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Operation Toyota???
That’s gold, man. Gold!
Viva la nuance! Reading comprehension rules!!!
by tyger1147 on Mar 24, 2009 2:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
This should be a win
they’re w/o Sheed, Rip and Iverson for chrissakes. Run all over them, every defensive reb. should be pushed up. I hate to say it but play Kansas’ style..
"The Zen philosopher Basho once wrote: 'A flute with no holes is not a flute, And a doughnut with no hole is a Danish.' He was a funny guy."
by Ugh It Live! on Mar 24, 2009 3:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
walter harmann for career high?
The only monster here is the gambling monster that has enslaved your mother! I call him Gamblor, and it's time to snatch your mother from his neon claws!!
by Yibs on Mar 24, 2009 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Unfortunately, the young and lesser known kids do scare me a little more.
It does make it seem more like a game the Bulls should win, and therein lies the problem…. It’s crazy how much of a favorite accuscore has the Bulls as
Man-slave, bring me my PB&J!
by wjb1492 on Mar 24, 2009 4:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Walter Hermann
Actually isn’t such a bad player. He generally did alright as a rookie in Charlotte, and came on very strong there towards the end of his rookie season. It’s a testament to how much of a moron Michael Curry is that given their injuries, especially given their injuries that Hermann ain’t getting too much burn.
Vinny’s been spotty, but he’s light years ahead of Curry.
by majoyenrac on Mar 25, 2009 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
W/o Wallace, Thomas might not get another career high.
Viva la nuance! Reading comprehension rules!!!
by tyger1147 on Mar 24, 2009 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not having Iverson is probably a gain for the Pistons
What’s their starting five? Stuckey/Afflalo/Prince/McDyess/Brown?
I don’t think I’d ever see the day that Kwame Brown is starting games. Man Detroit’s getting bad.
by NittanyCub on Mar 24, 2009 4:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Right Iverson probably hurts more than he helps
but I’ll take any game w/o Rip and Sheed. Make sure everyone knows that Prince is a lefty, he’s going to go to his left (what a concept!), don’t give Dyess the space to hit spot up jumpers all night – make him put the ball on the floor. As far as the others…unless one has a career game (which is totally possible given our "D"), we should be winning this game.
"The Zen philosopher Basho once wrote: 'A flute with no holes is not a flute, And a doughnut with no hole is a Danish.' He was a funny guy."
by Ugh It Live! on Mar 24, 2009 4:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Since we no longer have Noc to draw the technicals on 'Sheed....
It almost won’t be like watching a game against the Pistons without ’Sheed and Rip whining at the refs constantly.
Man-slave, bring me my PB&J!
by wjb1492 on Mar 24, 2009 5:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Sheed actually travels with the team
there’s still the possibility of him getting a T. If he’s in Chicago, the possibility exists. As for Rip, he’s a dirty player and one of my least favorite NBA Players. There was a time when only Prince was someone I could tolerate on their entire team, now it’s a little better, but only because I don’t know the new guys as well. I’m sure I’ll learn to dislike them :)
"The Zen philosopher Basho once wrote: 'A flute with no holes is not a flute, And a doughnut with no hole is a Danish.' He was a funny guy."
by Ugh It Live! on Mar 24, 2009 5:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sheed
Basically quit playing last year after the all star break…..he’s not what he was (though in any game I guess can be close to what he was) but I think he’s pretty well done. I mean I wouldn’t pay to have him come off the bench and through a costly tirade…..
I was a big fan of his a few years back too, but he doesn’t have it…..so I think it’s a plus having him injured, at least with the way the Pistons have been playing and Sheed’s quick to be frustrated mold.
Rip would have helped considerably though yesterday….
by majoyenrac on Mar 25, 2009 8:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Should be a win"
“Bulls” and “should be a win” are mutually excusive terms and should never be used in the same sentence (at least this year).
by El Toro de Goro on Mar 24, 2009 5:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Time to start rumors
Henry Ford was a mean guy. I saw him one time in a restaurant in Dearborn, around the 1920s, to say hello, and he goes “Leave me alone, I’m eating.” He likes to remain healthy by eating berries and nuts. He was really rude and tried to swipe me with his hand, and that’s when I figured it out.
Swipes me with his hand? Eats berries and nuts?
Henry Ford is a bear. A god damn bear.
I raced outside the restaurant, while Ford demolished through tables and innocent bystanders to get to me. Luckily I outsmarted him and lay in a dumpster for a couple hours. But this was one meeting with Ford I’ll never forget.
by NittanyCub on Mar 24, 2009 3:59 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
You forgot Need for Sheed
"The Zen philosopher Basho once wrote: 'A flute with no holes is not a flute, And a doughnut with no hole is a Danish.' He was a funny guy."
by Ugh It Live! on Mar 24, 2009 4:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
And
Detroit Bad Boys. They always have such nice things to say about the Chicago Bulls. ;)
Man-slave, bring me my PB&J!
by wjb1492 on Mar 24, 2009 5:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bulls are so lucky
The Celtics didn’t had their best player (KG) when they faced the Bulls and we won. Yesterday the Wizards didn’t had Arenas and Butler. New Orleans lost to us at home and CP3 didn’t played that game. Now the Pistons don’t have Sheed and Iverson, and RIP may not play. Is God helping us getting to the playoffs injuring the opponents best players?
by bull83 on Mar 24, 2009 5:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think every team has played Wash
w/o Arenas this season…so not a big advantage there.
"The Zen philosopher Basho once wrote: 'A flute with no holes is not a flute, And a doughnut with no hole is a Danish.' He was a funny guy."
by Ugh It Live! on Mar 24, 2009 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah, because those guys were only injured against us
by Basketball Smurf on Mar 24, 2009 5:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's not my point
The point is that, somehow, we’re lucky to not have them against us. We already have problems with the "garbage" players, now imagine what could happen if they had played. I know they missed a lot of games…
by bull83 on Mar 24, 2009 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i just don't see the need to denigrate every win that the bulls get
when they play a team without their superstar. That happens all over the league. The Cavs and Lakers haven’t amassed their win total playing every team at full strength, nor have the Bobcats. I see no reason to believe the Bulls have been more fortunate than any other team when it comes to injuries, whether its our own players or the opponents.
by Basketball Smurf on Mar 24, 2009 6:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would like to think the same way
Don’t get me wrong, I want the Bulls to win every game, with stars injuried or not in the other team. But, sometimes, even our best is not enough to defeat the teams who have their best players. Look at the Lakers game. I liked the way we played, but on the moment of truth, the Lakers showed up and their starts (Kobe and Gasol) – Farmar played well, also – gave them the win…
Do you think we had won the Celtics game if KG had played? Probably not. But now we’ll never know
by bull83 on Mar 24, 2009 7:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well the
Lakers are the best team in th eleague for a reason.
Bulls are inconsistent, but when we play our best game (something we really haven’t done in a little while, even though we’ve been winning) we’re pretty damn hard to beat. In fact the only time this year where I thought we played our asses off in one of those I can’t believe we actually look good games that happens once every 10, the only team to beat us was the Miami Heat in that double overtime thriller…..
But yeah we’re with 99.99% accuracy a one and done this year, even if we beat the odds and moved up into the 5th spot (not gonna happen) we’re just too inconsistent to beat any of the big teams….even if we have the talent on paper to do so.
by majoyenrac on Mar 25, 2009 8:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kirk and Luol will be thrilled to know God is in charge of doling out injuries.
Man-slave, bring me my PB&J!
by wjb1492 on Mar 24, 2009 5:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rose is a game time decision tonight
With a right wrist contusion
by gocubs40 on Mar 24, 2009 5:34 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
yup
He says it hurts to the point where he cant turn a doorknob.
by aznlildelfin on Mar 24, 2009 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The pansy - rub some dirt on it!
Although I’m sure there’s a good joke in here about playing through a stab wound but not a bruise….
Man-slave, bring me my PB&J!
by wjb1492 on Mar 24, 2009 5:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
And Rose is out
by gocubs40 on Mar 24, 2009 5:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Now it all makes sense.
Vinny had a predeception that Derrick would be out tonight, and that’s why Ben played so few minutes. Vinny decided to ride Derrick before the injured wrist stiffened up and swelled, and save Ben for 48 straight-minutes tonight. Genious!
They will be short tonight, that’s for sure.
Man-slave, bring me my PB&J!
by wjb1492 on Mar 24, 2009 5:47 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
nooo
i finally get a good looking game on TNT and i dont even get to watch rose :(
"They should. They better. I'm Vinny Del Negro!"
by Jaina on Mar 24, 2009 5:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
dunk in the 1st half...
probably that play where he tried to go against i think it was pecherov? came up short/was hammered whatever.
"They should. They better. I'm Vinny Del Negro!"
by Jaina on Mar 24, 2009 5:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rodney Stuckey can do some things for Detroit, particularly if Hinrich is guarding him all night.
Will tonight be the night of Hunter’s big game?
They're after our precious bodily fluids
by chowder on Mar 24, 2009 5:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Do you watch
Hinrich is a damn good defender…..incredibly speedy guys like Rondo (and if he’s traded, Derrick) can at times give him fits, but overall he’s a very good defender….wish our other guards and SF’s could guard 50% as good as Kirk does, as given their greater strength, we’d be awesome….
by majoyenrac on Mar 25, 2009 8:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dammnit! Wanted to see him start every game as a rookie
My greatest enemy is my inner me
by TheCool1 on Mar 24, 2009 5:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
NO ROSE APOCALYPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
BOOOOOOOOO
There was an incident a few years ago. The Bulls were killing the Knicks, scrubs were playing out the clock, and the fans were screaming at them to score 100 points for free Big Macs. They took a ton of shots, Knicks took offense and they tried to fight some Bulls players.
by Ozzie Montana on Feb 19, 2009 5:25 PM EST
by Jbasic89 on Mar 24, 2009 6:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
7 man rotation
ROSE DRIVES TO THE HOOP...
its like a comb through Vinny's hair.
by Rudey on Mar 24, 2009 6:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
this blows
"That's a spicy meatball-a!" - Vinny Del Negro
by Juiceboxjerry on Mar 24, 2009 6:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
holy shit, does this mean ROBERSON is gonna get some run?
this has bad written all over it and on the inside
by Daniel Satan on Mar 24, 2009 6:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
No Sheed or Rip.....that just means the Bulls are supposed to win
And we all know what happens when we expect them to do things.
Confusion breeds success. If they don't know each other, opponents can't have strategy. GENIUS.
by Ozzie Montana on Mar 24, 2009 6:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
well, i for one fully expected them to lose last night...
maybe we can swing the karma back our way if we all just pretty much accept the fact that they’ll probably blow it tonight
by Daniel Satan on Mar 24, 2009 7:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Charles Barkley called Vinny's Wife a Cougar.
Chicago Bulls Blog and Forums. NBA Power Rankings.
by Andrew7 on Mar 24, 2009 7:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Ernie Johnson is about to own Charles Barkley.
Chicago Bulls Blog and Forums. NBA Power Rankings.
by Andrew7 on Mar 24, 2009 7:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Barkley is just killing the Bulls
on the pregame show.
by runningman on Mar 24, 2009 7:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
this is new?
Viva la nuance! Reading comprehension rules!!!
by tyger1147 on Mar 24, 2009 7:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is probably VDN happiest coaching experience
Being able to play Kirk for 40 minutes in a game
by D-rose on Mar 24, 2009 7:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
It’s like we went through the motions the first half, it got so bad that even Marv and Doug were saying that in the first half.
I liked the way we decided to play for that 14 minute stretch to start the 2nd half, then we skated into th ewin…..a pretty boring game, Detroit was never really in contention (though those are the games we tend to lose because our guys don’t give it their all all night, we should have lost given the relative lack of effort considering how important this game was to us).
by majoyenrac on Mar 25, 2009 8:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
TT has played very well today.....been impressed but
the key to this game has been keeping the turnovers down against a team missing 3 starters. That was there only hope.
by PeteRoc on Mar 24, 2009 9:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
He's played great aganist Rasheed Wallace the past two years.
I’m sure you’ve conveniently forgot that, though.
Viva la nuance! Reading comprehension rules!!!
by tyger1147 on Mar 25, 2009 8:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
love operation toyota
but is it really something we want? I mean, if we’re just going to get our asses handed to us in Rd 1 i’d rather have the better draft pick. I’m all for getting good playoff experience and all but i’d prefer the 8 over the 7. Also if we somehow did pull off a miracle in a 5 game series, i’d rather be on the side of the 4/5 than the 3 and then have to play Orlando/Boston in the 2nd rd (obviously this is a pipedream scenario as well)
in general i’d prefer 8 to 7
by DartmouthCubsFan on Mar 25, 2009 9:49 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
it's a 7 game series..
and like getting the 15th instead of the 14th pick is sooo much worse.
my guess is we can’t beat cle or bos anyways. i’d pick our best shot to be orlando if we get the 7th and they end up getting the 2nd or something.
"They should. They better. I'm Vinny Del Negro!"
by Jaina on Mar 25, 2009 10:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Another lottery pick isn't going to help this team
The draft is weak, and getting playoff experience for the Rose/Noah/Tyrus trio is much more valuable in the long run. Their record is bad enough that they’ll still have a decent mid 1st round pick, in addition to the Spurs pick from the Thabo trade.
Confusion breeds success. If they don't know each other, opponents can't have strategy. GENIUS.
by Ozzie Montana on Mar 25, 2009 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
as i said
i value the playoff experience, but would rather have 14 than 15 if we’re getting our asses handed to us anyway in rd 1
by DartmouthCubsFan on Mar 26, 2009 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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